bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis C virus dysregulates glucose homeostasis by a dual mechanism involving induction of PGC1α and dephosphorylation of FoxO1
Authors: Bernsmeier C. , Calabrese D. , Heim M. H. , Duong H. T. F. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryThe maintenance of glucose homeostasis is a complex process in which the insulin signalling pathway plays a major role. Disruption of insulin‐regulated glucose homeostasis is frequently observed in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection and might potentially contribute to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) development. Presently, the mechanism that links HCV infection to insulin resistance remains unclear. Previously, we have reported that HCV protein expression in HCV transgenic mice (B6HCV) leads to an overexpression of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) through an ER stress response. In the present work, we describe an association of FoxO1 hypophosphorylation and upregulation of both PGC‐1α and G6Pase to phenotypic hyperglycaemia and insulin resistance in B6HCV mice. In vitro, we observed that PGC1α is concomitantly induced with PP2A. Moreover, we show that the enhanced PP2A expression is sufficient to inhibit insulin‐induced FoxO1 phosphorylation via blockade of insulin‐mediated Akt activation or/and through direct association and dephosphorylation of pS‐FoxO1. Consequently, we found that the gluconeogenic gene glucose‐6‐phosphatase is upregulated. These observations were confirmed in liver biopsies obtained from CHC patients. In summary, our results show that HCV‐mediated upregulation of PP2A catalytic subunit alters signalling pathways that control hepatic glucose homeostasis by inhibiting Akt and dephosphorylation of FoxO1.
Using financial incentives to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in the UK
Authors: Betty A. L. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryEncouraging the consumption of fruits and vegetables can help people increase their intake of micronutrients, dietary fibre and non‐nutrient substances, which together have benefits for health. A high intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of a number of diseases including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Among the numerous barriers to purchasing fruits and vegetables, price is still cited as a common factor. Therefore, more needs to be done to incentivise consumers to pick up more of these foods during their weekly shop.The UK Public Health Responsibility Deal seeks to reshape the food environment through behaviour change interventions; however, evidence to support the effectiveness of altering environments to change behaviour as a means to improve population health is weak. In particular, reducing price is a frequently considered policy to improve dietary habits. However, few studies to date have evaluated the effectiveness of such interventions on encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption.Our goal (The Co‐operative Group), in line with the Public Health Responsibility Deal, is to do more to create a positive environment that supports and enables people to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption. In light of this, we piloted a coupon incentive scheme in July 2012 for low fruit and vegetable spenders to see if making these items more affordable would encourage purchases and facilitate increased consumption. Results showed that sales of fruits and vegetables increased by 23.2% during the four‐week campaign, with 132 000 redemptions of the coupon by 90 000 members.
The mechanism of enhanced defecation caused by the ghrelin receptor agonist, ulimorelin
Authors: Pustovit R. V. , Callaghan B. , Kosari S. , Rivera L. R. , Thomas H. , Brock J. A. , Furness J. B. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBackgroundDiscovery of adequate pharmacological treatments for constipation has proven elusive. Increased numbers of bowel movements were reported as a side‐effect of ulimorelin treatment of gastroparesis, but there has been no investigation of the site of action.MethodsAnesthetized rats were used to investigate sites and mechanisms of action of ulimorelin.Key ResultsIntravenous ulimorelin (1–5 mg/kg) caused a substantial and prolonged (~1 h) increase in colorectal propulsive activity and expulsion of colonic contents. This was prevented by cutting the nerves emerging from the lumbosacral cord, by the nicotinic receptor antagonist hexamethonium and by antagonists of the ghrelin receptor. The effect of intravenous ulimorelin was mimicked by direct application of ulimorelin (5 μg) to the lumbosacral spinal cord.Conclusions & InferencesUlimorelin is a potent prokinetic that causes propulsive contractions of the colorectum by activating ghrelin receptors of the lumbosacral defecation centers. Its effects are long‐lasting, in contrast with other colokinetics that target ghrelin receptors.
Caterpillar attack triggers accumulation of the toxic maize protein RIP2
Authors: Chuang Wen‐Po , Herde Marco , Ray Swayamjit , Castano‐Duque Lina , Howe Gregg A. , Luthe Dawn S. 
Published: November 2013

Summary

Some plant‐derived anti‐herbivore defensive proteins are induced by insect feeding, resist digestion in the caterpillar gut and are eliminated in the frass. We have identified several maize proteins in fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) frass that potentially play a role in herbivore defense. Furthermore, the toxicity of one of these proteins, ribosome‐inactivating protein 2 (RIP2), was assessed and factors regulating its accumulation were determined.

To understand factors regulating RIP2 protein accumulation, maize (Zea mays) plants were infested with fall armyworm larvae or treated with exogenous hormones. The toxicity of recombinant RIP2 protein against fall armyworm was tested.

The results show that RIP2 protein is synthesized as an inactive proenzyme that can be processed in the caterpillar gut. Also, caterpillar feeding, but not mechanical wounding, induced foliar RIP2 protein accumulation. Quantitative real‐time PCR indicated that RIP2 transcripts were rapidly induced (1 h) and immunoblot analysis indicated that RIP2 protein accumulated soon after attack and was present in the leaf for up to 4 d after caterpillar removal. Several phytohormones, including methyl jasmonate, ethylene, and abscisic acid, regulated RIP2 protein expression. Furthermore, bioassays of purified recombinant RIP2 protein against fall armyworm significantly retarded caterpillar growth.

We conclude that the toxic protein RIP2 is induced by caterpillar feeding and is one of a potential suite of proteins that defend maize against chewing herbivores.
On the Importance of the First Observation in GLS Detrending in Unit Root Testing
Authors: Westerlund Joakim 
Published: November 2013

AbstractFirst‐differencing is generally taken to imply the loss of one observation, the first, or at least that the effect of ignoring this observation is asymptotically negligible. However, this is not always true, as in the case of generalized least squares (GLS) detrending. In order to illustrate this, the current article considers as an example the use of GLS detrended data when testing for a unit root. The results show that the treatment of the first observation is absolutely crucial for test performance, and that ignorance causes test break‐down.
Enzyme Activity and Structural Dynamics Linked to Micelle Formation: A Fluorescence Anisotropy and ESR Study
Authors: Chin Michael , Somasundaran Ponisseril 
Published: November 2013

AbstractActivities of the enzymes, protease subtilisin and horse radish peroxidase (HRP) have been increased 50 and 40%, respectively, in the presence of the nonionic surfactant, alkyl polyglucoside, compared with the activities in buffer alone. This enzyme hyperactivity reaches a peak at 3.0 mm of surfactant. Investigation into the structure of surfactant aggregates indicates “giant” micelle superstructures at this range of surfactant concentration of 1.7 μm in diameter—dramatically decreasing to 60 and 70 nm at higher surfactant concentrations, while surface tension measurements indicate two critical micelle concentration inflection points at 0.2 and 5.0 mm, which suggests transitions in micelle structure with respect to concentration. Furthermore, electron spin resonance (ESR) indicates that the micelles in first critical micelle concentration regime are loosely packed relative to the second aggregate phase. We hypothesize that this loose packing results in diminished hydration shell repulsion between the micelles, leading to the large, micrometer‐sized aggregates. We further hypothesize that it is the interaction with these loosely packed micelles that affects the flexibility of the HRP and protease enzyme structure. Time‐resolved fluorescence anisotropy of subtilisin in Brij‐30 indicates increasing flexibility of catalytic active site with surfactant concentration. This is correlated with an increase in enzymatic activity.
Singlet Oxygen Generation by Cyclometalated Complexes and Applications
Authors: Ashen‐Garry David , Selke Matthias 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWhile cyclometalated complexes have been extensively studied for optoelectronic applications, these compounds also represent a relatively new class of photosensitizers for the production of singlet oxygen. Thus far, singlet oxygen generation from cyclometalated Ir and Pt complexes has been studied in detail. In this review, photophysical data for singlet oxygen generation from these complexes are presented, and the mechanism of 1O2 generation is discussed, including evidence for singlet oxygen generation via an electron‐transfer mechanism for some of cyclometalated Ir complexes. The period from the first report of singlet oxygen generation by a cyclometalated Ir complex in 2002 through August 2013 is covered in this review. This new class of singlet oxygen photosensitizers may prove to be rather versatile due to the ease of substitution of ancillary ligands without loss of activity. Several cyclometalated complexes have been tethered to zeolites, polystyrene, or quantum dots. Applications for photooxygenation of organic molecules, including “traditional” singlet oxygen reactions (ene reaction, [4 + 2] and [2 + 2] cycloadditions) as well as oxidative coupling of amines are presented. Potential biomedical applications are also reviewed.
High Dimensional Thresholded Regression and Shrinkage Effect
Authors: Zheng Zemin , Fan Yingying , Lv Jinchi 
Published: November 2013

SummaryHigh dimensional sparse modelling via regularization provides a powerful tool for analysing large-scale data sets and obtaining meaningful interpretable models. The use of non-convex penalty functions shows advantage in selecting important features in high dimensions, but the global optimality of such methods still demands more understanding. We consider sparse regression with a hard thresholding penalty, which we show to give rise to thresholded regression. This approach is motivated by its close connection with L0-regularization, which can be unrealistic to implement in practice but of appealing sampling properties, and its computational advantage. Under some mild regularity conditions allowing possibly exponentially growing dimensionality, we establish the oracle inequalities of the resulting regularized estimator, as the global minimizer, under various prediction and variable selection losses, as well as the oracle risk inequalities of the hard thresholded estimator followed by further L2-regularization. The risk properties exhibit interesting shrinkage effects under both estimation and prediction losses. We identify the optimal choice of the ridge parameter, which is shown to have simultaneous advantages to both the L2-loss and the prediction loss. These new results and phenomena are evidenced by simulation and real data examples.
On Estimation Efficiency of the Central Mean Subspace
Authors: Ma Yanyuan , Zhu Liping 
Published: November 2013

SummaryWe investigate the estimation efficiency of the central mean subspace in the framework of sufficient dimension reduction. We derive the semiparametric efficient score and study its practical applicability. Despite the difficulty caused by the potential high dimension issue in the variance component, we show that locally efficient estimators can be constructed in practice. We conduct simulation studies and a real data analysis to demonstrate the finite sample performance and gain in efficiency of the proposed estimators in comparison with several existing methods.
Optimal Sampling Ratios in Comparative Diagnostic Trials
Authors: Dong Ting , Tang Liansheng Larry , Rosenberger William F. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryA subjective sampling ratio between the case and the control groups is not always an efficient choice to maximize the power or to minimize the total required sample size in comparative diagnostic trials. We derive explicit expressions for an optimal sampling ratio based on a common variance structure shared by several existing summary statistics of the receiver operating characteristic curve. We propose a two-stage procedure to estimate adaptively the optimal ratio without pilot data. We investigate the properties of the proposed method through theoretical proofs, extensive simulation studies and a real example in cancer diagnostic studies.
Cultivating Back‐to‐the‐Landers: Networks of Knowledge in Rural Northern Italy
Authors: Wilbur Andrew 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBack‐to‐the‐land migration offers a unique and insightful opportunity to explore how individuals from non‐agricultural backgrounds adopt, adapt and perceive the demands of farming. There is considerable variation in the forms of study and methods of preparation that back‐to‐the‐landers undertake before trying to create a livelihood from the land, not to mention highly disparate results from their efforts. This article considers the value that new farmers in Italy attach to different forms of knowledge, in particular the discrepancies between formal scientific and local knowledges. The utility of different forms is discussed in relation to the individual experiences of farmers, as well as formal networks that exist to impart technical knowledge of agriculture. Two case‐study organisations, Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) and Associazione per Esperienze (APE) are analysed with regard to their abilities to assemble and transmit specific forms of knowledge to new and aspiring farmers, thus strengthening the viability of back‐to‐the‐land as a lifestyle choice and farming as a vocation.
Extruding the Borborema Province (NE‐Brazil): a two‐stage Neoproterozoic collision process
Authors: Ganade de Araujo Carlos E. , Weinberg Roberto F. , Cordani Umberto G. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWe propose that the development of the Borborema Province from 620 to 570 Ma resulted from two discrete collisional events. Collision I, along the West Gondwana Orogen on the west side of the Province, took place at c. 620–610 Ma as the result of collision between the Parnaíba Block, as the forefront of the much larger Amazonian‐West Africa Craton, and the old basement of the Borborema Province. The suture zone related to this collision was reactivated by a dextral transform zone (the Transbrasiliano Lineament), allowing the Borborema Province to approach and collide against the São Francisco Craton in the south at c. 590–580 Ma marking collision II along the Sergipano Orogen. The combined stresses related to eastward push from collision I and northward push from the cratonic indentation into a thickened lithosphere gave rise to an extensive network of strike‐slip shear zones across the Province, forcing its northeastward extrusion.
Vertebral Aspergillosis in a Patient with Autosomal-Dominant Hyper-IgE Syndrome
Authors: Ma Hong , Kuang Lei , Lv Guohua , Wang Bing , Lian Zhesi 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACTWe present a report of an autosomal-dominant hyper-IgE syndrome patient with vertebral aspergillosis. Early diagnosis and antifungal therapy with surgery are crucial for improving the outcome of this aggressive condition.
Draft Genome Sequence ofSphingobiumsp. Strain KK22, a High-Molecular-Weight Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Degrading Bacterium Isolated from Cattle Pasture Soil
Authors: Maeda Allyn H. , Nishi Shinro , Ozeki Yasuhiro , Ohta Yukari , Hatada Yuji , Kanaly Robert A. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACTSphingobiumsp. strain KK22 was isolated from a bacterial consortium that originated from cattle pasture soil from Texas. Strain KK22 grows on phenanthrene and has been shown to biotransform the high-molecular-weight (HMW) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) benz[a]anthracene. The genome of strain KK22 was sequenced to investigate the genes involved in aromatic pollutant biotransformation.
Draft Genome Sequence of Enterococcus raffinosus Strain CFTRI 2200, Isolated from Infant Fecal Material
Authors: Rajagopal Kammara 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

The complete genome sequence of
Enterococcus raffinosus
strain CFTRI 2200, isolated from the fecal material of a 7-month-old infant, is reported. The complete genome consists of 4.237 Mbp with a G+C content of 39.47% and 4,242 protein-coding genes, 54 tRNAs, and 46 rRNAs.
Characterization of Rough and Smooth Morphotypes of Mycobacterium abscessus Isolates from Clinical Specimens
Authors: Rüger Kai , Hampel Annegret , Billig Sandra , Rücker Nadine , Suerbaum Sebastian , Bange Franz-Christoph 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

Mycobacterium abscessus
, which consists of the two subspecies
M. abscessus
subspecies
abscessus
and
M. abscessus
subspecies
bolletii
, can produce rough or smooth colony morphologies. Here we analyzed 50
M. abscessus
isolates cultured from the respiratory specimens of 34 patients, 28 (82%) of whom had cystic fibrosis (CF), with respect to their colony morphologies and antibiotic susceptibilities. The overall proportions of occurrences of the two morphotypes were similar, with specimens from 50% of the patients showing a rough and 38% showing a smooth morphotype. A total of 12% of the specimens from the patients showed both morphotypes simultaneously. At the subspecies level, the proportions of rough and smooth morphotypes differed substantially; 88% of rough morphotypes belonged to
M. abscessus
subspecies
abscessus
, and 85% of smooth morphotypes belonged
M. abscessus
subspecies
bolletii
. Inducible clarithromycin resistance due to the Erm(41) methylase, as well as high-level resistance to clarithromycin due to mutations within the
rrl
gene, occurred independently of the morphotype. The MIC
50
s of amikacin and cefoxitin were identical for the two morphotypes, whereas the MIC
50
s of tigecycline were 0.25 μg/ml for the rough morphotype and 2.0 μg/ml for the smooth morphotype. Our results show that the smooth morphotype was more dominant in respiratory specimens from CF patients than previously thought. With respect to resistance, colony morphology did not affect the susceptibility of
Mycobacterium abscessus
to the first-line antibiotics clarithromycin, amikacin, and cefoxitin.
Comparison of Human Papillomavirus Detections in Urine, Vulvar, and Cervical Samples from Women Attending a Colposcopy Clinic
Authors: Sahasrabuddhe Vikrant V. , Gravitt Patti E. , Dunn S. Terence , Brown David , Allen Richard A. , Eby Yolanda J. , Smith Katie , Zuna Rosemary E. , Zhang Roy R. , Gold Michael A. , Schiffman Mark , Walker Joan L. , Castle Philip E. , Wentzensen Nicolas 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

While urine-based sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) is being explored as a simple and noninvasive approach for cervical cancer screening, data comparing HPV genotyping in urine and those in cellular sampling of the cervix and vulva, and their correlation with rigorously confirmed cervical disease status, are sparse. We performed HPV genotyping on voided-urine and clinician-collected vulvar and cervical samples from 72 women undergoing colposcopy. Although urine-based HPV carcinogenic HPV detection was lower (58.3%) than cervical (73.6%) and vulvar (72.1%) detection (
P
= 0.05 and 0.07, respectively), the agreement of urine HPV with cervical and vulvar HPV was moderate (kappa = 0.55) and substantial (kappa = 0.62), respectively. Urine-based carcinogenic HPV detection had a clinical sensitivity of 80.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 60.7 to 93.5) and a specificity of 53.3% (95% CI = 37.9 to 68.3) for diagnosing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 2/3 (CIN2/3) on histology; 90.0% of CIN3 was positive for urine HPV. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity values for vulvar sampling were 92% (95% CI = 74 to 99) and 40.5% (95% CI = 25.6 to 56.7), and those for cervical sampling were 96.2% (95% CI = 80.4 to 99.9) and 40% (95% CI = 25.7 to 55.7), respectively. HPV16 was the most common carcinogenic genotype detectable in 25% of urine, 33.8% of vulvar, and 31.9% of cervical samples overall, with prevalence increasing with cervical disease grade, regardless of the sampling method. Stronger cervical HPV PCR signal strengths were associated with increased frequency of urine HPV detection. In summary, the relatively lower detection rates but comparable clinical performance of urine-based HPV sampling underscore the need for larger studies to evaluate urine-based sampling for cervical cancer screening, epidemiologic studies, and postvaccination HPV disease surveillance.
Rapid Detection of Staphylococcus aureus Strains with Reduced Susceptibility to Vancomycin by Isothermal Microcalorimetry
Authors: Entenza J. M. , Bétrisey B. , Manuel O. , Giddey M. , Sakwinska O. , Laurent F. , Bizzini A. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) usually harbors a vancomycin-susceptible phenotype (VSSA) but can exhibit reduced vancomycin susceptibility phenotypes that can be heterogeneous-intermediate (hVISA), intermediate (VISA), or fully resistant (VRSA). Current detection techniques (e.g., Etest and population analysis profiles [PAPs]) are slow and time-consuming. We investigated the potential of microcalorimetry to detect reduced susceptibilities to vancomycin in MRSA strains. Representative MSSA, VSSA, hVISA, VISA, and VRSA reference strains, as well as clinical isolates, were used. PAPs were performed by standard methods. Microcalorimetry was performed by inoculating 5 × 10
7
CFU of overnight cultures into 3-ml vials of brain heart infusion broth supplemented with increasing concentrations of vancomycin, and growth-related heat production was measured at 37°C. For the reference strains, no heat production was detected in the VSSA isolates at vancomycin concentrations of >3 μg/ml during the 72 h of incubation. The hVISA and VISA strains showed heat production with concentration-proportional delays of up to 6 μg/ml in 48 h and up to 12 μg/ml in 72 h, respectively. The VRSA strain showed heat production at concentrations up to 16 μg/ml in 12 h. The testing of clinical strains indicated an excellent negative predictive value, allowing us to rule out a decreased vancomycin susceptibility phenotype in <8 h of incubation. Sequential isolates from a patient undergoing vancomycin therapy showed evolving microcalorimetric profiles up to a VISA phenotype. Microcalorimetry was able to detect strains with reduced susceptibilities to vancomycin in <8 h. The measurement of bacterial heat production might represent a simple and rapid method for the detection of reduced susceptibilities to vancomycin in MRSA strains.