bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adenosine A1 receptors and vascular reactivity
Authors: Wang Y. , Yang J. N. , Arner A. , Boels P. J. M. , Fredholm B. B. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim:  Blood pressure is higher in A1 receptor knock‐out (A1R−/−) mice than in wild type litter mates (A1R+/+) and we have examined if this could be related to altered vascular functions.Methods:  Contraction of aortic rings and mesenteric arteries were examined. To examine if the adenosine A1 receptor‐mediated contraction of aortic muscle was functionally important we examined pulse pressure (PP) and augmentation index (AIX) using a sensor that allows measurements of rapid pressure transients.Results:  Contraction of aortic rings to phenylephrine and relaxation to acetylcholine were similar between genotypes. The non‐selective adenosine receptor agonist N‐ethyl carboxamido adenosine (NECA) enhanced the contractile response, and this was eliminated in aortas from A1R−/− mice. However, in mesenteric arteries no contractile response was seen and adenosine‐mediated relaxation was identical between studied genotypes. A2B adenosine receptors, rather than A2A receptors, may be mainly responsible for the vasorelaxation induced by adenosine analogues in the examined mouse vessels. PP was higher in A1R−/− mice, but variability was unaltered. AIX was not different between genotypes, but the NECA‐induced fall was larger in A1R−/− mice.Conclusions:  The role of adenosine A1 receptors in regulating vessel tone differs between blood vessels. Furthermore, contractile effects on isolated vessels cannot explain the blood pressure in A1 knock‐out mice. The A1 receptor modulation of blood pressure is therefore mainly related to extravascular factors.
Worldwide invasion by the little fire ant: routes of introduction and eco‐evolutionary pathways
Authors: Foucaud Julien , Orivel Jérôme , Loiseau Anne , Delabie Jacques H. C. , Jourdan Hervé , Konghouleux Djoël , Vonshak Merav , Tindo Maurice , Mercier Jean‐Luc , Fresneau Dominique , Mikissa Jean‐Bruno , McGlynn Terry , Mikheyev Alexander S. , Oettler Jan , Estoup Arnaud 
Published: February 2010

AbstractBiological invasions are generally thought to occur after human aided migration to a new range. However, human activities prior to migration may also play a role. We studied here the evolutionary genetics of introduced populations of the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata at a worldwide scale. Using microsatellite markers, we reconstructed the main routes of introduction of the species. We found three main routes of introduction, each of them strongly associated to human history and trading routes. We also demonstrate the overwhelming occurrence of male and female clonality in introduced populations of W. auropunctata, and suggest that this particular reproduction system is under selection in human‐modified habitats. Together with previous researches focused on native populations, our results suggest that invasive clonal populations may have evolved within human modified habitats in the native range, and spread further from there. The evolutionarily most parsimonious scenario for the emergence of invasive populations of the little fire ant might thus be a two‐step process. The W. auropunctata case illustrates the central role of humans in biological change, not only due to changes in migration patterns, but also in selective pressures over species.
Influenza Virus Vaccine Based on the Conserved Hemagglutinin Stalk Domain
Authors: Steel John , Lowen Anice C. , Wang Taia T. , Yondola Mark , Gao Qinshan , Haye Kester , García-Sastre Adolfo , Palese Peter 
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACT
Although highly effective in the general population when well matched to circulating influenza virus strains, current influenza vaccines are limited in their utility due to the narrow breadth of protection they provide. The strain specificity of vaccines presently in use mirrors the exquisite specificity of the neutralizing antibodies that they induce, that is, antibodies which bind to the highly variable globular head domain of hemagglutinin (HA). Herein, we describe the construction of a novel immunogen comprising the conserved influenza HA stalk domain and lacking the globular head. Vaccination of mice with this headless HA construct elicited immune sera with broader reactivity than those obtained from mice immunized with a full-length HA. Furthermore, the headless HA vaccine provided full protection against death and partial protection against disease following lethal viral challenge. Our results suggest that the response induced by headless HA vaccines is sufficiently potent to warrant their further development toward a universal influenza virus vaccine.

IMPORTANCE
Current influenza vaccines are effective against only a narrow range of influenza virus strains. It is for this reason that new vaccines must be generated and administered each year. We now report progress toward the goal of an influenza virus vaccine which would protect against multiple strains. Our approach is based on presentation to the host immune system of a region of the influenza virus—called a “headless hemagglutinin” (headless HA)—which is similar among a multitude of diverse strains. We show that vaccination of mice with a headless HA confers protection to these animals against a lethal influenza virus challenge, thereby demonstrating the viability of the approach. Through further development and testing, we predict that a single immunization with a headless HA vaccine will offer effective protection through several influenza epidemics.
Some Sufficient Conditions for Fixed Points of Multivalued Nonexpansive Mappings
Authors: Zuo Zhanfei , Cui Yunan 
Published: January 2010

AbstractWe show some sufficient conditions on a Banach space "Equation missing" concerning the generalized James constant, the generalized Jordan-von Neumann constant, the generalized Zbagănu constant, the coefficient "Equation missing", the weakly convergent sequence coefficient WCS("Equation missing"), and the coefficient of weak orthogonality, which imply the existence of fixed points for multivalued nonexpansive mappings. These fixed point theorems improve some previous results in the recent papers.
Foehn-Like Winds and Elevated Fire Danger Conditions in Southeastern Australia
Authors: Sharples Jason J. , Mills Graham A. , McRae Richard H. D. , Weber Rodney O. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractBushfires in southeastern Australia are a serious environmental problem, and consistently cause loss of life and damage to property and other assets. Understanding synoptic processes that can lead to dangerous fire weather conditions throughout the region is therefore an important undertaking aimed at improving community safety, protection of assets, and fire suppression tactics and strategies. In southeastern Australia severe fire weather is often associated with dry cool changes or coastally modified cold fronts. Less well known, however, are synoptic events that can occur in connection with the topography of the region, such as cross-mountain flows and foehn-like winds, which can also lead to abrupt changes in fire weather variables that ultimately result in locally elevated fire danger. This paper focuses on foehn-like occurrences over the southeastern mainland, which are characterized by warm, dry winds on the lee side of the Australian Alps. The characteristics of a number of foehn-like occurrences are analyzed based on observational data and the predictions of a numerical weather model. The analyses confirm the existence of a foehn effect over parts of southeastern Australia and suggest that its occurrence is primarily due to the partial orographic blocking of relatively moist low-level air and the subsidence of drier upper-level air in the lee of the mountains. The regions prone to foehn occurrence, the influence of the foehn on fire weather variables, and the connection between the foehn and mountain waves are also discussed.
Decadal Prediction in the Pacific Region
Authors: Meehl Gerald A. , Hu Aixue , Tebaldi Claudia 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
A “perfect model” configuration with a global coupled climate model 30-member ensemble is used to address decadal prediction of Pacific SSTs. All model data are low-pass filtered to focus on the low-frequency decadal component. The first three EOFs in the twentieth-century simulation, representing nearly 80% of the total variance, are used as the basis for early twenty-first-century predictions. The first two EOFs represent the forced trend and the interdecadal Pacific oscillation (IPO), respectively, as noted in previous studies, and the third has elements of both trend and IPO patterns. The perfect model reference simulation, the target for the prediction, is taken as the experiment that ran continuously from the twentieth to twenty-first century using anthropogenic and natural forcings for the twentieth century and the A1B scenario for the twenty-first century. The other 29 members use a perturbation in the atmosphere at year 2000 and are run until 2061. Since the IPO has been recognized as a dominant contributor to decadal variability in the Pacific, information late in the twentieth century and early in the twenty-first century is used to select a subset of ensemble members that are more skillful in tracking the time evolution of the IPO (EOF2) in relation to a notional start date of 2010. Predictions for the 19-yr period centered on the year 2020 use that subset of ensemble members to construct Pacific SST patterns based on the predicted evolution of the first three EOFs. Compared to the perfect model reference simulation, the predictions show some skill for Pacific SST predictions with anomaly pattern correlations greater than +0.5. An application of the Pacific SST prediction is made to precipitation over North America and Australia. Even though there are additional far-field influences on Pacific SSTs and North American and Australian precipitation involving the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) in the Atlantic, and Indian Ocean and South Asian monsoon variability, there is qualitative skill for the pattern of predicted precipitation over North America and Australia using predicted Pacific SSTs. This exercise shows that, in the presence of a large forced trend like that in the large ensemble, much of Pacific region decadal predictability about 20 years into the future arises from increasing greenhouse gases.
Relative Contributions of the Indian Ocean and Local SST Anomalies to the Maintenance of the Western North Pacific Anomalous Anticyclone during the El Niño Decaying Summer*
Authors: Wu Bo , Li Tim , Zhou Tianjun 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
To investigate the relative role of the cold SST anomaly (SSTA) in the western North Pacific (WNP) or Indian Ocean basin mode (IOBM) in maintaining an anomalous anticyclone over the western North Pacific (WNPAC) during the El Niño decaying summer, a suite of numerical experiments is performed using an atmospheric general circulation model, ECHAM4. In sensitive experiments, the El Niño composite SSTA is specified in either the WNP or the tropical Indian Ocean, while the climatological SST is specified elsewhere. The results indicate that the WNPAC is maintained by the combined effects of the local forcing of the negative SSTA in the WNP and the remote forcing from the IOBM. The former (latter) contribution gradually weakens (enhances) from June to August. The negative SSTA in the WNP is crucial for the maintenance of the WNPAC in early summer. However, because of a negative air–sea feedback, the negative SSTA gradually decays, as does the local forcing effect. Enhanced local convection associated with the IOBM stimulates atmospheric Kelvin waves over the equatorial western Pacific. The impact of the Kelvin waves on the WNP circulation depends on the formation of the climatological WNP monsoon trough, which does not fully establish until late summer. Therefore, the IOBM plays a crucial role in late summer via the Kelvin wave induced anticyclonic shear and boundary layer divergence.
Time Zone Dependence of Diurnal Cycle Errors in Surface Temperature Analyses
Authors: Zou X. , Qin Z-K. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Surface temperatures from both the NCEP analysis and ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) in January 2008 over the Africa–Eurasian region were compared with surface station measurements to study analysis errors in the diurnal cycle, with data sampled at 3-h time intervals. The results show the dominance of the diurnal cycle in surface temperature analyses and the significance of the time zone dependence of diurnal cycle errors in global analyses. While a distinct diurnal cycle of surface temperature is evidenced in all three datasets, with a nearly constant thermal response of about 2 h in surface station data, the thermal response in the two global analyses varies with longitude. A smaller error in analysis is found in time zones where the observed maximum temperatures (Tmax) occurred close to a global analysis time (e.g., 0000, 0600, 1200, or 1800 UTC). The thermal response errors in surface temperature analyses increase linearly with the difference between the observed diurnal peak time and the analysis time closest to the peak time. Large similarities between the results obtained using both NCEP and ERA-Interim analyses give confidence in the significance of these results. The results are potentially useful for forecast verification, surface data assimilation, and climate research.
Polish clayey raw materials for the production of ceramic tiles
Authors: Wyszomirski P. , Galos K. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractDevelopment of the Polish ceramic industry over the last ten years has resulted in a sharp increase in demand for basic raw materials, especially for ceramic clays – both white- and light-firing as well as red-firing varieties. Polish sources of white-firing clays are rather scarce. Their production is based on Santonian sandy-clayey sediments of the North-Sudetic Trough (Lower Silesia, SW Poland). Light-firing varieties occur mainly in Lower Jurassic sediments on the northern margin of the Holy Cross Mountains (central Poland). Red-firing well-sintering clays of Triassic age are known in the northern margin of the Holy Cross Mountains as well as in the Cracow-Silesian Monocline.The white-firing Santonian clays contain mainly highly-ordered kaolinite (~50%) and quartz (~30%) with minor amounts of illite. Their grain-size median ranges between 1.9 and 2.5 μm. They show moderate plasticity (bending strength after drying at 1.7–1.9 MPa) and weak sinterability (water absorption after firing ~12%), but greater lightness after firing (L parameter ~86%). The light-firing Jurassic clays are kaolinitic-illitic in character, with a variable content of quartz. Kaolinite is represented by the low-ordered variety. The grain-size median is also variable, ranging between 1.1 and 3.4 μm. They show good plasticity (bending strength after drying 2.6–2.8 MPa), good or very good sinterability (water absorption after firing <6%) but moderate lightness (L ~79%).Triassic red clays are highly polymineralic, with illite, kaolinite, smectite, chlorite and mixed-layered minerals occurring in variable amounts. Their specific features are: large hematite content (5–12%), commonly small CaO content (<0.5 wt.%) and an extremely small organic matter content (⩽0.1 wt.%). Their grain-size median usually varies between 2 and 3 mm. Using such clays, sintered ceramics (e.g. stoneware tiles) are obtained after firing in the temperature range 1150–1200ºC.
Inactivation of LEF1 in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Gutierrez Alejandro , Sanda Takaomi , Ma Wenxue , Zhang Jianhua , Grebliunaite Ruta , Dahlberg Suzanne , Neuberg Donna , Protopopov Alexei , Winter Stuart S. , Larson Richard S. , Borowitz Michael J. , Silverman Lewis B. , Chin Lynda , Hunger Stephen P. , Jamieson Catriona , Sallan Stephen E. , Look A. Thomas 
Published: February 2010

AbstractTo further unravel the molecular pathogenesis of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), we performed high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization on diagnostic specimens from 47 children with T-ALL and identified monoallelic or biallelic LEF1 microdeletions in 11% (5 of 47) of these primary samples. An additional 7% (3 of 44) of the cases harbored nonsynonymous sequence alterations of LEF1, 2 of which produced premature stop codons. Gene expression microarrays showed increased expression of MYC and MYC targets in cases with LEF1 inactivation, as well as differentiation arrest at an early cortical stage of thymocyte development characterized by expression of CD1B, CD1E, and CD8, with absent CD34 expression. LEF1 inactivation was associated with a younger age at the time of T-ALL diagnosis, as well as activating NOTCH1 mutations, biallelic INK4a/ARF deletions, and PTEN loss-of-function mutations or activating mutations of PI3K or AKT genes. These cases generally lacked overexpression of the TAL1, HOX11, HOX11L2, or the HOXA cluster genes, which have been used to define separate molecular pathways leading to T-ALL. Our findings suggest that LEF1 inactivation is an important step in the molecular pathogenesis of T-ALL in a subset of young children.
Genome-wide gene responses in a transgenic rice line carrying the maize resistance gene Rxo1 to the rice bacterial streak pathogen, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola
Authors: Zhou Yong-Li , Xu Mei-Rong , Zhao Ming-Fu , Xie Xue-Wen , Zhu Ling-Hua , Fu Bin-Ying , Li Zhi-Kang 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
Non-host resistance in rice to its bacterial pathogen, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc), mediated by a maize NBS-LRR type R gene, Rxo1 shows a typical hypersensitive reaction (HR) phenotype, but the molecular mechanism(s) underlying this type of non-host resistance remain largely unknown.

Results
A microarray experiment was performed to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying HR of rice to Xoc mediated by Rxo1 using a pair of transgenic and non-transgenic rice lines. Our results indicated that Rxo1 appeared to function in the very early step of the interaction between rice and Xoc, and could specifically activate large numbers of genes involved in signaling pathways leading to HR and some basal defensive pathways such as SA and ET pathways. In the former case, Rxo1 appeared to differ from the typical host R genes in that it could lead to HR without activating NDR1. In the latter cases, Rxo1 was able to induce a unique group of WRKY TF genes and a large set of genes encoding PPR and RRM proteins that share the same G-box in their promoter regions with possible functions in post-transcriptional regulation.

Conclusions
In conclusion, Rxo1, like most host R genes, was able to trigger HR against Xoc in the heterologous rice plants by activating multiple defensive pathways related to HR, providing useful information on the evolution of plant resistance genes. Maize non-host resistance gene Rxo1 could trigger the pathogen-specific HR in heterologous rice, and ultimately leading to a localized programmed cell death which exhibits the characteristics consistent with those mediated by host resistance genes, but a number of genes encoding pentatricopeptide repeat and RNA recognition motif protein were found specifically up-regulated in the Rxo1 mediated disease resistance. These results add to our understanding the evolution of plant resistance genes.
Heads or tails: L1 insertion-associated 5' homopolymeric sequences
Authors: Meyer Thomas J , Srikanta Deepa , Conlin Erin M , Batzer Mark A 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
L1s are one of the most successful autonomous mobile elements in primate genomes. These elements comprise as much as 17% of primate genomes with the majority of insertions occurring via target primed reverse transcription (TPRT). Twin priming, a variant of TPRT, can result in unusual DNA sequence architecture. These insertions appear to be inverted, truncated L1s flanked by target site duplications.

Results
We report on loci with sequence architecture consistent with variants of the twin priming mechanism and introduce dual priming, a mechanism that could generate similar sequence characteristics. These insertions take the form of truncated L1s with hallmarks of classical TPRT insertions but having a poly(T) simple repeat at the 5' end of the insertion. We identified loci using computational analyses of the human, chimpanzee, orangutan, rhesus macaque and marmoset genomes. Insertion site characteristics for all putative loci were experimentally verified.

Conclusions
The 39 loci that passed our computational and experimental screens probably represent inversion-deletion events which resulted in a 5' inverted poly(A) tail. Based on our observations of these loci and their local sequence properties, we conclude that they most probably represent twin priming events with unusually short non-inverted portions. We postulate that dual priming could, theoretically, produce the same patterns. The resulting homopolymeric stretches associated with these insertion events may promote genomic instability and create potential target sites for future retrotransposition events.
Randomized Study of Lapatinib Alone or in Combination With Trastuzumab in Women With ErbB2-Positive, Trastuzumab-Refractory Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Blackwell Kimberly L. , Burstein Harold J. , Storniolo Anna Maria , Rugo Hope , Sledge George , Koehler Maria , Ellis Catherine , Casey Michelle , Vukelja Svetislava , Bischoff Joachim , Baselga Jose , O'Shaughnessy Joyce 
Published: February 2010

Purpose Preclinical studies in ErbB2-positive cell lines demonstrated a synergistic interaction between lapatinib and trastuzumab, suggesting that dual blockade is more effective than a single agent alone. EGF104900 compared the activity of lapatinib alone or in combination with trastuzumab in patients with ErbB2-positive, trastuzumab-refractory metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Patients and Methods Patients with ErbB2-positive MBC who experienced progression on prior trastuzumab-containing regimens were randomly assigned to receive either lapatinib alone or in combination with trastuzumab. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary efficacy end points included overall response rate (ORR), clinical benefit rate (CBR; complete response, partial response, and stable disease for ≥ 24 weeks), and overall survival (OS). Results In the intent-to-treat population (N = 296) who received a median of three prior trastuzumab-containing regimens, the combination of lapatinib with trastuzumab was superior to lapatinib alone for PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.93; P = .008) and CBR (24.7% in the combination arm v 12.4% in the monotherapy arm; P = .01). A trend for improved OS in the combination arm was observed (HR = 0.75; 95% CI, 0.53 to 1.07; P = .106). There was no difference in ORR (10.3% in the combination arm v 6.9% in the monotherapy arm; P = .46). The most frequent adverse events were diarrhea, rash, nausea, and fatigue; diarrhea was higher in the combination arm (P = .03). The incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic cardiac events was low (combination therapy = 2% and 3.4%; monotherapy = 0.7% and 1.4%, respectively). Conclusion Despite disease progression on prior trastuzumab-based therapy, lapatinib in combination with trastuzumab significantly improved PFS and CBR versus lapatinib alone, thus offering a chemotherapy-free option with an acceptable safety profile to patients with ErbB2-positive MBC.