bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Paraoxonase-1 and oxidative status in common Mediterranean β-thalassaemia mutations trait, and their relations to atherosclerosis
Authors: Labib Hany A , Etewa Rasha Lotfi , Gaber Osama A , Atfy Maha , Mostafa Tamer M , Barsoum Ihab 
Published: March 2011

AimsInvestigation of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity with oxidative status parameters and the increased susceptibility to atherogenesis in β-thalassaemia-trait (BTT) subjects.MethodsSixty BTT subjects and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Serum PON1, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) were determined. Qualitative detection of β-thalassaemia mutations was carried out.ResultsSerum PON1 activity and TAC were significantly lower in BTT subjects than in controls (p<0.001), while MDA and CIMT were significantly higher (p<0.001). In BTT subjects, TAC, MDA, and CIMT levels were significantly correlated with serum PON1 (r=0.945, −0.900, 0.940 and −0.922 respectively). Serum TAC and MDA were significantly correlated (r=–0.979).ConclusionsOxidative stress is increased, while serum PON1 activity is decreased in BTT subjects. Decrease in PON1 activity is associated with the degree of oxidative stress, anaemia and increase in CIMT. Therefore, BTT subjects may be more prone to development of atherosclerosis.
Regional disparities in compliance with tobacco control policy in Japan: an ecological analysis
Authors: Yorifuji Takashi , Tanihara Shinichi , Takao Soshi , Kawachi Ichiro 
Published: March 2011

BackgroundThe slow progress of tobacco control policy in Japan reflects the tension among the interests of the Finance Ministry (which remains the majority shareholder of Japan Tobacco, Inc), the Health Ministry, tobacco growers and consumers.MethodsWe sought to examine regional disparities in compliance with national tobacco control legislation (the 2003 Health Promotion Law). Specifically, we sought to examine whether prefecture-level compliance with legislation was correlated with decreases in smoking prevalence, and decreases in lung cancer mortality rates. We also examined whether prefectural involvement in growing tobacco was associated with lower compliance with the law.ResultsFrom 2001 to 2007, higher prefectural compliance with tobacco control laws was associated with decreased prevalence of smoking. Decreased tobacco consumption was in turn associated with declining lung cancer mortality. Prefectures involved in growing tobacco exhibited lower levels of compliance with national tobacco control laws. The same prefectures also exhibited the worst improvement in smoking prevalence.ConclusionsThis study in Japan suggests that tobacco control policies are being unevenly implemented across prefectures, and that measures to counteract the influence of local tobacco culture are required to reduce the disparities in regional tobacco control outcomes in that country.
Activation of Toll-like Receptor 5 on Breast Cancer Cells by Flagellin Suppresses Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth
Authors: Cai Zhenyu , Sanchez Amir , Shi Zhongcheng , Zhang Tingting , Liu Mingyao , Zhang Dekai 
Published: March 2011

AbstractIncreasing evidence showed that Toll-like receptors (TLR), key receptors in innate immunity, play a role in cancer progression and development but activation of different TLRs might exhibit the exact opposite outcome, antitumor or protumor effects. TLR function has been extensively studied in innate immune cells, so we investigated the role of TLR signaling in breast cancer epithelial cells. We found that TLR5 was highly expressed in breast carcinomas and that TLR5 signaling pathway is overly responsive in breast cancer cells. Interestingly, flagellin/TLR5 signaling in breast cancer cells inhibits cell proliferation and an anchorage-independent growth, a hallmark of tumorigenic transformation. In addition, the secretion of soluble factors induced by flagellin contributed to the growth-inhibitory activity in an autocrine fashion. The inhibitory activity was further confirmed in mouse xenografts of human breast cancer cells. These findings indicate that TLR5 activation by flagellin mediates innate immune response to elicit potent antitumor activity in breast cancer cells themselves, which may serve as a novel therapeutic target for human breast cancer therapy. Cancer Res; 71(7); 2466–75. ©2011 AACR.
β2-Microglobulin Induces Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition and Confers Cancer Lethality and Bone Metastasis in Human Cancer Cells
Authors: Josson Sajni , Nomura Takeo , Lin Jen-Tai , Huang Wen-Chin , Wu Daqing , Zhau Haiyen E. , Zayzafoon Majd , Weizmann M. Neale , Gururajan Murali , Chung Leland W. K. 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBone metastasis is one of the predominant causes of cancer lethality. This study demonstrates for the first time how β2-microglobulin (β2-M) supports lethal metastasis in vivo in human prostate, breast, lung, and renal cancer cells. β2-M mediates this process by activating epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) to promote lethal bone and soft tissue metastases in host mice. β2-M interacts with its receptor, hemochromatosis (HFE) protein, to modulate iron responsive pathways in cancer cells. Inhibition of either β2-M or HFE results in reversion of EMT. These results demonstrate the role of β2-M in cancer metastasis and lethality. Thus, β2-M and its downstream signaling pathways are promising prognostic markers of cancer metastases and novel therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. Cancer Res; 71(7); 2600–10. ©2011 AACR.
Cardiac Sarcoidosis and Giant Cell Myocarditis as Causes of Atrioventricular Block in Young and Middle-Aged Adults
Authors: Kandolin Riina , Lehtonen Jukka , Kupari Markku 
Published: March 2011

Background—
Cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) and giant cell myocarditis (GCM) may present as high-degree atrioventricular block (AVB), but their proportion of the causal spectrum of AVB is not well-known. We investigated the prevalence of biopsy-verified CS and GCM in young and middle-aged adults undergoing pacemaker (PM) implantation for AVB.

Methods and Results—

We used the PM registry of Helsinki University Central Hospital to identify all patients aged 18 to 55 years who underwent PM implantation for AVB between January 1999 and April 2009 and reviewed their medical records. In total, 133 patients had either second- or third-degree AVB as an indication for PM. Of them, 61 had a known cause for AVB, and they were excluded from further analyses. Among the remaining 72 patients with initially unexplained AVB, biopsy-verified CS or GCM was found in 14 (19%) and 4 (6%) patients, respectively. The majority (16/18, 89%) were women. Among the adult patients aged <55 years, the prevalence of CS and GCM combined was 14% (95% CI, 7.7% to 19.3%) of the whole AVB population and 25% (95% CI, 15% to 35%) of those with an initially unexplained AVB. Over an average of 48 months of follow-up, 7 (39%) of 18 patients with CS or GCM versus 1 of the 54 patients in whom AVB remained idiopathic, experienced either cardiac death, cardiac transplantation, ventricular fibrillation, or treated sustained ventricular tachycardia (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—
CS and GCM explain ≥25% of initially unexplained AVB in young and middle-aged adults. These patients are at high risk for adverse cardiac events.
Bright-Blood T2-Weighted MRI Has Higher Diagnostic Accuracy Than Dark-Blood Short Tau Inversion Recovery MRI for Detection of Acute Myocardial Infarction and for Assessment of the Ischemic Area at Risk and Myocardial Salvage
Authors: Payne Alexander R. , Casey Matthew , McClure John , McGeoch Ross , Murphy Aengus , Woodward Rosemary , Saul Andrew , Bi Xiaoming , Zuehlsdorff Sven , Oldroyd Keith G. , Tzemos Niko , Berry Colin 
Published: March 2011

Background—
T2-Weighted MRI reveals myocardial edema and enables estimation of the ischemic area at risk and myocardial salvage in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). We compared the diagnostic accuracy of a new bright-blood T2-weighted with a standard black blood T2-weighted MRI in patients with acute MI.

Methods and Results—

A breath-hold, bright-blood T2-weighted, Acquisition for Cardiac Unified T2 Edema pulse sequence with normalization for coil sensitivity and a breath-hold T2 dark-blood short tau inversion recovery sequence were used to depict the area at risk in 54 consecutive acute MI patients. Infarct size was measured on gadolinium late contrast enhancement images. Compared with dark-blood T2-weighted MRI, consensus agreements between independent observers for identification of myocardial edema were higher with bright-blood T2-weighted MRI when evaluated per patient (
P
<0.001) and per segment of left ventricle (
P
<0.001). Compared with bright-blood T2-weighted MRI, dark-blood T2-weighted MRI underestimated the area at risk compared with infarct size (
P
<0.001). The 95% limits of agreement for interobserver agreements for the ischemic area at risk and myocardial salvage were wider with dark-blood T2-weighted MRI than with bright-blood T2-weighted MRI. Bright blood enabled more accurate identification of the culprit coronary artery with correct identification in 94% of cases compared with 61% for dark blood (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—
Bright-blood T2-weighted MRI has higher diagnostic accuracy than dark-blood T2-weighted MRI. Additionally, dark-blood T2-weighted MRI may underestimate area at risk and myocardial salvage.
Artisanship and Ethnicity in the 2000s Romania
Authors: Constantin Marin 
Published: March 2011

AbstractThis article is concerned with the social, economic, and cultural process of the folk artisanship among the ethnic minorities of Hungarians, Turks, and Croatians in contemporary Romania. Ethnographic information is provided on the peasant artisans' professional framework (private workshops), as well as on their crafts development under socialism and in times of market economy in Romania. Similarly considered are the craft traditions, the folk arts, and the ethnic representativeness of artisanship. Relevant categories of analysis are also paternity in crafts and the relationships that the craftsmen engage with the ethnographic museums and the national centers for the conservation of folk culture. Description and interpretation in this text contribute to the understanding of artisanship as complex and dynamic pattern of civilization among the minority ethnic groups in Romania.
Exercise training improves walking function in an African group of stroke survivors: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Olawale OA , Jaja SI , Anigbogu CN , Appiah-Kubi KO , Jones-Okai D 
Published: March 2011

Objective: To evaluate the effects of treadmill walking and overground walking exercise training on recovery of walking function in an African group of stroke survivors. Design: Prospective, randomized controlled study. Setting: Outpatient stroke rehabilitation unit in a tertiary hospital. Subjects: Sixty patients with chronic stroke (≥3 months). Intervention: All subjects received individual outpatient conventional physiotherapy rehabilitation for 12 weeks. In addition, subjects in Group A ( n = 20) received treadmill walking exercise training (TWET) while those in Group B ( n = 20) received overground walking exercise training (OWET). Those in Group C (control) ( n = 20) received conventional physiotherapy rehabilitation only. Main measures: Outcome measures were (i) 10-metre walk time (10MWT) test and (ii) six-minute walk distance (6MWD) test. These were evaluated at entry into the study and at the end of every four weeks. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate the significance of the difference between pre-training and post-training scores on the two measures ( P < 0.05). Results: Subjects in the TWET group recorded 22.6 ± 1.5% decrease in 10MWT and 31.0 ± 4.3% increase in 6MWD; those in the OWET group made 26.8 ± 1.3% and 45.2 ± 4.6% improvement in 10MWT and 6MWD respectively. Subjects in the control group made 2.2 ± 0.7% and 2.9 ± 0.8% improvement in the two functions. These changes were significant for the TWET and OWET groups ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study indicated that treadmill and overground walking exercise training programmes, combined with conventional rehabilitation, improved walking function in an African group of adult stroke survivors. Therefore, professionals who conduct stroke rehabilitation programmes should utilize exercise training to optimize patient outcomes.
Longer versus shorter mental practice sessions for affected upper extremity movement after stroke: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Page Stephen J , Dunning Kari , Hermann Valerie , Leonard Anthony , Levine Peter 
Published: March 2011

Objective: To evaluate and compare efficacy of 20-, 40-, and 60-minute mental practice sessions on affected upper extremity impairment and functional limitation. Design: Randomized controlled study with multiple baseline design. Subjects: Twenty-nine subjects with chronic stroke and exhibiting stable, mild hemiparesis. Interventions: Subjects were given 30-minute rehabilitative sessions 3 days/week for 10 weeks, emphasizing affected upper extremity use during valued activities. Directly after these sessions, randomly selected subjects were given audiotaped mental practice for 20, 40, or 60 minutes. Subjects assigned to a control group received the same therapy as the mental practice groups, and an audiotaped sham intervention directly after therapy sessions. Main outcome measures: Fugl-Meyer (FM) motor assessment and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). Results: No pre-existing differences were found between groups on any demographic variable or movement scale. On the FM, mental practice duration significantly predicted pretesting to post change (P = 0.05), with increasing duration related to larger FM score increases (5.4 point score increase for the 60-minute duration group). On the ARAT, a non-significant trend was seen (P = 0.78), favoring the 20-minute dosing condition (4.5 point increase). Importantly, regardless of dosing condition, subjects administered mental practice exhibited markedly larger score changes on both the FM and ARAT than subjects not receiving mental practice. Conclusions: Sixty minutes of mental practice appears to most significantly reduce affected arm impairment. However, no clear change pattern was seen in affected arm functional limitation according to mental practice duration. Results suggest that a stroke rehabilitative regimen augmented by mental practice renders a greater functional impact than therapy only.
Do measures used in studies of anxiety disorders reflect activities and participation as defined in the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health?
Authors: Brütt Anna Levke , Schulz Holger , Koch Uwe , Andreas Sylke 
Published: March 2011

Background: Besides the measurement of symptoms, information on functioning and disability in daily routines expands the description of impairments in patients with anxiety disorders. Therefore, the measurement of activities and participation, as theoretically included in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is of increasing importance. The objective of this study is to give an overview over the implementation of the concept ‘activities and participation’ in outcome measurements of patients with anxiety disorders. Methods: Based on a literature review in PubMed and PsycInfo databases and including 200 papers, this study analyses 65 outcome instruments used in randomized controlled trials in anxiety disorders according to their content related to the ICF domain of ‘Activities and participation’. Results: Instruments used in trials evaluating outcome in patients with anxiety disorder only partially address activities and participation. Over all 65 instruments, the chapters on ‘Interpersonal interactions and relationships’ and ‘Mobility’ were most frequently included in measurements. Conclusions: The identification of relevant ICF categories (core sets) according to activities and participation and especially interpersonal interactions and relationships as well as mobility, can be a basis for describing functioning and evaluating treatment in anxiety disorders, helping to improve outcome assessment in clinical practice.
Functional interactions between Lmo2, the Arf tumor suppressor, and Notch1 in murine T-cell malignancies
Authors: Treanor Louise M. , Volanakis Emmanuel J. , Zhou Sheng , Lu Taihe , Sherr Charles J. , Sorrentino Brian P. 
Published: March 2011

Abstract
LMO2 is a target of chromosomal translocations in T-cell tumors and was activated by retroviral vector insertions in T-cell tumors from X-SCID patients in gene therapy trials. To better understand the cooperating genetic events in LMO2-associated T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), we investigated the roles of Arf tumor suppressor loss and Notch activation in murine models of transplantation. Lmo2 overexpression enhanced the expansion of primitive DN2 thymocytes, eventually facilitating the stochastic induction of clonal CD4+/CD8+ malignancies. Inactivation of the Arf tumor suppressor further increased the self-renewal capacity of the primitive, preleukemic thymocyte pool and accelerated the development of aggressive, Lmo2-induced T-cell lympholeukemias. Notch mutations were frequently detected in these Lmo2-induced tumors. The Arf promoter was not directly engaged by Lmo2 or mutant Notch, and use of a mouse model in which activation of a mutant Notch allele depends on previous engagement of the Arf promoter revealed that Notch activation could occur as a subsequent event in T-cell tumorigenesis. Therefore, Lmo2 cooperates with Arf loss to enhance self-renewal in primitive thymocytes. Notch mutation and Arf inactivation appear to independently cooperate in no requisite order with Lmo2 overexpression in inducing T-ALL, and all 3 events remained insufficient to guarantee immediate tumor development.
Genome-wide promoter DNA methylation dynamics of human hematopoietic progenitor cells during differentiation and aging
Authors: Bocker Michael T. , Hellwig Isabelle , Breiling Achim , Eckstein Volker , Ho Anthony D. , Lyko Frank 
Published: March 2011

Abstract
DNA methylation plays an important role in the self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells and in the commitment to the lymphoid or myeloid lineages. Using purified CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells and differentiated myeloid cell populations from the same human samples, we obtained detailed methylation profiles at distinct stages of hematopoiesis. We identified a defined set of differentiation-related genes that are methylated in CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells but show pronounced DNA hypomethylation in monocytes and in granulocytes. In addition, by comparing hematopoietic progenitor cells from umbilical cord blood to hematopoietic progenitor cells from peripheral blood of adult donors we were also able to analyze age-related methylation changes in CD34+ cells. Interestingly, the methylation changes observed in older progenitor cells showed a bimodal pattern with hypomethylation of differentiation-associated genes and de novo methylation events resembling epigenetic mutations. Our results thus provide detailed insight into the methylation dynamics during differentiation and suggest that epigenetic changes contribute to hematopoietic progenitor cell aging.
Human CD8 T cells generated in vitro from hematopoietic stem cells are functionally mature
Authors: Awong Génève , Herer Elaine , La Motte-Mohs Ross N , Zúñiga-Pflücker Juan Carlos 
Published: March 2011

AbstractBackgroundT cell development occurs within the highly specialized thymus. Cytotoxic CD8 T cells are critical in adaptive immunity by targeting virally infected or tumor cells. In this study, we addressed whether functional CD8 T cells can be generated fullyin vitrousing human umbilical cord blood (UCB) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in coculture with OP9-DL1 cells.ResultsHSC/OP9-DL1 cocultures supported the differentiation of CD8 T cells, which were TCR/CD3hiCD27hiCD1anegand thus phenotypically resembled mature functional CD8 single positive thymocytes. Thesein vitro-generated T cells also appeared to be conventional CD8 cells, as they expressed high levels ofEomesand low levels ofPlzf, albeit not identical toex vivoUCB CD8 T cells. Consistent with the phenotypic and molecular characterization, upon TCR-stimulation,in vitro-generated CD8 T cells proliferated, expressed activation markers (MHC-II, CD25, CD38), secreted IFN-γ and expressed Granzyme B, a cytotoxic T-cell effector molecule.ConclusionTaken together, the ability to direct human hematopoietic stem cell or T-progenitor cells towards a mature functional phenotype raises the possibility of establishing cell-based treatments for T-immunodeficiencies by rapidly restoring CD8 effector function, thereby mitigating the risks associated with opportunistic infections.
A genetic variant in the APE1/Ref-1 gene promoter -141T/G may modulate risk of glioblastoma in a Chinese Han population
Authors: Zhou Keke , Hu Dezhi , Lu Juan , Fan Weiwei , Liu Hongliang , Chen Hongyan , Chen Gong , Wei Qingyi , Du Guhong , Mao Ying , Lu Daru , Zhou Liangfu 
Published: March 2011

Abstract

Background
The human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/Redox effector factor-1 (APE1/Ref-1) is implicated in tumor development and progression. Recently, the APE1/Ref-1 promoter -141T/G variant (rs1760944) has been reported to be associated with lung cancer risk. Given the importance of APE1/Ref-1 in both DNA repair and redox activity, we speculate that the -141T/G polymorphism may confer individual susceptibility to gliomas or its subtypes.

Methods
The APE1/Ref-1 -141T/G polymorphism was analyzed in a case-control study including 766 glioma patients (among them 241 glioblastoma, 284 astrocytomas except for glioblastoma and 241 other gliomas) and 824 cancer-free controls from eastern China. Genotyping was performed with Sequenom MassARRAY iPLEX platform by use of allele-specific MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry assay. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) using unconditional logistic regression. A test of trend was calculated using the genotype as an ordinal variable in the regression model. For each statistically significant association identified, we estimated the false positive reporting probability (FPRP). FPRP values less than 0.2 were consider to indicate robust associations.

Results
The significant association between the APE1/Ref-1 promoter -141T/G polymorphism and glioma risk was not observed. However, the stratified analysis by histology revealed the variant allele G significantly decreased glioblastoma risk (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65-0.98, P = 0.032). Individuals with the homozygous -141GG genotype exhibited 46% reduced risk of glioblastoma (adjusted OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.34-0.87, P = 0.012), compared with the TT homozygote. This result remained robust given the prior probabilities of 25% (FPRP = 0.052) and 10% (FPRP = 0.140), but not with a prior probability of 1% (FPRP = 0.643). The P-associated with the trend test was 0.014.

Conclusions
Our results suggest that a specific genetic variant located in the APE1/Ref-1 promoter may modulate risk of glioblastoma, but not for other histological gliomas. Larger studies with more APE1 polymorphisms are required to validate these preliminary findings.