bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Zinc Doping on Microstructures and Gas‐Sensing Properties of SnO2 Nanocrystals
Authors: Tian Shouqin , Gao Yingri , Zeng Dawen , Xie Changsheng 
Published: December 2011

Pure and Zn‐doped SnO2 nanocrystals were prepared through a facile solid‐state reaction, in which zinc doping can induce the generation of orthorhombic SnO2 and control the crystallite size of nanocrystals. Most Zn‐doped SnO2 nanocrystals showed tetragonal rutile structure as well as a few orthorhombic structures. With an increase in the molar ratio of Zn/Sn from 0 to 0.133, the content of orthorhombic structure in the product gradually increased and the crystallite size of nanocrystals decreased, accompanied by an increase in sensor response of the nanocrystals to acetone. When the molar ratio of Zn/Sn was 0.133, the obtained nanocrystals had minimum crystallite size of 9.7 nm and showed the highest response of 48–100 ppm acetone, which is four times larger than that of undoped SnO2. With increasing the molar ratio of Zn/Sn to 0.4, a small amount of hexagonal ZnO was produced and the crystallite size increased although more orthorhombic structures were formed, resulting in a decrease of sensor response. Furthermore, the effects of crystallite size and the content of orthorhombic SnO2 on the gas‐sensing properties of Zn‐doped SnO2 nanocrystals were also discussed in detail.
Active and passive smoking: assessment issues in periodontal research
Authors: Walter Clemens , Kaye Elizabeth K. , Dietrich Thomas 
Published: December 2011

AbstractTobacco use, particularly active cigarette smoking, is a strong modifiable risk factor for periodontitis. Our primary aim is to provide a systematic review of the impact of environmental tobacco smoke on periodontal diseases. Nine publications were identified by electronic literature search up to September 2010. Epidemiological data for a US population sample and a cohort of Japanese men suggest that environmental tobacco smoke exposure may be associated with increase periodontitis prevalence and increased risk of periodontitis progression. Secondly, several methodological issues related to cigarette smoking in clinical and epidemiological research studies are discussed. Tobacco use history is a multi‐dimensional phenomenon, with characteristics such as intensity, duration and time since cessation. Understanding these complexities of smoking history and accurate measurement of the exposure, using biomarkers and/or self‐reported data as appropriate, are of central importance in clinical and epidemiological studies on the effects of active and passive smoking. The most appropriate approach to assess smoking exposure will vary according to the purpose and design of a particular study.
THINKING ABOUT KINGS
Authors: SMITH CHRISTOPHER 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
A very large amount of writing about the Roman kings survives from antiquity but the majority of it is deemed by most modern scholars to be of no historical value. Yet much has been built on this evidence, implicitly or explicitly, in legal, anthropological and archaeological accounts; and the way in which one may read between archaeology and literary evidence for this period remains a difficult methodological problem. This paper seeks to uncover what we may legitimately and appropriately say about Roman kingship, to investigate some of the major interpretative trends of the past century or so, and to propose a more complex model of the generation of traditions about an institution and a phenomenon which may in reality have been far more fluid and unstable than the Romans themselves portrayed it.
THE SUCCESSION TO THE SPARTAN KINGSHIP, 520–400 BC
Authors: GRIFFITH-WILLIAMS BRENDA 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
According to ancient Greek historiographers, succession to the Spartan kingship in the sixth and fifth centuries BC followed a fixed order based on the principle of male primogeniture. A king who left no son was succeeded by his oldest surviving brother or closest collateral kinsman. If the deceased king left only a daughter, his male heir was probably expected to secure the succession by marrying her; and, if the new king already had sons by a previous wife, it is possible that they were excluded from the succession in favour of his sons by the deceased king's daughter. At least by the fifth century, Sparta had a formal procedure for the adjudication of a contested succession, or the deposition of a reigning king who was found not to be a legitimate descendant of Heracles. It may be that physical or mental incapacity could also disqualify a contender from the kingship.
A GADIBUS ROMAM MYTH AND REALITY OF AN ANCIENT ROUTE
Authors: SCHMIDT MANFRED G. 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
The four goblets from Vicarello, which show copies of a Roman itinerary from Gades to Rome engraved on their outside (CIL XI 3281–3284), are usually interpreted as souvenirs brought to Vicarello by Spaniards as votive offerings after a long journey. In this article it is argued that these itineraries (just like the one in Metrodorus’ poem, Anth. Pal. XIV 121) are representing the legendary Via Herculis; they are to be understood as a Roman attempt to grasp the immense mythical distance by means of exact measurement. The goblets should be dated to the 4th century AD (goblet IV being the oldest, from the very beginning of the century), not to Augustan or Trajan times.
Detection of Human Papillomavirus Type 18 E7 Oncoprotein in Cervical Smears: a Feasibility Study
Authors: Ehehalt Daniela , Lener Barbara , Pircher Haymo , Dreier Kerstin , Pfister Heiko , Kaufmann Andreas M. , Frangini Sergio , Ressler Sigrun , Müller-Holzner Elisabeth , Schmitt Markus , Höfler Daniela , Rostek Ursula , Kaiser Andreas , Widschwendter Andreas , Zwerschke Werner , Jansen-Dürr Pidder 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT
Persistent infections by high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the main etiological factor for cervical cancer, and expression of HPV E7 oncoproteins was suggested to be a potential marker for tumor progression. The objective of this study was to generate new reagents for the detection of the HPV18 E7 oncoprotein in cervical smears. Rabbit monoclonal antibodies against recombinant E7 protein of HPV type 18 (HPV18) were generated and characterized using Western blotting, epitope mapping, indirect immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. One clone specifically recognizing HPV18 E7 was used for the development of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The assay was validated using recombinant E7 proteins of various HPV types and lysates from E7-positive cervical carcinoma cells. A total of 14 HPV18 DNA-positive cervical swab specimens and 24 HPV DNA-negative-control specimens were used for the determination of E7 protein levels by the newly established sandwich ELISA. On the basis of the average absorbance values obtained from all 24 negative controls, a cutoff above which a clinical sample can be judged E7 positive was established. Significant E7 signals 6- to 30-fold over background were found in 7 out of 14 abnormal HPV18 DNA-positive cervical smear specimens. This feasibility study demonstrates for the first time that HPV18 E7 oncoprotein can be detected in cervical smears.
The Tetherin/BST-2 Coiled-Coil Ectodomain Mediates Plasma Membrane Microdomain Localization and Restriction of Particle Release
Authors: Hammonds Jason , Ding Lingmei , Chu Hin , Geller Ken , Robbins Andrew , Wang Jaang-Jiun , Yi Hong , Spearman Paul 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT
Tetherin/BST-2 forms a proteinaceous tether that restricts the release of a number of enveloped viruses following viral budding. Tetherin is an unusual membrane glycoprotein with two membrane anchors and an extended coiled-coil ectodomain. The ectodomain itself forms an imperfect coil that may undergo conformational shifts to accommodate membrane dynamics during the budding process. The coiled-coil ectodomain is required for restriction, but precisely how it contributes to the restriction of particle release remains under investigation. In this study, mutagenesis of the ectodomain was used to further define the role of the coiled-coil ectodomain in restriction. Scanning mutagenesis throughout much of the ectodomain failed to disrupt the ability of tetherin to restrict HIV particle release, indicating a high degree of plasticity. Targeted N- and C-terminal substitutions disrupting the coiled coil led to both a loss of restriction and an alteration of subcellular distribution. Two ectodomain mutants deficient in restriction were endocytosed inefficiently, and the levels of these mutants on the cell surface were significantly enhanced. An ectodomain mutant with four targeted serine substitutions (4S) failed to cluster in membrane microdomains, was deficient in restriction of particle release, and exhibited an increase in lateral mobility on the membrane. These results suggest that the tetherin ectodomain contributes to microdomain localization and to constrained lateral mobility. We propose that focal clustering of tetherin via ectodomain interactions plays a role in restriction of particle release.
The Antiapoptotic Protein Mcl-1 Controls the Type of Cell Death in Theiler's Virus-Infected BHK-21 Cells
Authors: Arslan Sevim Yildiz , Son Kyung-No , Lipton Howard L. 
Published: December 2011

ABSTRACT

Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) results in a persistent central nervous system infection (CNS) and immune-mediated demyelination in mice. TMEV largely persists in macrophages (Mϕs) in the CNS, and infected Mϕs
in vitro
undergo apoptosis, whereas the infection of other rodent cells produces necrosis. We have found that necrosis is the dominant form of cell death in BeAn virus-infected BHK-21 cells but that ∼20% of cells undergo apoptosis. Mcl-1 was highly expressed in BHK-21 cells, and protein levels decreased upon infection, consistent with onset of apoptosis. In infected BHK-21 cells in which Mcl-1 expression was knocked down using silencing RNAs there was a 3-fold increase in apoptotic cell death compared to parental cells. The apoptotic program switched on by BeAn virus is similar to that in mouse Mϕs, with hallmarks of activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in a tumor suppressor protein p53-dependent manner. Infection of stable Mcl-1-knockdown cells led to restricted virus titers and increased physical to infectious particle (PFU) ratios, with additional data suggesting that a late step in the viral life cycle after viral RNA replication, protein synthesis, and polyprotein processing is affected by apoptosis. Together, these results indicate that Mcl-1 acts as a critical prosurvival factor that protects against apoptosis and allows high yields of infectious virus in BHK-21 cells.
Standardisation of EGFR FISH in colorectal cancer: results of an international interlaboratory reproducibility ring study
Authors: Sartore-Bianchi Andrea , Fieuws Steffen , Veronese Silvio , Moroni Mauro , Personeni Nicola , Frattini Milo , Torri Valter , Cappuzzo Federico , Borght Sara Vander , Martin Vittoria , Skokan Margaret , Santoro Armando , Gambacorta Marcello , Tejpar Sabine , Varella-Garcia Marileila , Siena Salvatore 
Published: December 2011

AimsEpidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene copy number evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) can discriminate amongKRASwild-type patients those with better outcome to EGFR-targeted therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer, further enhancing selection of patients. Nevertheless, enumeration of gene copies is challenging and the lack of analytical standardisation has limited incorporation of the test into the clinical practice. We therefore assessedEGFRFISH interlaboratory consensus among five molecular diagnostic reference centres.MethodsA set of 12 colorectal cancer samples circulated among laboratories, and samples were scored according to commonly agreed guidelines. Reproducibility was quantified using the standard error of measurement (SEM).ResultsA SEM of 0.865 and a within-subject coefficient of variation (WSCV) of 26.8% for meanEGFRgene/nuclei and a SEM of 0.235 and a WSCV of 19.4% for the meanEGFRgene/CEP7 ratio were observed. Measurement of the fraction of cells displaying chromosome 7 polysomy showed WSCV of 46.6%, 34.0% and 51.0% for percentage of cells displaying ≤2, ≥3 and ≥4EGFRsignals, respectively. Among different slides of the same specimen, the WSCV was 6.1% for meanEGFRgene/nuclei and 3.9% for mean ofEGFRgene/CEP7 ratios.ConclusionsMolecular diagnosis ofEGFRgene copy number by FISH varied largely among pathology centres, with fluctuations covering the whole range of proposed cut-offs of predictive usefulness from literature. Definition of a detailed scoring system and implementation of comprehensive training programmes for laboratories are therefore necessary before including the test into clinical practice.
IFN-γ and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase signaling between donor dendritic cells and T cells regulates graft versus host and graft versus leukemia activity
Authors: Lu Ying , Giver Cynthia R. , Sharma Akshay , Li Jian Ming , Darlak Katarzyna A. , Owens Lauren M. , Roback John D. , Galipeau Jacques , Waller Edmund K. 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) can eradicate chemorefractory leukemia through the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) activity of donor T cells. However, the clinical success of allo-HSCT is limited by the graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) activity of donor T cells. We have reported previously that donor bone marrow precursors of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pre-pDCs) can activate donor T cells toward T-helper 1 immune polarization in murine allogeneic HSCT. To optimize the GVL activity of these activated donor T cells and limit their graft versus host activity, we engineered the cellular constituents of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell graft with highly purified hematopoietic stem cells, T cells, and pre-pDCs and studied their GVL and GVHD activities in a murine model of allogeneic HSCT. Transplanted donor pre-pDCs expanded in vivo for 2 weeks after transplant, and they markedly augmented the activation and GVL activity of donor T cells while attenuating their GVHD activity, leading to an improved therapeutic index. Bidirectional signaling between donor T cells and donor pDCs with IFN-γ synthesis by donor T cells inducing indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase synthesis by donor pDCs limited GVHD by altering the balance between donor T-reg and inflammatory T cells. Manipulating the content of donor DC precursors in allogeneic HSCT is a novel method to optimize the balance between GVL and GVHD.
Population-based survival for malignant mesothelioma after introduction of novel chemotherapy
Authors: Damhuis Ronald A.M. , Schroten Caroline , Burgers Jacobus A. 
Published: December 2011

Malignant mesothelioma is known for its dismal prognosis and poor response to conventional treatment. Chemotherapy with cisplatin–antifolate combinations recently showed promising response rates and prolonged survival in randomised trials.To assess the impact of this development on clinical practice and survival at a population-based level, treatment patterns and survival trends were studied for patients diagnosed with mesothelioma in the period 1995–2006. 4,731 records were retrieved from the Netherlands Cancer Registry and chemotherapy use and median survival were analysed.For the periods 1995–1998 to 2005–2006, chemotherapy use increased from 8% to 36%. Median survival increased over time from 7.1 months to 9.2 months. For pleural mesothelioma, multivariable analysis demonstrated that survival was poorer for elderly patients and sarcomatoid tumours. The prognostic impact of chemotherapy increased with time. Median survival for chemotherapy treated patients improved from 10.1 months (1995–1998) to 13.1 months (2005–2006). For peritoneal mesothelioma, median survival was poor (3.9 months) but better for females and younger patients.This study demonstrates that chemotherapy use increased at a national level and coincided with an improvement in survival. The novel chemotherapy regimen appears to be more effective but, due to the observational nature of this study, alternative explanations cannot be excluded.
Recommendations for epidemiological studies on COPD
Authors: Bakke P.S. , Rönmark E. , Eagan T. , Pistelli F. , Annesi-Maesano I. , Maly M. , Meren M. , Vermeire P. , Vestbo J. , Viegi G. , Zielinski J. , Lundbäck B. 
Published: December 2011

The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been extensively studied, especially in Western Europe and North America. Few of these data are directly comparable because of differences between the surveys regarding composition of study populations, diagnostic criteria of the disease and definitions of the risk factors. Few community studies have examined phenotypes of COPD and included other ways of characterising the disease beyond that of spirometry.The objective of the present Task Force report is to present recommendations for the performance of general population studies in COPD in order to facilitate comparable and valid estimates on COPD prevalence by various risk factors.Diagnostic criteria in epidemiological settings, and standardised methods to examine the disease and its potential risk factors are discussed. The paper also offers practical advice for planning and performing an epidemiological study on COPD.The main message of the paper is that thorough planning is worth half the study. It is crucial to stick to standardised methods and good quality control during sampling. We recommend collecting biological markers, depending on the specific objectives of the study. Finally, studies of COPD in the population at large should assess various phenotypes of the disease.
A Test Method for Monitoring Modulus Changes during Durability Tests on Building Joint Sealants
Authors: White Christopher C. , Hunston Donald L. , Tean Tan Kar 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
The durability of building joint sealants is generally assessed using a descriptive methodology involving visual inspection of exposed specimens for defects. It is widely known that this methodology has inherent limitations, including that the results are qualitative. A new test method is proposed that provides more fundamental and quantitative information about changes occurring in a sealant during durability testing. This test method utilizes a stress relaxation experiment to evaluate the non-linear viscoelastic behavior of sealants. In particular, changes in the time dependence of the apparent modulus can be observed and related to molecular changes in the sealant. Such changes often precede the formation of cracks and theultimate failure of the sealant. This paper compares results obtained from the new test method and the currently used descriptive methodology.
Functional characterization of a rare germline mutation in the gene encoding the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1 (CDKN1B) in a Spanish patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia-like phenotype
Authors: Malanga Donatella , De Gisi Silvia , Riccardi Miriam , Scrima Marianna , De Marco Carmela , Robledo Mercedes , Viglietto Giuseppe 
Published: December 2011

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the presence of germline mutations in theCDKN1Bgene that encodes the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p27 in multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 (MEN1)-like Spanish index patients. TheCDKN1Bgene has recently been identified as a tumor susceptibility gene for MEN4, with six germline mutations reported so far in patients with a MEN-like phenotype but negative for MEN1 mutations.Design and methodsFifteen Spanish index cases with MEN-like symptoms were screened for mutations in theCDKN1Bgene and the mutant variant was studied functionally by transcription/translation assaysin vitroand in transiently transfected HeLa cells.ResultsWe report the identification of a heterozygous GAGA deletion in the 5′-UTR ofCDKN1B, NM_004064.3:c.-32_-29del, in a patient affected by gastric carcinoid tumor and hyperparathyroidism. This deletion falls inside the region that is responsible forCDKN1Btranscription and is predicted to destroy a secondary stem and loop structure that includes the GAGAGA element responsible for ribosome recruitment. Accordingly,in vitrostudies of coupled transcription/translation assays and transient transfection in HeLa cells showed that the GAGA deletion in theCDKN1B5′-UTR significantly impairs the transcription of downstream reporter luciferase (of ∼40–60%) and, possibly, the translation of the corresponding mRNA. This mutation was associated with a significant reduction in the amount ofCDKN1BmRNA in peripheral blood leukocytes from the patient, as demonstrated by quantitative real-time PCR.ConclusionsOur results confirm that germlineCDKN1Bmutations may predispose to a human MEN4 condition and add novel evidence that alteration in the transcription/translation rate ofCDKN1BmRNA might be the mechanism implicated in tumor susceptibility.
The Structure of Genealogies in the Presence of Purifying Selection: A Fitness-Class Coalescent
Authors: Walczak Aleksandra M , Nicolaisen Lauren E , Plotkin Joshua B , Desai Michael M 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Compared to a neutral model, purifying selection distorts the structure of genealogies and hence alters the patterns of sampled genetic variation. Although these distortions may be common in nature, our understanding of how we expect purifying selection to affect patterns of molecular variation remains incomplete. Genealogical approaches such as coalescent theory have proven difficult to generalize to situations involving selection at many linked sites, unless selection pressures are extremely strong. Here, we introduce an effective coalescent theory (a “fitness-class coalescent”) to describe the structure of genealogies in the presence of purifying selection at many linked sites. We use this effective theory to calculate several simple statistics describing the expected patterns of variation in sequence data, both at the sites under selection and at linked neutral sites. Our analysis combines a description of the allele frequency spectrum in the presence of purifying selection with the structured coalescent approach of Kaplan et al. (1988), to trace the ancestry of individuals through the distribution of fitnesses within the population. We also derive our results using a more direct extension of the structured coalescent approach of Hudson and Kaplan (1994). We find that purifying selection leads to patterns of genetic variation that are related but not identical to a neutrally evolving population in which population size has varied in a specific way in the past.
Macrolevel Stressors, Terrorism, and Mental Health Outcomes: Broadening the Stress Paradigm
Authors: Richman Judith A. , Cloninger Lea , Rospenda Kathleen M. 
Published: December 2011

Objectives. We examined the extent to which the stress paradigm linking psychosocial stressors to mental health status has focused disproportionate attention on microlevel social stressors to the detriment of macrolevel stressors. Also, we assessed the effects of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on subsequent mental health among participants in a Midwestern cohort study. Methods. Respondents in a 6-wave longitudinal mail survey completed questionnaires before September 11, 2001, and again in 2003 and 2005. Regression analyses focused on measures of negative terrorism-related beliefs and fears, as well as psychological distress and deleterious alcohol use outcomes measured both before and after September 11. Results. Negative terrorism-related beliefs and fears assessed in 2003 predicted distress and drinking outcomes in 2005 after control for sociodemographic characteristics and pre–September 11 distress and drinking. Conclusions. The events of September 11 continue to negatively affect the mental health of the American population. Our results support the utility of according greater attention to the effects of such macrolevel social stressors in population studies embracing the stress paradigm.