bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interaction of Autographa californica Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus Cathepsin Protease Progenitor (proV-CATH) with Insect Baculovirus Chitinase as a Mechanism for proV-CATH Cellular Retention
Authors: Hodgson Jeffrey J. , Arif Basil M. , Krell Peter J. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT

The insect baculovirus chitinase (CHIA) and cathepsin protease (V-CATH) enzymes cause terminal host insect liquefaction, enhancing the dissemination of progeny virions away from the host cadavers. Regulated and delayed cellular release of these host tissue-degrading enzymes ensures that liquefaction starts only after optimal viral replication has occurred. Baculoviral CHIA remains intracellular due to its C-terminal KDEL endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention motif. However, the mechanism for cellular retention of the inactive V-CATH progenitor (proV-CATH) has not yet been determined. Signal peptide cleavage occurs upon cotranslational ER import of the
v-cath
-expressed protein, and ER-resident CHIA is needed for the folding of proV-CATH. Although this implies that CHIA and proV-CATH bind each other in the ER, the putative CHIA–proV-CATH interaction has not been experimentally verified. We demonstrate that the amino-terminal 22 amino acids (aa) of
Autographa californica
multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) preproV-CATH are responsible for the entry of proV-CATH into the ER. Furthermore, the CHIA–green fluorescent protein (GFP) and proV-CATH-red fluorescent protein (RFP) fusion proteins colocalize in the ER. Using monomeric RFP (mRFP)-based bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), we determined that CHIA and proV-CATH interact directly with each other in the ER during virus replication. Moreover, reciprocal Ni/His pulldowns of His-tagged proteins confirmed the CHIA–proV-CATH interaction biochemically. The reciprocal copurification of CHIA and proV-CATH suggests a specific CHIA–proV-CATH interaction and corroborates our BiFC data. Deletion of the CHIA KDEL motif allowed for premature CHIA secretion from cells, and proV-CATH was similarly prematurely secreted from cells along with ΔKDEL-CHIA. These data suggest that CHIA and proV-CATH interact directly with each other and that this interaction aids the cellular retention of proV-CATH.
Limitation of treatment at the end of life: an empirical-ethical analysis regarding the practices of physician members of the German Society for Palliative Medicine
Authors: Schildmann Jan , Hoetzel Julia , Baumann Anne , Mueller-Busch Christof , Vollmann Jochen 
Published: February 2011

ObjectivesTo determine the frequencies and types of limitation of medical treatment performed by physician members of the German Society for Palliative Medicine and to analyse the findings with respect to clinical and ethical aspects of end-of-life practices.DesignCross-sectional postal survey.SettingData collection via the secretary of the German Society for Palliative Medicine using the German language version of the EURELD survey instrument.SubjectsAll 1645 physician members of the German Society for Palliative Medicine.Main outcome measuresTypes and frequencies of limitation of treatment and possible determinants.Results901 physicians participated in the study (response rate 55.8%). Participants reported limitation of treatment in 69.1% of cases. These decisions most often affected artificial nutrition (19%), chemotherapy (14%), antibiotics (11%) and medication other than antibiotics (11%). In the majority of eligible cases, physicians estimated the life-shortening effect of limitation of treatment to be <7 days. However, estimations differ depending on the medical measures in question. Bivariate statistical analysis indicated that withholding of treatment was performed significantly more frequently for patients aged ≥65 years (p=0.019). In addition, there were significant associations between the incidence of limitation of treatment and the different diseases reported by respondents as the underlying cause of death.ConclusionThe findings of this study provide information on the current state of an ethically and clinically challenging aspect of clinical practice and can serve as a starting point for further interdisciplinary research on normative and empirical aspects of treatment decision-making at the end of life.
To lie or not to lie: resident physician attitudes about the use of deception in clinical practice
Authors: Everett Jo P , Walters Clifford A , Stottlemyer Debra L , Knight Curtis A , Oppenberg Andrew A , Orr Robert D 
Published: February 2011

BackgroundPhysicians face competing values of truth-telling and beneficence when deception may be employed in patient care. The purposes of this study were to assess resident physicians' attitudes towards lying, explore lie types and reported reasons for lying.MethodAfter obtaining institutional review board review (OSR# 58013) and receiving exempt status, posts written by Loma Linda University resident physicians in response to forum questions in required online courses were collected from 2002 to 2007. Responses were blinded and manually coded by two investigators using NVivo software. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the data were performed with links to various attributes. A 95% binomial proportion CI was used to analyse the attribute data.ResultsThe study found that the majority of residents (90.3%) would disclose the truth about medical errors. Similarly, many residents (55.7%) would disclose the truth regarding unanticipated events, especially if the error was serious enough to result in a malpractice suit (74.7%). However, many residents (40.9%) would not reveal a near miss event because they believe it has no impact on patient health. Some residents (47.3%) would deceive the insurance company for additional patient benefits. Of those willing to lie, only a small group (4.2%) gave self-serving reasons.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that the ethical issues related to deception that trouble attending physicians also exist at the resident physician level. Residents primarily lie for altruistic reasons and rarely for egoistic or self-serving purposes that may or may not result in harm to patients, insurance companies and/or physicians themselves.
Superselective Wada test for ruptured spontaneous fusiform middle cerebral artery aneurysm: a technical case report
Authors: Rajpal Sharad , Moftakhar Roham , Bauer Andrew M , Turk Aquilla S , Niemann David B 
Published: February 2011

BackgroundSpontaneous fusiform aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery (sfaMCA) are quite uncommon and tend to occur in young adults. The use of superselective angiography for ruptured and unruptured aneurysms can help delineate vital angioarchitecture and assist with perioperative planning and treatment modality. The use of superselective Wada testing (SWT) for treatment of a ruptured sfaMCA involving the dominant hemisphere, however, has never been described in the English literature. We report a case of a ruptured sfaMCA involving the dominant hemisphere where superselective angiography and SWT were utilized to predict the ability to occlude a major vessel without adverse neurological sequelae.Case descriptionA healthy young patient presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Initial CT-angiogram of the head identified a left-sided fusiform MCA aneurysm measuring 1.3 cm by 0.5 cm in maximum dimensions. Diagnostic angiography evaluation demonstrated an irregular, fusiform aneurysm involving the central (Rolandic) trunk of the left MCA. An SWT was then performed through an SL 10 microcatheter with injection of sodium amytal. Verbal, motor and cognitive testing were performed twice and revealed no neurological defects. The patient underwent subsequent coil embolization of the aneurysm. Formal post-procedure evaluation revealed no speech, language or cognitive deficits. She was eventually discharged home and remained without neurological deficits at her follow-up appointment 12 months after her initial presentation.ConclusionIntraoperative SWT can be performed as part of the initial evaluation for patients with sfaMCA of the dominant cerebral hemisphere to help choose the appropriate treatment algorithm and predict post-treatment neurological deficits.
Counting 15 million more poor in India, thanks to tobacco
Authors: John Rijo M , Sung Hai-Yen , Max Wendy B , Ross Hana 
Published: February 2011

ObjectiveTo quantify the impact of tobacco use and the related medical expenditure on poverty in India.MethodsTobacco expenditure and associated medical expenditure attributable to tobacco use were subtracted from the household monthly consumption expenditure in order to derive an appropriate measure of household disposable income. The 2004 National Sample Survey, a nationally representative survey of Indian households, was used to estimate the true level of poverty.ResultsOur estimates indicate that accounting for direct expenditure on tobacco would increase the rural and the urban poverty rates by 1.5% (affecting 11.8 million people) and 0.72% (affecting 2.3 million people), respectively. Similarly, the out-of-pocket costs of tobacco-attributable medical care result in 0.09% higher poverty rates in rural areas (affecting 0.7 million people) and in 0.07% higher poverty rates in urban locations (affecting 0.23 million people).ConclusionsTobacco consumption impoverishes roughly 15 million people in India. Hence tobacco control measures would not only improve public health, but would also reduce poverty in India.
Liming restores Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations in acidified Norwegian rivers
Authors: Hesthagen Trygve , Larsen Bjørn M. , Fiske Peder 
Published: February 2011

Acidification has exterminated or seriously reduced Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) populations in 40–45 Norwegian rivers. As this problem still exists, liming to restore salmon has been necessary, which now involves 21 of these rivers. Thirteen rivers were electrofished 1 year before liming and again 1–12 years later. There was a significant effect both of time after liming and status (e.g., formerly lost and reduced stocks) on the densities of both fry (age 0+) and parr (age ≥ 1+). However, the rate of increase in densities of young salmon in these two status categories was not significantly different in either age group. The development in parr densities suggests that more than 20 years of liming is required to restore salmon in rivers with lost native populations. Stocked rivers and rivers unaltered by hydropower developments generally had higher fry densities and faster increase in parr densities. Annual rod catches of adult salmon increased significantly after liming started, reaching about 45 t after 10 years of treatment. This is 11%–12% of the current total catch of Atlantic salmon in all Norwegian rivers. Liming thus makes an important contribution to the restoration of salmon in formerly acidified rivers.
The effect of dreissenid invasions on chlorophyll and the chlorophyll : total phosphorus ratio in north-temperate lakes
Authors: Higgins S. N. , Vander Zanden M. J. , Joppa L. N. , Vadeboncoeur Y. 
Published: February 2011

We investigated the effects of dreissenid mussel ( Dreissena polymorpha and D. rostriformis bugensis ) invasions on the concentrations of chlorophyll a (Chl) and total phosphorus(TP), and the Chl:TP ratio within 27 north-temperate lakes that spanned large gradients in lake size and trophic status, using two approaches: (i) regression analysis and (ii) hierarchical modeling. Overall, Chl declined by 40%–45% after dreissenid invasion and the magnitude of effect was structured by epilimnetic volume within stratified, but not nonstratified (mixed) lakes. Declines in TP over the invasion period were significant only for stratified systems and were smaller (∼16% reduction from pre-invasion values) than for Chl. Across the complete trophic gradient (i.e., among lakes) the regression approach (analysis of covariance) indicated a significant decline in the intercept of the Chl:TP, but not the slope. In contrast, hierarchical modeling indicated a decline in the slope of Chl:TP among lakes between pre- and post-invasion periods. As with Chl, the effect of dreissenids on Chl:TP declined with increases in epilimnetic volume in stratified, but not nonstratified lakes. Dreissenid effects on Chl were prolonged, with no indication of diminishing within 7–10 years of invasion.
Sea lice infection of juvenile pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha): effects on swimming performance and postexercise ion balance
Authors: Nendick L. , Sackville M. , Tang S. , Brauner C. J. , Farrell A. P. 
Published: February 2011

Sea lice ( Lepeophtheirus salmonis ) infection negatively affected swimming performance and postswim body ion concentrations of juvenile pink salmon ( Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ) at a 0.34 g average body mass but not at 1.1 g. Maximum swimming velocity (Umax) was measured on over 350 individual pink salmon (0.2–3.0 g), two-thirds of which had a sea lice infection varying in intensity (one to three sea lice per fish) and life stage (chalimus 1 to preadult). For fish averaging 0.34 g (caught in a nearby river free of sea lice and transferred to seawater before being experimentally infected), the significant reduction in Umax was dependent on sea lice life stage, not intensity, and Umax decreased only after the chalimus 2 life stage. Experimental infections also significantly elevated postswim whole body concentrations of sodium (by 23%–28%) and chloride (by 22%–32%), but independent of sea lice developmental stage or infection intensity. For fish averaging 1.1 g (captured in seawater with existing sea lice), the presence of sea lice had no significant effect on either Umax or postswim whole body ions. Thus, a single L. salmonis impacted swimming performance and postswim whole body ions of only the smallest pink salmon and with a sea louse stage of chalimus 3 or greater.
The effects of handling time, ambient light, and anaesthetic method, on the standardized measurement of fish colouration
Authors: Gray Suzanne M. , Hart Francine L. , Tremblay Maude E.M. , Lisney Thomas J. , Hawryshyn Craig W. 
Published: February 2011

The effects of handling time, ambient light intensity, and anaesthetic method, on the collection of spectral reflectance data were assessed in two species of Malawi cichlids ( Melanochromis auratus and Metriaclima zebra ). Using spectrometry, colour patches were measured over 10 min, under increasing ambient light levels, and using three anaesthetic methods. As time elapsed, maximum percent reflectance (Rmax) decreased across all anaesthetic methods and species, suggesting that measurements should be taken immediately after capture and anaesthetization. With increasing light intensity, Rmaxincreased significantly, suggesting that measurements should be taken under natural ambient conditions when possible. Finally, we found that anaesthetizing fish using an ice bath produced significantly higher Rmaxthan using either MS-222 (tricaine methanesulphonate) or clove oil (eugenol). However, the highest proportion of ultraviolet (UV) colouration was recorded while fish were anaesthetized with clove oil. Our results highlight the variation involved in measuring fish colour patterns using two related species, and thus indicate the need for a standardized approach to collecting spectral reflectance data in fish.
Egg retention in relation to arrival timing and reproductive longevity in female sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Authors: Hruska Kimberly A. , Hinch Scott G. , Patterson David A. , Healey Michael C. 
Published: February 2011

Some female Pacific salmon ( Oncorhynchus spp.) arrive at spawning grounds but fail to complete spawning prior to death. One hypothesis regarding egg retention is that some individuals do not have sufficient time on spawning grounds for successful completion of spawning. We investigated this hypothesis by quantifying the relationships among arrival timing, reproductive longevity, and egg retention in female sockeye salmon ( Oncorhynchus nerka ) from Weaver Creek Spawning Channel (British Columbia, Canada) in 2006. 250 females were tagged over three sampling periods and followed until death. Earlier-arriving females lived longer than later-arriving females (p < 0.001), but patterns of egg retention were not different across sampling dates (p > 0.40). Complete spawners tended to establish a redd sooner after arrival than incomplete spawners (p = 0.001); there was no relationship between spawning completion and reproductive maturity or fork length (p > 0.30). Consistent with the time limitation hypothesis, females retained a lower proportion of eggs with increasing reproductive longevity. Several long-lived females (>7 days) failed to spawn completely before death, indicating that time limitation was not a factor for spawning success in all females. Further research examining the role of individual-specific behavioural physiology on egg retention in sockeye salmon is needed.
A photoswitchable bichromophoric oxazine with fast switching speeds and excellent fatigue resistance
Authors: Deniz Erhan , Impellizzeri Stefania , Sortino Salvatore , Raymo Françisco M. 
Published: February 2011

In search of strategies to regulate the photochemical and photophysical properties of photochromic oxazines, we designed a multichromophoric compound incorporating 3H-indole, benzooxazine, and 2-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)ethynyl fragments. We synthesized this molecule in two steps in an overall yield of 51%, starting from commercial precursors. The ultraviolet irradiation of this photochrome opens a [1,3]oxazine ring in less than 6 ns to generate a zwitterionic isomer with a quantum yield of 0.10. In particular, the photoinduced ring opening generates a 4-nitrophenolate anion and a 3H-indolium cation. Additionally, this process brings the 2-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)ethynyl appendage into conjugation with the 3H-indolium cation. As a result, two distinct bands for the anionic and cationic fragments of the photogenerated zwitterion appear in the visible region of the absorption spectrum. The photogenerated isomer has a lifetime of 2 µs and switches back to the original form with first-order kinetics. Furthermore, this bichromophoric photochrome tolerates hundreds of switching cycles with no sign of degradation and can be operated within rigid polymer matrices. Thus, this particular structural design can lead to the development of a new family of bichromophoric photochromes and photoresponsive materials with microsecond switching times and excellent fatigue resistances.
Dye-sensitized solar cells made of titania nanoparticles structured into a mesoporous material
Authors: Aprile Carmela , Teruel Laura , Alvaro Mercedes , García Hermenegildo 
Published: February 2011

Using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as the structure-directing agent, titania nanoparticles (3–5 nm) were organized into a mesoporous material (8.6 nm average pore size and 99 m2/g). The textural and spatial structuring of the mesoporous material were studied by isothermal gas adsorption, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Dye-sensitized solar cells using mesoporous material exhibit a one order of magnitude increase in the overall efficiency with respect to analogous cells prepared using the same nanoparticles without periodic mesoporous material. This photovoltaic enhancement is due to increased adsorption of the dye (ruthenium polypyridyl N719) to the mesoporous material arising from the larger area of this mesoporous solid with respect to the same unstructured nanoparticles.
Kinetic and mechanistic studies of the reactions of diarylgermylenes and tetraaryldigermenes with carbon tetrachloride
Authors: Huck Lawrence A. , Leigh William J. 
Published: February 2011

The mechanisms of the reactions of diphenylgermylene (GePh2) with CCl4in hydrocarbon solvents and in THF solution have been studied, employing 3,4-dimethyl-1,1-diphenylgermacyclopent-3-ene (6a) and 1,1-diphenylgermacyclobutane (17) as photochemical precursors to GePh2. In hydrocarbon solvents, the reaction produces Ph2GeCl2(10) and Ph2Ge(Cl)CCl3(12) in a ratio of 10:12 ≈ 7, along with a variety of other radical-derived products and small amounts of Ph2GeH(D)Cl (11), which is formed partly by reaction of GePh2with adventitious HCl. The reaction is much cleaner in THF, where 12 is formed as the major product (10:12 ≈ 0.8); a similar product distribution is obtained in hexanes containing 0.05 mol/L THF, while 12 is the exclusive product in hexanes containing 3 mmol/L NEt3. Rate constants for the reactions of CCl4with GePh2and five ring-substituted derivatives were determined by laser flash photolysis, as well as Arrhenius parameters for reaction of the parent (GePh2), in the two solvents. The reactions of GePh2with CCl4and CHCl3have also been studied in 3-methylpentane solution at 78–90 K. Different reaction mechanisms are clearly operative in hydrocarbon and complexing solvents, but both involve modest charge donation from germanium to the substrate in the transition state for the rate-determining step. For the reaction in hydrocarbon solvents, the data are consistent with inner-sphere electron transfer following or in concert with weak Lewis acid–base complexation. A similar mechanism is proposed for the reaction in THF solution, in competition with a second involving nucleophilic attack of the germylene–THF complex at a chlorine atom of the substrate. Rate constants were also determined for reaction of CCl4with the corresponding tetraaryldigermenes at low halocarbon concentrations in hexanes, along with Arrhenius parameters for the parent (Ge2Ph4). These reactions also proceed via initial Cl-atom abstraction, based on the identity of the products formed in the reaction of CCl4with tetramesityldigermene.
Heat-Shock Induction of Tumor-Derived Danger Signals Mediates Rapid Monocyte Differentiation into Clinically Effective Dendritic Cells
Authors: Aguilera Raquel , Saffie Carlos , Tittarelli Andrés , González Fermín E. , Ramírez Marcos , Reyes Diego , Pereda Cristián , Hevia Daniel , García Tamara , Salazar Lorena , Ferreira Arturo , Hermoso Marcela , Mendoza-Naranjo Ariadna , Ferrada Carlos , Garrido Paola , López Mercedes N. , Salazar-Onfray Flavio 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Purpose: This study characterizes, biologically and clinically, a novel type of dendritic cells (DC) produced in the short term and called tumor antigen–presenting cells (TAPCells). In particular, we identified factors present in a lysate derived from heat-shocked allogeneic melanoma cells (TRIMEL) that are associated with TAPCells' enhanced capability to induce CD8+ T-cell responses in vitro and in vaccinated melanoma patients.
Experimental Design: First, extensive phenotypic and functional characterization of TAPCells was performed, followed by vaccination of 45 melanoma patients with four doses of TAPCells over a period of 2 months. Specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction was analyzed posttreatment and correlated with overall survival rates. Furthermore, heat-shock (HS)-induced factors present in TRIMEL and their effects on DC activation were identified and studied.
Results: TRIMEL induced a committed, mature, DC-like phenotype in TAPCells and effectively activated melanoma-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Clinically, 64% of vaccinated patients showed positive DTH reaction against TRIMEL, and this was associated with improved overall survival. HS treatment of tumor cells increased calreticulin (CRT) plasma membrane translocation and induced the release of high-mobility group box 1 proteins (HMGB1). Both CRT and HMGB1 mobilization were associated with enhanced TAPCells' maturation and antigen (Ag) cross-presentation, respectively. DTH infiltration analysis revealed the presence of CD8+/CD45RO+ T cells, thus confirming TAPCells' ability to cross-present Ags in vivo.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that lysates derived from heat-shocked tumor cells are an optimal source of tumor-associated Ags, which are crucial for the generation of DCs with improved Ag cross-presentation capacity and clinically effective immunogenicity. Clin Cancer Res; 17(8); 2474–83. ©2011 AACR.