bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Determinants of disability among the elderly population in a rural south Indian community: the need to study local issues and contexts
Authors: Duba A. S. , Rajkumar A. P. , Prince M. , Jacob K. S. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTBackground: Disability among the elderly is a cause of significant burden. There is dearth of relevant research from low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to establish the nature and factors associated with disability among the elderly in a rural south Indian community.Methods: We recruited 1000 participants aged over 65 years from Kaniyambadi block, Vellore, India. We assessed their disability status, sociodemographic profile, psychiatric morbidity, cognitive functioning and anthropometrics using the following structured instruments: WHO Disability Assessment Scale II, Geriatric Mental State, Community Screening Instrument for Dementia, and Neuropsychiatric Inventory. We employed appropriate multivariate statistics to study the factors associated with a higher level of disability and to determine the population attributable fractions for various modifiable risk factors.Results: Advanced age, illiteracy, hunger, poor nutrition, arthritis, hearing impairment, gastro-intestinal and respiratory diseases, dementia and travel costs to primary health facilities increased the risk of disability significantly. Hypertension, diabetes and depression were not associated with disability. Modifiable social determinants and medical diseases together contributed to disability in this population.Conclusion: Locally relevant social determinants combine with prevalent medical diseases to produce the disability burden among elderly. There is a need to focus on local contexts and modifiable risk factors to design locally appropriate public health policies and interventions.
Psychological distress across the lifespan: examining age-related item bias in the Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale
Authors: Sunderland Matthew , Hobbs Megan J. , Anderson Tracy M. , Andrews Gavin 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTBackground: Old age respondents may differ systemically in their responses to measures of psychological distress over and above their actual latent distress levels when compared to younger respondents. The current study aimed to investigate the potential for age-related bias(es) in the Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale (K6) items.Methods: Data from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing were analyzed using Item Response Theory to detect the presence of item bias in each of the K6 items. The potential for item bias was assessed by systematically comparing respondents classed as young (16–34 years), middle aged (35–64 years), and old aged (65–85 years). The significance and magnitude of the item bias between the age groups was assessed using the log-likelihood ratio method of differential item functioning.Results: After statistical adjustment, there were no biases of significant magnitude influencing the endorsement of K6 items between young and middle-aged respondents or between middle-aged and old age respondents. There was a bias of significant magnitude present in the endorsement of the K6 item addressing levels of fatigue between young and old age respondents.Conclusions: Despite the identification of significant item bias in the endorsement of K6 items between the age groups, the magnitude and influence of the bias on total K6 scores is likely to have little influence on the overall interpretation of group data when comparing psychological distress across the lifespan. Researchers should be cautious, however, when examining individual levels of fatigue related to psychological distress in older individuals.
Body fat location and cardiovascular disease risk factors in overweight female adolescents and eutrophic female adolescents with a high percentage of body fat
Authors: Pereira Patrícia F. , Serrano Hiara M. S. , Carvalho Gisele Q. , Lamounier Joel A. , Peluzio Maria do Carmo G. , Franceschini Sylvia do Carmo C. , Priore Silvia E. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractBackground:Excessive body fat, mainly abdominal fat, is associated with higher cardiovascular risk. However, a fat localisation measurement that would be more indicative of risk in adolescents has not yet been established.Objective:This study was conducted in order to evaluate the correlation between body fat location measurements and cardiovascular disease risk factors in female adolescents.Materials and methods:A total of 113 girls – 38 eutrophic according to their body mass index but with a high percentage of body fat, 40 eutrophic with adequate body fat, and 35 with excessive weight – were evaluated using 15 anthropometrical measurements and 10 cardiovascular risk factors.Results:The central skinfold was the best measurement for predicting variables such as glycaemia and high-density lipoprotein; waist circumference for insulin and homeostasis model assessment; coronal diameter for total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein; sagittal abdominal diameter for triglycerides and leptin; hip circumference for blood pressure; and the central/peripheral skinfold ratio for homocysteine. The correlation between the measurements and the number of risk factors showed that waist circumference and the waist/stature ratio produced the best results.Conclusions:The results suggest that the body fat distribution in adolescents is relevant in the development of cardiovascular risk factors. Simple measurements such as waist circumference and the waist/stature ratio were the best predictors of a risk of disease and they should therefore be associated with the body mass index in clinical practice in order to identify those adolescents at higher risk.
DNA‐damaging drug‐induced apoptosis sensitized by N‐myc in neuroblastoma cells
Authors: Li Tai , Wang Lin , Ke Xiao‐Xue , Gong Xue‐Yang , Wan Jian‐Hua , Hao Xiang‐wei , Xu Man , Xiang Zonghuai , Cui Zhao‐Bo , Cui Hongjuan 
Published: September 2011

AbstractNeuroblastoma is one of the most common solid tumours in children (8–10% of all malignancies). Over 22% of cases have N‐myc amplification associated with aggressively growing neuroblastomas. Oncogene‐induced sensitization of cells to apoptosis is an important mechanism for suppression of tumorigenesis. Tumour suppressors often play a critical role in linking oncogenes to apoptotic machinery. For example, activated p53 then targets both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways to promote apoptosis through transcription‐dependent and ‐independent mechanisms. Understanding of the involved mechanisms has important clinical implications. We have employed DNA‐damaging drug‐induced apoptosis sensitized by oncogene N‐myc as a model. DNA damaging drugs trigger high levels of p53, leading to caspase‐9 activation in neuroblastoma cells. Inactivation of p53 protects cells from drug‐triggered apoptosis sensitized by N‐myc. These findings thus define a molecular pathway for mediating DNA‐damaging drug‐induced apoptosis sensitized by oncogene, and suggest that inactivation of p53 or other components of this apoptotic pathway may confer drug resistance in neuroblastoma cells. The data also suggests that inactivation of apoptotic pathways through co‐operating oncogenes may be necessary for the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma with N‐myc amplification.
Introduction: Reflections on Baltic Exceptionalism
Authors: Penikis Andrejs 
Published: September 2011

On October 20, 1989 the Harriman Institute's Nationalities and Siberian Studies Program of Columbia University sponsored a panel discussion entitled, “The Baltic Republics Fifty Years After the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.” The panel, consisting of Dr. Allen Lynch, Dr. Stephan Kux, Mr. Jenik Radon and Mr. William Hough, analyzed the current situation in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as well as in the other republics from a variety of perspectives, and debated the motivations and appropriateness of the response of the Western powers to the growing strength of the various independence movements in the Baltic republics. The following edited transcript of those proceedings points up the complex and contentious nature of the status of the Baltic republics in the era of Gorbachev, in both the domestic (Soviet) and international contexts. Nationalist leaders within the Soviet Union debate the appropriate tactics and pace to pursue their goals. The Soviet leadership dabates the extent to which autonomy may be granted to the nationalities. Western leaders consider their options in responding to the changes in the Soviet Union, changes which necessitate an overhaul of policies nearly a half-century old as well as some “new thinking” on their parts.
The discussion centered on two issues: (1) What in general has been the response of the West to nationalist movements in the USSR and how appropriate has that response been? (2) Is there any validity to claims of Baltic “exceptionalism”? The following introduction comments briefly on these issues and places them into perspective by drawing on the discussion and exploring several key points.
Textural and Bile Acid‐Binding Properties of Muffins Impacted by Oat β‐Glucan with Different Molecular Weights
Authors: Sayar Sedat , Jannink Jean‐Luc , White Pamela J. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTWater‐soluble β‐glucan (BG) extracted from a high‐BG oat line was treated with different amounts of lichenase (1→3)(1→4)‐β‐d‐glucanase) enzyme to yield three different molecular weight (MW) BG extracts. Low (LMW‐BG, 157,000), medium (MMW‐BG, 277,000), and high (HMW‐BG, 560,000) MW BG extracts were added to plain muffin formulations at a level of 0.52% (0.42% in the batter, 0.52% in the resultant muffins) to investigate the effect of MW of BG on textural and bile acid (BA) binding properties of the muffins. In addition, treatments were prepared containing LMW‐BG, MMW‐BG, and HMW‐BG extracts in amounts providing equivalent batter firmness as determined on a texture analyzer. Resultant BG concentrations (and per serving amounts) of these muffins were 1.36% (0.81 g/60 g muffin), 1.05% (0.63 g/60 g muffin), and 0.52% (0.31 g/60 g muffin), respectively; thus, the LMW treatment complied with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration health claim requiring 0.75 g of BG per serving. The firmness, springiness, and BA‐binding capacity of the muffins were unaffected by the MW of BG. However, when added at the maximum limit for equivalent batter firmness, the LMW treatment was more firm and less springy than the HMW treatment. Furthermore, BA‐binding capacities of LMW and MMW fractions tended to be greater than that of the HMW fraction when added at the maximum limit. These results add further evidence to the importance of fine‐tuning BG structure to provide maximum health benefits while maintaining high product quality.
Protein Extraction from Triticale Distillers Grains
Authors: Bandara Nandika , Chen Lingyun , Wu Jianping 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTTriticale is being actively explored as a feedstock for bioethanol production in Western Canada. Triticale distillers grains, an important coproduct of the bioethanol industry, are used mainly as animal feed. This study aims to develop methods of protein extraction from triticale distillers wet grains and distillers dried grains with solubles. Osborne fractionation showed low protein extractability because excessive protein denaturation occurred during sample preparation. Five methods were used to extract proteins: pH shifting, 60% ethanol, alkaline‐ethanol solution, glacial acetic acid, and enzyme‐aided extraction. Extracts obtained with the alkaline‐ethanol and glacial acetic acid methods showed comparatively higher protein contents (≈61–65%) when compared with the other extraction methods (≈35–57%). Enzyme‐aided extraction with Protex 6L yielded 75–82% protein at a content of 43–57%, depending on the types of raw materials. Establishing methods of protein extraction from triticale distillers grains would facilitate further studies on new uses of triticale proteins.
Solvent Retention Capacity (SRC) Testing of Wheat Flour: Principles and Value in Predicting Flour Functionality in Different Wheat‐Based Food Processes and in Wheat Breeding—A Review
Authors: Kweon Meera , Slade Louise , Levine Harry 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTSolvent retention capacity (SRC) technology, its history, principles, and applications are reviewed. Originally, SRC testing was created and developed for evaluating soft wheat flour functionality, but it has also been shown to be applicable to evaluating flour functionality for hard wheat products. SRC is a solvation test for flours that is based on the exaggerated swelling behavior of component polymer networks in selected individual diagnostic solvents. SRC provides a measure of solvent compatibility for the three functional polymeric components of flour—gluten, damaged starch, and pentosans—which in turn enables prediction of the functional contribution of each of these flour components to overall flour functionality and resulting finished‐product quality. The pattern of flour SRC values for the four diagnostic SRC solvents (water, dilute aqueous lactic acid, dilute aqueous sodium carbonate, and concentrated aqueous sucrose solutions), rather than any single individual SRC value, has been shown to be critical to various successful end‐use applications. Moreover, a new predictive SRC parameter, the gluten performance index (GPI), defined as GPI = lactic acid/(sodium carbonate + sucrose) SRC values, has been found to be an even better predictor of the overall performance of flour glutenin in the environment of other modulating networks of flour polymers. SRC technology is a unique diagnostic tool for predicting flour functionality, and its applications in soft wheat breeding, milling, and baking are increasing markedly as a consequence of many successful, recently published demonstrations of its extraordinary power and scope.
Root-Knot Disease Caused by Meloidogyne arenaria and M. javanica in Teak in São Paulo State, Brazil
Authors: de Araújo Filho J. V. , Machado A. C. Z. , de Faria R. S. C. A. , Camargo L. E. A. 
Published: September 2011

Teak (Tectona grandis Linn. F.) is one of the most important forest crops in Brazil, occupying areas in different regions, such as Goiás, Mato Grosso, Paraná, and São Paulo states. Teak wood is used for many purposes such as shipbuilding, rolling and plywood, firewood, and charcoal. In May 2011, teak symptomatic feeder root samples, exhibiting inconspicuous, small galls, were collected in the municipality of Piracicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil (22°41′46.90″S, 47°38′36.84″W). Specimens were identified through perineal patterns and esterase phenotypes of 20 adult females (1,2). Perineal patterns and esterase phenotypes were consistent with those described for Meloidogyne arenaria (Neal, 1889) Chitwood, 1949 and M. javanica (Treub, 1885) Chitwood, 1949. Perineal patterns of M. arenaria showed a low dorsal arch, compressed dorsolaterally, with lateral field marked by some forked and broken striae; no punctate markings between anus and tail terminus were observed. Perineal patterns of M. javanica were rounded, with low dorsal arch, striae smooth, lateral field distinct, clearly demarcated from striae by parallel lines. From the esterase electrophoresis we obtained A2 (Rm:1.2;1.3) and J3 (Rm:1.0;1.25;1.4) phenotypes, typical from M. arenaria and M. javanica, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. arenaria parasitizing teak roots in Brazil and elsewhere (new host) and the first report of M. javanica infecting teak in the State of São Paulo. Previously, M. javanica was reported to be infecting teak-growing areas in the State of Mato Grosso (3). This finding has a great importance, not only by the inclusion of these parasites in teak pathological scenario, but also for predicting possible damage in plant species used in teak-based intercropping systems. References: (1) P. R. Esbenshade and A. C. Triantaphyllou. J. Nematol. 22:10, 1990. (2) K. M. Hartman and J. N. Sasser. 1985. Page 115 in: An Advanced Treatise on Meloidogyne. Volume II, Methodology. K. R. Barker et al., eds. North Carolina State University Graphics, Raleigh,1985. (3) R. A. Silva et al. Nematol. Bras. 27:261, 2003.
A Plasmodesmata-Localized Protein Mediates Crosstalk between Cell-to-Cell Communication and Innate Immunity inArabidopsis
Authors: Lee Jung-Youn , Wang Xu , Cui Weier , Sager Ross , Modla Shannon , Czymmek Kirk , Zybaliov Boris , van Wijk Klaas , Zhang Chong , Lu Hua , Lakshmanan Venkatachalam 
Published: September 2011

AbstractPlasmodesmata (PD) are thought to play a fundamental role in almost every aspect of plant life, including normal growth, physiology, and developmental responses. However, how specific signaling pathways integrate PD-mediated cell-to-cell communication is not well understood. Here, we present experimental evidence showing that the Arabidopsis thaliana plasmodesmata-located protein 5 (PDLP5; also known as HOPW1-1-INDUCED GENE1) mediates crosstalk between PD regulation and salicylic acid–dependent defense responses. PDLP5 was found to localize at the central region of PD channels and associate with PD pit fields, acting as an inhibitor to PD trafficking, potentially through its capacity to modulate PD callose deposition. As a regulator of PD, PDLP5 was also essential for conferring enhanced innate immunity against bacterial pathogens in a salicylic acid–dependent manner. Based on these findings, a model is proposed illustrating that the regulation of PD closure mediated by PDLP5 constitutes a crucial part of coordinated control of cell-to-cell communication and defense signaling.
Susceptibility of piglets to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli is not related to the expression of MUC13 and MUC20
Authors: Schroyen M. , Stinckens A. , Verhelst R. , Geens M. , Cox E. , Niewold T. , Buys N. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryEnterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the most frequently isolated enteropathogens in production animals, especially pigs and calves. Economically, the swine industry is by far the most affected by infections with ETEC because of mortality, morbidity and decreased growth rate of newborn and early‐weaned piglets. After ingestion by the animal, these bacteria attach themselves to specific receptors on the small intestinal epithelium by means of proteinaceous surface appendages, the fimbriae. The F4 fimbriae, which attach to the F4 receptor, are the most studied. The aim of our study was to investigate gene expression in the small intestine of piglets of MUC13 and MUC20 in relation to animals with a different treatment towards or a different reaction on ETEC‐F4ac by means of quantitative reverse transcription chain reaction (qRT/PCR). MUC13 and MUC20 are positional candidate genes for this F4ac receptor and are located in the region on SSC13q41 that segregates with the susceptibility to ETEC‐F4ac. The condition of the small intestine is crucial when examining expression differences between different samples. Therefore, the expression of two genes, fatty‐acid binding protein 2, intestinal (FABP2) and pancreatitis‐associated protein (PAP), now known as regenerating islet‐derived 3 alpha (REG3A) in the small intestine was simultaneously checked. FABP2, a standard for epithelial content, reflects the state of damage, whereas REG3A is a measure for inflammation in the small intestine. The four different substudies presented here suggest that expression of MUC13 and MUC20 is not related to the susceptibility of piglets to ETEC‐F4ac.
IL‐13‐inducedMUC5ACproduction and goblet cell differentiation is steroid resistant in human airway cells
Authors: Kanoh S. , Tanabe T. , Rubin B. K. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryBackgroundGlucocorticosteroids (GCS) are used to treat bronchial asthma, but are not uniformly effective, especially in severe asthma.IL‐13 is a T helper type 2 cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma, and IL‐13 induces mucus production and goblet cell hyperplasia in airway epithelial cells. The effect ofGCSonIL‐13‐induced mucin production is not well characterized.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dexamethasone (Dex), a potent syntheticGCS, onIL‐13‐inducedMUC5ACmucin expression and goblet cell proliferation in differentiated normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBECs).MethodsNHBECs were cultured for 14 days at an air–liquid interface with IL‐13, with or withoutDex.MUC5ACprotein secretion andmRNAexpression was determined usingELISAand quantitative real‐timePCR.IL‐8 production was assayed usingELISA. Histochemical analysis was performed usingH&Eand periodic acid‐Schiff stain, andMUC5ACimmunostaining.ResultsAlthoughDex dose dependently inhibitedIL‐8 release induced by 5 ng/mLIL‐13,Dex 0.001–1 μg/mL had no effect onIL‐13 inducedMUC5ACprotein secretion ormRNAexpression.Dex paradoxically increasedMUC5ACinduced byIL‐13 at 0.5 and 1 ng/mL, but had no effect alone or withIL‐13 at 0.1 ng/mL.Dex 0.001–1 μg/mL did not inhibit the differentiation of cells into goblet cells andMUC5AC‐positive cells induced byIL‐13.Conclusion and Clinical RelevanceDex at therapeutic concentrations did not inhibit the effects ofIL‐13 on goblet cell differentiation, characteristic of severe asthma. Paradoxically,MUC5ACproduction was increased with lower doseIL‐13 exposure. This may lead to airway mucus obstruction commonly seen in life‐threatening asthma.
Conjunctival provocation with airborne allergen in patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis
Authors: Nivenius E. , Van der Ploeg I. , Gafvelin Guro , Van Hage M. , Montan P. G. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryBackgroundAtopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) is a chronic eye disease with periods of exacerbations. Many patients experience no obvious seasonal variation, although a majority of patients are allergic to common airborne allergens.ObjectiveTo investigate the allergic reaction, to conjunctival provocation with airborne allergens, in patients with AKC.MethodsEleven patients with AKC and birch and/or grass pollen allergy participated in the study, which was performed outside the pollen season. Five patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) and five healthy subjects were included for validation purposes. The challenge was performed in one eye with the allergen, to which the patient was reactive, and with dilution buffer in the other eye. Signs and symptoms from both eyes were graded at baseline and at 10 min, 8 and 48 h after provocation. Tear fluid was collected from both eyes for cytokine analyses at baseline and at 8 and 48 h.ResultsA significant change in clinical symptoms and signs, (redness and chemosis) was evident 10 min after provocation compared with baseline (P = 0.005) and compared with the unprovoked eye (P = 0.005) in AKC subjects. These parameters were normalized after 8 and 48 h. A significant increase for IFN‐γ (P = 0.021) and IL‐6 (P = 0.015), and a near significant increase for IL‐10 (P = 0.066) were seen in the tear fluid of the challenged eye at 48 h after provocation vs. baseline and vs. the control eye for IFN‐γ (P = 0.005), IL‐6 (P = 0.028) and IL‐10 (P = 0.008) in AKC subjects.Conclusion and Clinical RelevanceIn this single dose allergen provocation study, AKC patients responded with a typical IgE‐mediated allergic reaction. An increase in cytokines at 48 h after the challenge was demonstrated and might, with further studies, give us a better understanding of the nature of inflammation in AKC.