bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism contributes to prostate cancer development and progression: A meta-analysis of 2618 cases and 2305 controls
Authors: Xu Bin , Tong Na , Chen Shu Q , Hua Li X , Wang Zeng J , Zhang Zheng D , Chen Ming 
Published: February 2011

Abstract

Background
Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) displays multiple biological activities, including mitogenic and angiogenic activity, and plays important roles in the etiology and progression of prostate cancer. Gly388Arg polymorphism in FGFR4 gene has been reported to be involved in prostate cancer incidence and aggressiveness in several studies. To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis was performed.

Methods
Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to assess the association.

Results
The Arg388 allele increased prostate cancer risk compared with Gly388 allele (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.07-1.29). When stratified by race, there was a significantly increased prostate cancer risk in Asian and Caucasian populations. Moreover, prostate cancer patients with Arg/Arg genotype had a 1.34-fold increased risk of advanced prostate cancer (95% CI: 1.03-1.74) compared with those with Gly/Gly+Gly/Arg genotype.

Conclusion
This meta-analysis showed the evidence that FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism was associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer development and progression, suggesting that FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism could be a marker for prostate cancer development and progression.
Multi-omics approach to study the growth efficiency and amino acid metabolism in Lactococcus lactis at various specific growth rates
Authors: Lahtvee Petri-Jaan , Adamberg Kaarel , Arike Liisa , Nahku Ranno , Aller Kadri , Vilu Raivo 
Published: February 2011

AbstractBackgroundLactococcus lactisis recognised as a safe (GRAS) microorganism and has hence gained interest in numerous biotechnological approaches. As it is fastidious for several amino acids, optimization of processes which involve this organism requires a thorough understanding of its metabolic regulations during multisubstrate growth.ResultsUsing glucose limited continuous cultivations, specific growth rate dependent metabolism ofL. lactisincluding utilization of amino acids was studied based on extracellular metabolome, global transcriptome and proteome analysis. A new growth medium was designed with reduced amino acid concentrations to increase precision of measurements of consumption of amino acids. Consumption patterns were calculated for all 20 amino acids and measured carbon balance showed good fit of the data at all growth rates studied. It was observed that metabolism ofL. lactisbecame more efficient with rising specific growth rate in the range 0.10 - 0.60 h-1, indicated by 30% increase in biomass yield based on glucose consumption, 50% increase in efficiency of nitrogen use for biomass synthesis, and 40% reduction in energy spilling. The latter was realized by decrease in the overall product formation and higher efficiency of incorporation of amino acids into biomass.L. lactisglobal transcriptome and proteome profiles showed good correlation supporting the general idea of transcription level control of bacterial metabolism, but the data indicated that substrate transport systems together with lower part of glycolysis inL. lactiswere presumably under allosteric control.ConclusionsThe current study demonstrates advantages of the usage of strictly controlled continuous cultivation methods combined with multi-omics approach for quantitative understanding of amino acid and energy metabolism ofL. lactiswhich is a valuable new knowledge for development of balanced growth media, gene manipulations for desired product formation etc. Moreover, collected dataset is an excellent input for developing metabolic models.
Studying the local character of Raman features of single-walled carbon nanotubes along a bundle using TERS
Authors: Peica Niculina , Thomsen Christian , Maultzsch Janina 
Published: February 2011

AbstractHere, we show that the Raman intensity of the G-mode in tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) is strongly dependent on the height of the bundle. Moreover, using TERS we are able to position different single-walled carbon nanotubes along a bundle, by correlating the observed radial breathing mode (RBM) with the AFM topography at the measuring point. The frequency of the G- mode behaves differently in TERS as compared to far-field Raman. Using the RBM frequency, the diameters of the tubes were calculated and a very good agreement with the G--mode frequency was observed.
Enhanced specific immune responses by CpG DNA in mice immunized with recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen and HB vaccine
Authors: Zhang Xiancheng , He Peng , Hu Zhongyu , Wang Xingtai , Liang Zhenglun 
Published: February 2011

AbstractBackgroundHepatitis B vaccine adjuvant, alum, is generally used for vaccination although it does not stimulate Th1 immunity and 10% of the population has low or no antibody response. Efforts have been continued to find more efficient vaccine adjuvants for better antibody response as well as stimulation of Th1 immunity.MethodsCpG DNA was used as an adjuvant for recombinant HBsAg to immunize 6- to 8-week-old female BALB/c mice with or without alum for different dosages. The production of HBsAb, CD80 and CD86 from dendritic cells, and cytokines IL-10, IL12, etc., were analyzed and compared for the performance of immunization.Results5-20 μg CpG DNA had the best co-stimulation effect of HBsAb serum conversion for mice vaccinated with recombinant expressed HBsAg. The mice vaccinated with recombinant 20 μg CpG DNA and regular vaccine (containing alum adjuvant) had the highest concentration of antibody production. IL-12b, IL-12a and IL10 mRNA reached to the peak level between 3 and 6 hours after the CpG DNA induction in splenocytes. The expression levels of CD80 and CD86 leucocyte surface molecules were increased with 20 μg CpG DNA alone or with 20 μg CpG DNA and 4 μg HBsAg.ConclusionsOur results confirmed the adjuvant effect of CpG DNA for HBsAg in the mouse model. The increase of IL10 and IL12 production suggested the involvement of Th1 cell activation. The activation of CD80 and CD86 molecules by CpG-ODN might be part of the mechanism of T/B cells coordination and the enhancement of recombinant HBsAg induced immune response.
Point of care testing is appropriate for National Health Service health check
Authors: Jain Anjly , Persaud Jahm Want , Rao Nandini , Harvey Darren , Robertson Laura , Nirmal Lalit , Nirmal Divya , Thomas Michael , Mikhailidis Dimitri P , Nair Devaki R 
Published: February 2011

Background The Department of Health launched a cardiovascular disease risk assessment initiative with particular reference to reducing health inequalities in ethnic minorities. Collaboration between HEART UK, Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust and Hindu Temples resulted in vascular screening in North London. Methods Subjects of South Asian origin were screened. A full lipid profile and glucose were measured using a point of care testing (POCT) Cholestech LDX analyser (LDX). Venous samples were analysed in our hospital laboratory. Results The results (215 men; 191 women) were divided into tertiles and Bland–Altman plots were used to assess agreement. At high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations <1.0 mmol/L the LDX underestimated values by −0.2 mmol/L ( P<0.0001). At HDL-C concentrations >1.3 mmol/L this bias disappeared. For total cholesterol the concentration-dependent negative bias was evident at concentrations of <4.1 mmol/L ( P < 0.0001). This bias was less evident at higher concentrations. A similar pattern was seen for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. There were also small variations in glucose and triglyceride values. However, there was excellent agreement in calculated cardiovascular disease risk using kappa analysis for JBS2, QRISK2, ETHRISK and Framingham ( κ = 0.86, 0.92, 0.94 and 0.88, respectively). This was a high-risk population since 9.7–19.4% had a ≥20% 10-y probability of a vascular event depending on the risk engine and assay method used. The corresponding values for intermediate risk (11–19%) were 18.6–25.7%. Conclusions There was a minimum mismatch irrespective of the type of risk calculator used. POCT measurements are adequate for the National Health Service Health Check.
Agentenbasiertes Energiemanagement zur Spannungshaltung in Verteilnetzen
Authors: Wolter Martin , Hofmann Lutz 
Published: February 2011

Zusammenfassung
Heutzutage gehen Verteilnetzbetreiber neue Wege bei der Führung ihrer Netze. Hauptsächlich ist dies der steigenden Anzahl von Kleinerzeugern in ihren Netzen geschuldet. Darüber hinaus ist die Messtopologie unterbesetzt, so dass der Netzzustand nicht vollständig erfasst werden kann und unzulässige Systemzustände unentdeckt bleiben. Netzbetreiber, die intelligente Energiemanagementsysteme einsetzen, können sowohl einen globalen Optimierer als auch dezentrale Strukturen verwenden, um ihre Netzführung zu automatisieren. Letzterer Ansatz ist im Sinne des angestrebten plug´n´play-Verteilnetzes die bessere Variante.
Optimale Betriebsführung eines virtuellen Kraftwerks auf Basis von gasbetriebenen Mikro-Blockheizkraftwerken
Authors: Müller Christian , Rehkopf Andreas 
Published: February 2011

Zusammenfassung
Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit der optimalen Betriebsführung eines virtuellen Kraftwerks auf Basis von Mikro-Blockheizkraftwerken. Dazu wird das Taktungsproblem der Anlagen als mathematische Zwei-Ebenen-Aufgabe der Spieltheorie formuliert. Es entsteht ein sog. Stackelberg-Spiel, für das die jeweiligen Zielfunktionen und Nebenbedingungen der beiden Ebenen herausgearbeitet werden. Schließlich erfolgt die Kopplung der Ebenen über die Lösungsmenge der unteren Ebene. Ein einfaches Beispiel der praktischen Anwendung wird aufgezeigt.
Dubai Metro footbridge design
Authors: Smith David , Smith Tony , Chiarello Manuela , Ho Alan 
Published: February 2011

The Dubai Metro light-rail scheme is a flagship project in the United Arab Emirates and the longest fully automated rail system in the world. The first line of the rail system was opened in September 2009 with a second line due for completion in 2010. These first two lines include 35 elevated stations along their combined 76 km length. This paper describes the design and construction of the steel truss footbridges developed as part of the station context planning work for all of the elevated stations. The footbridges are all fully enclosed, air-conditioned corridors with the widths of many dictated by the provision of automated walkways. A key aspect to the footbridge design concept was to develop a modular system that could be rapidly designed for scores of differing span arrangements to be suitable for each unique location. Several of the footbridge truss elements comprised structural hollow sections, and the new rules in Eurocode 3 were adopted to design many of the connections between such members. With simply supported spans up to 45 m long and external cladding creating irregular shaped cross-sections, wind tunnel testing was required to demonstrate aerodynamic stability of the footbridges. Several erection methods were also considered to minimise the installation time of completed footbridge spans over the major Dubai highways, and the pre-camber and deflection analysis associated with the methods adopted for lifting were also important aspects considered in the design. Other critical design issues resolved included the design of fillet-welded connections in place of full-strength full-penetration butt welds and the design of several special spans for connecting into non-standard stations and entrance structures.
Δ40 Isoform of p53 Controls β-Cell Proliferation and Glucose Homeostasis in Mice
Authors: Hinault Charlotte , Kawamori Dan , Liew Chong Wee , Maier Bernhard , Hu Jiang , Keller Susanna R. , Mirmira Raghavendra G. , Scrable Heidi , Kulkarni Rohit N. 
Published: February 2011

OBJECTIVE
Investigating the dynamics of pancreatic β-cell mass is critical for developing strategies to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. p53, a key regulator of the cell cycle and apoptosis, has mostly been a focus of investigation as a tumor suppressor. Although p53 alternative transcripts can modulate p53 activity, their functions are not fully understood. We hypothesized that β-cell proliferation and glucose homeostasis were controlled by Δ40p53, a p53 isoform lacking the transactivation domain of the full-length protein that modulates total p53 activity and regulates organ size and life span in mice.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
We phenotyped metabolic parameters in Δ40p53 transgenic (p44tg) mice and used quantitative RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry to examine β-cell proliferation.

RESULTS
Transgenic mice with an ectopic p53 gene encoding Δ40p53 developed hypoinsulinemia and glucose intolerance by 3 months of age, which worsened in older mice and led to overt diabetes and premature death from ∼14 months of age. Consistent with a dramatic decrease in β-cell mass and reduced β-cell proliferation, lower expression of cyclin D2 and pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1, two key regulators of proliferation, was observed, whereas expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21, a p53 target gene, was increased.

CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate a significant and novel role for Δ40p53 in β-cell proliferation with implications for the development of age-dependent diabetes.
Epigenetic Changes in Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase in the Retina and the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Zhong Qing , Kowluru Renu A. 
Published: February 2011

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of epigenetic regulation of the manganese superoxide dismutase gene (sod2) in the development of diabetic retinopathy and the metabolic memory phenomenon associated with its continued progression after hyperglycemia is terminated.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were maintained in poor glycemic control (PC, GHb ∼12%) or in good glycemic control (GC, GHb ∼7.0%) for 4 months, or were allowed to maintain PC for 2 months, followed by GC for 2 additional months (PC-Rev). For experimental galactosemia, a group of normal rats were fed a 30% galactose diet for 4 months or for 2 months, followed by a normal diet for 2 additional months. Trimethyl histone H4 lysine 20 (H4K20me3), acetyl histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9), and nuclear transcriptional factor NF-κB p65 and p50 at the retinal sod2 promoter and enhancer were examined by chromatin immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS
Hyperglycemia (diabetes or galactosemia) increased H4K20me3, acetyl H3K9, and NF-κB p65 at the promoter and enhancer of retinal sod2, upregulated protein and gene expression of SUV420h2, and increased the interactions of acetyl H3K9 and NF-κB p65 to H4K20me3. Reversal of hyperglycemia failed to prevent increases in H4K20me3, acetyl H3K9, and NF-κB p65 at sod2, and sod2 and SUV420h2 continued to be abnormal. Silencing SUV420h2 by its small interfering RNA in retinal endothelial cells prevented a glucose-induced increase in H4K20me3 at the sod2 enhancer and a decrease in sod2 transcripts.

CONCLUSIONS
Increased H4K20me3 at sod2 contributes to its downregulation and is important in the development of diabetic retinopathy and in the metabolic memory phenomenon. Targeting epigenetic changes may serve as potential therapeutic targets to retard the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy.
A Comparative Evaluation of Amitriptyline and Duloxetine in Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
Authors: Kaur Harjot , Hota Debasish , Bhansali Anil , Dutta Pinaki , Bansal Dipika , Chakrabarti Amitava 
Published: February 2011

OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy and safety of duloxetine and amitriptyline in painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
In this randomized, double-blind, cross-over, active-control trial, 58 patients received amitriptyline and duloxetine orally once daily at bedtime, each for 6 weeks with optional dose uptitration fortnightly. Single-blinded placebo washout was given for 2 weeks between the two treatments and a single-blinded placebo run-out phase of 4 weeks was given at the end of the treatment period. Pain relief was measured by the patient’s global assessment of efficacy, using a visual analog scale (0–100) as a primary end point, and overall improvement and adverse events were assessed as secondary outcome measures. Median pain score reductions of &gt;50%, 25–50%, and &lt;25% were considered good, moderate, and mild responses, respectively.

RESULTS
There was a significant improvement in pain with both treatments compared with their baseline values (P &lt; 0.001 for both). Good, moderate, and mild pain relief was achieved in 55, 24, and 15% of patients, respectively, on amitriptyline and 59, 21, and 9% of patients, respectively, on duloxetine. There were no significant differences in various other outcome measures between the groups. Of the reported adverse events, dry mouth was significantly more common with amitriptyline than duloxetine (55 vs. 24%; P &lt; 0.01). Although, numerically, more patients preferred duloxetine, overall this was not statistically significant (48 vs. 36%; P = 0.18).

CONCLUSIONS
Both duloxetine and amitriptyline demonstrated similar efficacy in PDN. A large, multicentric clinical trial in other populations could possibly demonstrate the superiority of either drug.
FaceBots: Steps Towards Enhanced Long-Term Human-Robot Interaction by Utilizing and Publishing Online Social Information
Authors: Mavridis Nikolaos , Petychakis Michael , Tsamakos Alexandros , Toulis Panos , Emami Shervin , Kazmi Wajahat , Datta Chandan , BenAbdelkader Chiraz , Tanoto Andry 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe overarching goal of the FaceBots project is to support the achievement of sustainable long-term human-robot relationships through the creation of robots with face recognition and natural language capabilities, which exploit and publish online information, and especially social information available on Facebook, and which achieve two significant novelties. The underlying experimental hypothesis is that such relationships can be significantly enhanced if the human and the robot are gradually creating a pool of episodic memories that they can co-refer to (“shared memories”), and if they are both embedded in a social web of other humans and robots they mutually know (“shared friends”). We present a description of system architecture, as well as important concrete results regarding face recognition and transferability of training, with training and testing sets coming from either one or a combination of two sources: an onboard camera which can provide sequences of images, as well as facebook-derived photos. Furthermore, early interaction-related results are presented, and evaluation methodologies as well as interesting extensions are discussed.
Biodiversity assessment: State‐of‐the‐art techniques in phylogenomics and species identification
Authors: Steele P. Roxanne , Pires J. Chris 
Published: February 2011

• Premise of the study: Biodiversity assessment is the first step in protecting the complete range of morphological and genetic diversity of species on Earth, and in reaching the goals of conservation biology. Assessment begins with identifying organisms that make up biological communities and understanding evolutionary histories. Scientific advancements in molecular sequencing can help clarify and provide support for identifications. Massively parallel DNA sequencing technologies are being used to sequence complete genomes of model organisms; however, this resource has not been fully used for species identifications. Animal researchers commonly use one mitochondrial region, and groups of plant scientists have proposed numerous combinations of two or three chloroplast markers as genomic identifiers. Yet, nearly as many studies have reported that the proposed regions are uninformative in some plant groups and at various taxonomic levels.• Methods: We propose a combination of whole (or nearly whole) chloroplast genomes, mitochondrial genes, and nuclear repeat regions for both species identifications and phylogenetic analyses, obtained from a simple total DNA extraction and one run on massively parallel DNA sequencing machines.• Key results: We have recovered both coding and noncoding sequences from multiple genetic sources, providing genomic information for comparisons within and between multiple taxonomic levels.• Conclusions: In combination with morphological and other data, this abundance of genomic information will have a broad range of applications, including not only helping conservation biologists understand ecosystem biodiversity, but also understanding the evolutionary histories of organisms, mending damaged landscapes, and investigating interactions of plants with pollinators and pests.
Microsatellite marker development for Galax urceolata (Diapensiaceae)
Authors: Servick Stein V. , Soltis Pamela S. , Soltis Douglas E. 
Published: February 2011

• Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed for Galax urceolata to investigate genetic diversity, population structure, and polyploid origins (auto‐ vs. allopolyploid), and to estimate the minimum number of independent cytotype origins.• Methods and Results: Ten primer sets have been developed, and preliminary study indicates that all loci are appropriate for population‐level genetic investigations. All loci are polymorphic with 6 to 46 alleles per locus. Expected heterozygosity ranges from 0.1007 to 0.6085.• Conclusions: The microsatellite markers presented will facilitate analyses of polyploid origins, genetic diversity, geographic structure, and gene flow.
Isolation of compound microsatellite markers for the common Mediterranean shrub Smilax aspera (Smilacaceae)
Authors: Xu Xi‐hui , Wan Ying , Qi Zhe‐Chen , Qiu Ying‐xiong , Fu Cheng‐Xin 
Published: February 2011

• Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed for the common Mediterranean shrub Smilax aspera to study the population genetics of this species.• Methods and Results: Using the compound microsatellite marker technique, a total of 14 pairs of primers were developed for S. aspera, of which 11 were polymorphic, and three were monomorphic. Levels of polymorphism in the 11 markers were checked in 43 individuals collected from two populations in Greece and Italy. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 10 to 26, with an average of 15.55 alleles per locus. All of these primers also could be amplified from a second species, S. hispida.• Conclusions: These microsatellite markers can be used for future studies of genetic diversity in S. aspera, as well as in other related taxa, and will help us to improve our understanding of the microevolutionary processes of this species in the Mediterranean region.