bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expression and aberrant promoter methylation of Wnt inhibitory factor-1 in human astrocytomas
Authors: Yang Zhuanyi , Wang Ying , Fang Jiasheng , Chen Fenghua , Liu Jinfang , Wu Jun , Wang Yanjin 
Published: March 2010

Abstract

Background
Wnt inhibitory factor-1(WIF-1) acts as a Wnt-antagonists and tumor suppressor, but hypermethylation of WIF-1 gene promoter and low expression activate Wnt signaling aberrantly and induce the development of various human tumors. With this work we intended to investigate the expression and promoter methylation status of WIF-1 gene in human astrocytomas.

Methods
The tissue samples consisted of 53 astrocytomas and 6 normal brain tissues. The expression levels of WIF-1 were determined by immunohistochemistry and semiquantitative RT-PCR. The results were analyzed in correlation with clinicopathological data. Methylation status of WIF-1 gene promoter was investigated using methylation specific PCR. The relationship between methylation and expression of the genes was analyzed.

Results
The average expression levels of WIF-1 protein and mRNA in astrocytomas were decreased significantly compared with normal control tissues. The protein and mRNA expression of WIF-1 gene in astrocytomas was decreased with the increase of pathological grade. Furthermore, WIF-1 promoter methylation was observed by MS-PCR in astrocytomas which showed significant reduction of WIF-1 expression. The WIF-1 promoter hypermethylation was associated with reduced expression of WIF-1 expression.

Conclusion
Our results demonstrate that the WIF-1 gene is frequently down-regulated or silenced in astrocytomas by aberrant promoter methylation. This may be an important mechanism in astrocytoma carcinogenesis.
No Trace of the Bland: An Interview with Holly Hughes
Authors: Carr C. 
Published: March 2010

Holly Hughes began her career at New York's wow Cafe, that “home for wayward girls” featuring work by lesbians. There she developed her first play, The Well of Horniness (1983)—now a classic in certain circles. Hughes moved very quickly from that playful soap opera parody to experimental non-narrative pieces such as The Lady Dick (1985) and Dress Suits to Hire (1987). All of Hughes's work has an undercurrent of dark comic rage. And her subject has always been relationships between women. Despite her notoriety as a “lesbian artist,” this does not necessarily mean sexual relationships. Her characters do tend to drive each other to emotional extremes; they do put their sexuality up front. But they are basically trying to understand their own identities in a world where they don't have a place.
In 1990, Hughes was touring in World Without End, a monologue inspired by the death of her mother, when she and three other performance artists—Karen Finley, John Fleck, and Tim Miller—were defunded by then-chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, John Frohnmayer. Although the chairman declared that the work of these artists lacked artistic merit, the NEA 4 went to court, charging that they'd been defunded for political reasons. Never interested in offering simple answers or definitions—especially for a word like “lesbian”—Hughes now found such simplifications both demanded of her and projected onto her. Becoming visible for all the wrong reasons brought daily reminders of her lesbianism as an embattled identity, but in 1992, Hughes completed a new play about racism, No Trace of the Blonde. And she continues the task of extricating herself and her work from the distorting notoriety that surrounds the censorship crisis.
Bellarmine's Revenge? On Some Recent Trends in the Roman Catholic Church Concerning the Relation of Faith and Science
Authors: De Caro Mario , Pievani Telmo 
Published: March 2010

For many centuries, since the beginning of the modern age, the Roman Catholic Church held an ambivalent attitude toward science, until an enlightened position seemed to prevail at the end of the twentieth century, with two papal statements that respectively concerned Galileo's trial and Darwin's theory. In the last few years, however, within the higher circles of the Vatican, a less open-minded stance with regard to both the natural and the social sciences seems to have gained strength again.
In this article, the roots, nature, and implications of this less-tolerant trend are discussed by analyzing two key case studies. The first concerns the view of the Roman Catholic Church with regard to the Darwinian theory of evolution (which, surprisingly, seems now less accepted than it used to be in the recent past, in favor of views clearly at odds with the scientific worldview, such as purposeful evolution or even intelligent design). The second case study concerns the methodological issue of how Jesus's historical figure should be studied.
Vasopressin Antagonists: Pharmacotherapy for the Treatment of Heart Failure
Authors: Reilly Timothy , Schork Michelle R 
Published: March 2010

Objective To evaluate acute hemodynamic, short-term, and long-term effects of vasopressin antagonists in patients with heart failure (HF). Data sources Searches of the PubMed database (1966–February 2010) were conducted. Search terms included AVP receptor antagonist, CHF, tolvaptan, conivaptan, lixivaptan, HF, and hyponatremia. Manufacturers’ prescribing information, manufacturer Web site searches, and searches made on www.clinicaltrials.gov were also included. Study selection and data extraction All clinical trials identified from the reference search and data sources were reviewed. Articles were included if they were relevant to short-term and long-term outcomes of patients with HF who were treated with vasopressin antagonists. Data synthesis Trials of conivaptan, tolvaptan, and lixivaptan were evaluated. The evidence indicates that all agents increase urine output >10 mL/h, and conivaptan and tolvaptan decrease pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (–2.6 ± 0.7, –5.4 ± 0.7, and –4.6 ± 0.7 mm Hg for placebo, conivaptan 20 mg, and conivaptan 40 mg, respectively; –5.67 ± 4.58 to –6.38 ± 4.12 mm Hg for tolvaptan, and –4.16 ±4.57 mm Hg for placebo) in patients with HF. Both of these changes occur without inducing electrolyte abnormalities or renal dysfunction. Trials with conivaptan in acute HF have not demonstrated a benefit in cardiac index, mean arterial pressure, or vascular resistance. Data from clinical trials indicate that tolvaptan may decrease dyspnea (p < 0.05) and pedal edema (p < 0.001). To date, no large-scale trials of any agent have demonstrated an improvement in left ventricular systolic function, rehospitalization, worsening HF, or death. Conclusions Vasopressin antagonists cannot be considered routine pharmacotherapy for HF, Further, conivaptan should not be used for the treatment of acute HF. There is not enough literature to advocate for or against the use of lixivaptan in patients with HF. Tolvaptan may be considered for the treatment of hyponatremia.
Konstruktionen in der kommunikativen Praxis. Zur Notwendigkeit einer interaktionalen Anreicherung konstruktionsgrammatischer Ansätze
Authors: Günthner Susanne 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
The following contribution is dedicated to questions about the interface between interactionally based studies on the grammar of everyday language use and “usage-based” approaches from Construction Grammar.
Studies of grammatical structures in interactional use make it clear that concepts of grammar which assume homogeneous, static categories are only partly suitable for the description of spoken language, since grammatical structures in communicative practice are more heterogeneous, open and context dependent than postulated. At the same time, these analyses show that prefabricated patterns form an important means of solving communicative tasks precisely in oral communication, which takes place under time pressure. These factors make usage-based approaches from Construction Grammar attractive as a framework for a practically oriented examination of grammar, though many divergences exist all the same.
On the basis of empirical analyses of pseudo-clefts and wenn constructions in spoken German, the article discusses the possibility of extending usage-based approaches from Construction Grammar, which aims to integrate the circumstances of language production and reception in communicative practice into the analysis, and therefore the fact that we use language in order to carry out social activities in the process of interaction.
Konstruktionen und Paradigmen
Authors: Diewald Gabriele 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
The notion of constructions—as the basic semiotic units of language varying in complexity, size and degree of abstraction—has proved to be useful in diachronic research in general and in grammaticalization studies in particular. Grammaticalization scenarios have been modelled as a unidirectional succession of specific types of constructions, thus providing a means for depicting the interdependence of pragmatic and contextual feature on the one hand and language internal features on the other. However, the endpoint of grammaticalization processes, i.e. the integration of formerly autonomous signs into tightly organized paradigmatic structures (grammatical paradigms), so far has not been in the scope of constructional approaches. It is argued that existing models of grammaticalization scenarios should be expanded by a fourth stage, the stage of paradigmatic integration. It is suggested that a grammatical paradigm represents a particular type of construction. Thus, the stage of paradigmatic integration represents the formation of a fourth type of construction.
Konzessive Konstruktionen. Ein Verfahren zur Rekonstruktion von Konzessionen
Authors: Rezat Sara 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
This paper is concerned with the concession-relation on epistemic-level, herein after referred to as ‘concession’. It is shown that there is a spectrum of means to encode concessions in German: the forms vary from rather “idiomatic” constructions to less specified constructions, from lexico-grammatical constructions up to hardly encoded forms, which have to be inferred from discourse context. Furthermore, a method is demonstrated to reconstruct hardly encoded forms of concessions.
Konstruktionsvererbung, Valenzvererbung und die Reichweite von Konstruktionen
Authors: Welke Klaus 
Published: March 2010

AbstractShifts in a word's valency (such as increases or reductions, e.g. of a verb) are alterations to a core valency. One precondition of valency shift is that the verb provides semantic and conceptual opportunities for this shift. Another precondition is that, in a given language, constructions have already evolved in which these shifts can be actualized. Valency shift is construction inheritance: a given verb inherits a construction for which it had not previously been licensed from another verb that is licensed for this construction. Valency inheritance is the inheritance of a verb's valency by a noun construction. Valency theory and construction grammar are therefore complementary. Our concept of shift and inheritance of valencies and constructions is prototypical and analogical. In this context, the paper discusses identity, polysemy and homonymy of constructions, using the nominative-accusative construction as an example.
Bedeutung und Gebrauch in der Konstruktionsgrammatik. Wie kompositionell sind modale Infinitive im Deutschen?
Authors: Stefanowitsch Anatol 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
Theories of grammar typically have some way of accommodating fixed or semi-fixed idiomatic expressions in addition to expressions derived compositionally by general abstract rules. Construction Grammar differs from most other theories in that it takes such idiomatic expressions as a model for the grammar of natural languages as a whole. Linguistic structures at all levels of complexity and schematicity are uniformly modeled as “constructions”, i.e. form-meaning pairs with unpredictable formal or semantic properties. This view of grammar is plausible only to the extent that abstract and complex linguistic structures can be shown to constitute such form-meaning pairs. In this paper, I present an analysis of the so-called “modal infinitives” in German (structures consisting of haben ‘have’ or sein ‘be’ and an infinitive with zu ‘to’). I argue that German modal infinitives can be described adequatlyadequately only if we assume that they are constructions in the sense of Construction Grammar. While their general function of encoding possibility and obligation can be predicted from the meaning of haben/sein and the infinitival verb phrase, at least one of their more specific conventionalized meanings, “obligation without alternatives”, is more specific than anything that could be derived compositionally from these component parts. Since modal infinitives are part of the “core grammar” of German, this analysis strengthens the case for an analysis of natural language grammars in terms of constructions.
Calcitonin screening and pentagastrin testing: predictive value for the diagnosis of medullary carcinoma in nodular thyroid disease
Authors: Herrmann B L , Schmid K W , Goerges R , Kemen M , Mann K 
Published: March 2010

ContextSerum calcitonin (hCT) measurement may be useful for detecting medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), but the routine use of hCT after pentagastrin stimulation to screen patients with nodular thyroid disease remains controversial.PatientsA total of 1007 patients (567 females and 440 males) with nodular thyroid disease and a mean age of 55±14 (mean±s.d.) years were included in the study. All patients did not have impaired renal function, bacterial infection, alcohol and drug abuse, pseudohypoparathyroidism, or proton-pump inhibitor therapy. Individuals referred with known elevation of hCT, Graves' disease, or autoimmune thyroid disease were not considered or included in this investigation.MethodsSerum hCT levels were determined under basal conditions, and when basal values were ≥10 and <100 pg/ml, testing was repeated after pentagastrin stimulation. Patients with basal or stimulated levels >100 pg/ml were referred for surgery.ResultshCT levels >10 pg/ml were increased in 17 patients (1.7%). One patient had a basal hCT level of 4400 pg/ml with a histological confirmation of a MTC. In this patient, pentagastrin test was not performed. Sixteen patients with basal hCT between 10 and 100 pg/ml underwent pentagastrin-stimulated hCT measurement. Of 16 patients, 4 had stimulated hCT>100 pg/ml. Of 17 patients with hCT>10 pg/ml, 2 had MTC, and of 17 patients, 3 had C-cell hyperplasia. In total, two patients (0.20%) had a histologically verified MTC.ConclusionsBasal hCT measurement together with pentagastrin-stimulated hCT measurement in cases of basal hCT>10 pg/ml detects MTC in 0.20% of patients with nodular thyroid disease. Whether this high incidence of MTC has major implications or not has to be discussed, but it should be considered as a useful and recommended tool for early detection of MTC and to save patients' life.
Meta‐analysis of the Efficacy and Safety of Adalimumab, Etanercept, and Infliximab for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Wiens Astrid , Venson Rafael , Correr Cassyano J. , Otuki Michel Fleith , Pontarolo Roberto 
Published: March 2010

Study Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of using the anti‐tumor necrosis factor‐α (anti‐TNF‐α) drugs adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Design. Systematic review and meta‐analysis of 21 randomized, placebo‐controlled trials (eight adalimumab, seven infliximab, six etanercept).Patients. Adults with rheumatoid arthritis who received adalimumab (1524 patients), infliximab (1116 patients), etanercept (1029 patients), or placebo (2834 patients) with or without concomitant methotrexate in all groups.Measurements and Main Results. A literature search of several databases from January 1995‐December 2008 was performed. There were no restrictions based on language or date of publication, and low‐quality studies (based on Jadad score) were excluded. American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20% improvement criteria (ACR20), 50% improvement criteria (ACR50), and 70% improvement criteria (ACR70) were used to compare treatment efficacy. Safety was compared based on frequency of serious adverse events, serious infections, malignancy, and death. Withdrawals due to adverse events and lack of efficacy were also evaluated. With short‐term treatment (12–30 wks), etanercept demonstrated the highest risk ratios (RRs) for reaching ACR20 and ACR50: 2.94 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.27–3.81) and 5.28 (95% CI 3.12–8.92), respectively. Adalimumab demonstrated the highest RR for achieving ACR70 (5.36, 95% CI 3.76– 7.64). Over a long‐term treatment course (1–3 yrs), adalimumab demonstrated the highest RRs (95% CIs) for these parameters: 1.85 (1.07–3.19), 2.80 (1.16–6.77), and 3.23 (1.37–7.61) for ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70, respectively. No statistically significant differences were noted in the safety of any of the three drugs compared with placebo. Infliximab had the highest RRs for withdrawing from the study due to lack of efficacy (2.05, 95% CI 1.33–3.16) and adverse events (0.41, 95% CI 0.18–0.95).Conclusion. With short‐term treatment, etanercept and adalimumab had higher efficacy results; with long‐term treatment, adalimumab appeared to be the most effective. Clinicians should be aware that each of the three drugs has different rates of efficacy and different safety considerations that must be taken into account when selecting the best treatment for an individual with rheumatoid arthritis.
Unlocking Text Features for Determining Importance in Expository Text: A Strategy for Struggling Readers
Authors: Bluestein N. Alexandra 
Published: March 2010

This article briefly addresses the theoretical underpinnings of comprehension strategy instruction for both proficient and struggling readers before going on to explain how the external features of expository text serve as an ideal foundation to learn how to determine importance in nonfiction. Specific methods for utilizing the text features of both narrative and informational nonfiction texts to explicitly teach how to determine importance to struggling readers are detailed.تعالج هذه المقالة بشكل وجيز الأسس النظرية لدى تعليم إستراتيجية الاستيعاب لكل من القراء الذين يواجهون صعوبات في القراءة والذين يجيدونها قبل أن تشرح كيف تكوّن معالم النص المفصّل الخارجية قاعدة مثلى لتعلم الطريقة لتحديد الأهمية في الروايات الخيالية. وقد تم تقديم طرق معينة لاستخدام معالم النص في الروايات الخيالية السردية والمعلوماتية لتعليم بشكل مباشر الطريقة لتحديد الأهمية إلى القراء المواجهين صعوبات في القراءة.本文首先概论有关教授阅读理解策略给予熟练的阅读者及不太熟练的阅读者的理论基础，然后解释说明文的外在特征如何可以用作一个理想的基础，帮助学生学习如何确定非小说类文章的重点。本文接着详细介绍如何使用特定的显式教学方法，教授学生利用记叙文及资讯性说明文的语篇结构特征，以帮助有阅读困难的学生学习如何确定文章重点。Cet article traite rapidement des soubassements théoriques de l'enseignement des stratégies pédagogiques, aussi bien pour les lecteurs performants que pour ceux qui ont des difficultés, avant de poursuivre en expliquant comment les caractéristiques externes des textes présentatifs constituent une excellente base pour apprendre comment identifier ce qui est important dans les textes non‐fictifs. On présente de façon détaillée des méthodes spécifiques utiliser les propriétés textuelles des textes de fiction aussi bien que des textes informatifs afin d'enseigner de façon explicite à des lecteurs en difficulté comment il est possible de déterminer de manière détaillée ce qui est important.Автор дает краткий обзор теории, которая лежит в основе обучения опытных и слабых читателей стратегиям понимания прочитанного, а затем объясняет, какие свойства описательного текста делают его идеальным плацдармом для того, чтобы школьники научились определять важность той или иной информации в нехудожественном тексте. Предложены конкретные методы использования повествовательного и описательного нехудожественного текста для работы с детьми, имеющими проблемы в общении со словом.En este artículo se presenta brevemente las teorías que sirven de fundamento para la instrucción de estrategias de comprensión para tanto los lectores competentes como los que tienen dificultad. Luego se explica cómo los elementos externos de textos de exposición son idóneos para aprender cómo determinar la importancia de tales textos. Se presentan en detalle métodos específicos de cómo usar los elementos textuales de textos novelísticos tanto como de textos de exposición para enseñarles explícitamente a los lectores con dificultades cómo determinar la importancia del texto.
Fat Cell–Specific Ablation of Rictor in Mice Impairs Insulin-Regulated Fat Cell and Whole-Body Glucose and Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Kumar Anil , Lawrence John C. , Jung Dae Young , Ko Hwi Jin , Keller Susanna R. , Kim Jason K. , Magnuson Mark A. , Harris Thurl E. 
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE
Rictor is an essential component of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex (mTORC) 2, a kinase that phosphorylates and activates Akt, an insulin signaling intermediary that regulates glucose and lipid metabolism in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and liver. To determine the physiological role of rictor/mTORC2 in insulin signaling and action in fat cells, we developed fat cell–specific rictor knockout (FRic−/−) mice.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Insulin signaling and glucose and lipid metabolism were studied in FRic−/− fat cells. In vivo glucose metabolism was evaluated by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp.

RESULTS
Loss of rictor in fat cells prevents insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt at S473, which, in turn, impairs the phosphorylation of downstream targets such as FoxO3a at T32 and AS160 at T642. However, glycogen synthase kinase-3β phosphorylation at S9 is not affected. The signaling defects in FRic−/− fat cells lead to impaired insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane and decreased glucose transport. Furthermore, rictor-null fat cells are unable to suppress lipolysis in response to insulin, leading to elevated circulating free fatty acids and glycerol. These metabolic perturbations are likely to account for defects observed at the whole-body level of FRic−/− mice, including glucose intolerance, marked hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance in skeletal muscle and liver, and hepatic steatosis.

CONCLUSIONS
Rictor/mTORC2 in fat cells plays an important role in whole-body energy homeostasis by mediating signaling necessary for the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism in fat cells.