bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Infrequently asked questions about the Mediterranean diet
Authors: Bellisle France 
Published: August 2009

AbstractNumerous health benefits have been attributed to the ‘Mediterranean diet’ over the last decades. Selecting foods that were common in the Mediterranean regions (especially Crete) in the 1970s, with a frequent and abundant intake of fruit, vegetables, fish, olive oil and perhaps wine, has been reported to be associated with wide-ranging benefits including improved glucose metabolism and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity and CVD. While the respective contributions of various types of food have been widely investigated, less attention has been paid to other factors, also characteristic of the Mediterranean lifestyle, which may contribute to the health benefits perhaps as much as specific food choices. Traditionally, the Mediterranean diet was consumed in the context of a particular lifestyle, with a fixed number of daily meals, generally consumed at later hours (compared to North of Europe), and some specific meal-related behaviours such as the post-lunch siesta. In addition, the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle that were so beneficial to health, 40 years ago, were considerably different from present-day practices. The changes are particularly clear in younger individuals and countries of the Mediterranean region presently have the highest child overweight rates in Europe. The present paper will address research about meal and satiety patterns and examine how the recent changes from traditional practices are likely to have an impact on health risks and benefits in Mediterranean populations.
The Mediterranean diet as a nutrition education, health promotion and disease prevention tool
Authors: Piscopo Suzanne 
Published: August 2009

AbstractObjectiveWhile epidemiological research on the protective role of the Mediterranean diet (MD) is highly publicised, little is known about MD education interventions. This exploratory study aimed to provide insight into methodology and effectiveness of the MD as a nutrition education and health promotion tool.Design and settingTwo searches were conducted within PubMed using the terms ‘Mediterranean diet’ and ‘Education’ or ‘Intervention’. Abstracts yielded were screened for distinct studies in which participants were instructed on the application of MD principles in their diet. Four studies met this criterion. These were further analysed for sample/target population, and intervention design, duration, tools, evaluative measures/tests and outcomes.ResultsInterventions targeted both healthy and at-risk populations and lasted between 12 weeks to 1 year, including follow-up. They used individual counselling, tailored computer-based counselling, group education, internet-based education, cookery classes and printed materials. Outcomes were measured using food diaries, FFQ, questionnaires on psychosocial factors and on usage of the educational tools, as well as anthropometrics and biomarkers. Interventions showed statistically significant increases in participants’ intake of vegetables, legumes, nuts, fruit, whole grains, seeds, olive oil and dietary PUFA and MUFA, and statistically significant decreases in total cholesterol, ox-LDL-cholesterol, total:HDL-cholesterol ratio, insulin resistance, BMI, body weight and waist circumference.ConclusionsMD education interventions may be cost-effective strategies for helping to protect against and treat a variety of health problems in different populations. Details of such interventions need to be publicised internationally. This introductory review could help inform the design of future targeted MD nutrition education.
Impact of strawberries on human health: insight into marginally discussed bioactive compounds for the Mediterranean diet
Authors: Tulipani Sara , Mezzetti Bruno , Battino Maurizio 
Published: August 2009

AbstractObjectiveTo review and update the current knowledge on the potential impact of strawberry on human health, with particular attention on compounds and indirect mechanisms of action not exhaustively considered.DesignPersonal perspectives and recent data.SettingInternational.ResultsOur research group was among the few groups that have recently investigated the folate content in fresh, stored and processed strawberries, and the data look very promising. As well, some in vivo evidence of the impact of strawberry intake on the folate status in humans have already been reported, but a new increasing interest on this field is strongly hoped. Furthermore, the hypouricaemic effects previously ascribed to cherry consumption need to be evaluated in respect to strawberry intake. At the moment, inconsistent results come from the few investigations designed at this proposal. In our studies, a great interindividual variability was observed on plasma urate levels in response to strawberry intake, suggesting a putative effect.ConclusionsThe mechanisms responsible for the potential health-promoting effects of strawberry may not be necessarily searched in the activity of phytochemicals. Particularly, a greater interest should be addressed to show whether a prolonged strawberry consumption may effectively improve the folate status and reduce the incidence of folate-related pathological conditions. Furthermore, the hypouricaemic effects of cherries need to be evaluated also in respect to strawberry intake, and the mechanisms of actions and anti-gout potentialities need to be studied in detail.Future investigations involving human trials should be aimed at following these underestimated scientific tracks.
Exercise alone is not enough: weight loss also needs a healthy (Mediterranean) diet?
Authors: Caudwell Phillipa , Hopkins Mark , King Neil A , Stubbs Robert J , Blundell John E 
Published: August 2009

AbstractObjectiveIn the majority of exercise intervention studies, the aggregate reported weight loss is often small. The efficacy of exercise as a weight loss tool remains in question. The aim of the present study was to investigate the variability in appetite and body weight when participants engaged in a supervised and monitored exercise programme.DesignFifty-eight obese men and women (BMI = 31·8 ± 4·5 kg/m2) were prescribed exercise to expend approximately 2092 kJ (500 kcal) per session, five times a week at an intensity of 70 % maximum heart rate for 12 weeks under supervised conditions in the research unit. Body weight and composition, total daily energy intake and various health markers were measured at weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12.ResultsMean reduction in body weight (3·2 ± 1·98 kg) was significant (P < 0·001); however, there was large individual variability (−14·7 to +2·7 kg). This large variability could be largely attributed to the differences in energy intake over the 12-week intervention. Those participants who failed to lose meaningful weight increased their food intake and reduced intake of fruits and vegetables.ConclusionThese data have demonstrated that even when exercise energy expenditure is high, a healthy diet is still required for weight loss to occur in many people.
Moisture availability influences the effect of ultraviolet-B radiation on leaf litter decomposition
Authors: Smith William , Gao Wei , Steltzer Heidi , Wallenstein Matthew , Tree Roger 
Published: August 2009

AbstractAltered surface ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation resulting from a combination of factors that include changes in stratospheric ozone concentrations, cloud cover, and aerosol conditions may affect litter decomposition and, thus, terrestrial nutrient cycling on a global scale. Although litter decomposition rates vary across biomes, patterns of decomposition suggest that UV-B radiation accelerates litter decay in xeric environments where precipitation is infrequent. However, under more frequent precipitation regimes where litter decay rates are characteristically high, the effect of UV-B radiation on litter decomposition has not been fully elucidated. To evaluate this association between moisture regime and UV-B exposure, a litter decomposition experiment was designed for aspen (Populus tremuloides) leaf litter, where conditions that influence both abiotic (photodegradation) and biotic (microbial) processes could be manipulated quantitatively. We found that experimentally increasing UV-B exposure (0, 7.4, and 11.2 kJ m-2 d-1, respectively) did not consistently increase litter decomposition rates across simulated precipitation frequencies of 4-, 12-, and 24-days. Instead, a UV-B exposure of 11.2 kJ m-2 d-1 resulted in a 13% decrease in decomposition rates under the 4-day precipitation frequency, but an increase of 80% under the 24-day frequency. Furthermore, the same UV-B dose increased litter decomposition rates under the 24-day precipitation frequency by 78% even in conditions where microbial activity was suppressed. Therefore, under more xeric conditions, greater exposure to UV-B radiation increased decomposition rates, presumably through photodegradation. In contrast, when decomposition was not moisture-limited, greater UV-B exposure slowed decomposition rates, most likely from the resulting inhibition of microbial activity. Ultimately, these experimental results highlight UV-B radiation as a potential driver of decomposition, as well as indicate that both the direction and magnitude of the UV-B effect is dependent on moisture availability, a factor that may change according to future patterns in global precipitation.
The Role of Bio-Ontologies in Data-Driven Research: A Philosophical Perspective
Authors: Leonelli Sabina 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThis project aims to reach a philosophical understanding of the role played by theory in the practices of data dissemination and re-use that characterise data-driven research. Bio-ontologies have the potential to play the epistemic role of theories in this context, insofar as they (1) express the knowledge underlying data-driven research and (2) guide such research towards future discoveries.
MAC inhibitors suppress mitochondrial apoptosis
Authors: Peixoto Pablo M. , Ryu Shin-Young , Bombrun Agnes , Antonsson Bruno , Kinnally Kathleen W. 
Published: August 2009

MAC (mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel) forms in the mitochondrial outer membrane and unleashes cytochrome c to orchestrate the execution of the cell. MAC opening is the commitment step of intrinsic apoptosis. Hence closure of MAC may prevent apoptosis. Compounds that blocked the release of fluorescein from liposomes by recombinant Bax were tested for their ability to directly close MAC and suppress apoptosis in FL5.12 cells. Low doses of these compounds (IC50 values ranged from 19 to 966 nM) irreversibly closed MAC. These compounds also blocked cytochrome c release and halted the onset of apoptotic markers normally induced by IL-3 (interleukin-3) deprivation or staurosporine. Our results reveal the tight link among MAC activity, cytochrome c release and apoptotic death, and indicate this mitochondrial channel is a promising therapeutic target.
MISTRAL: a tool for energy-based multiple structural alignment of proteins
Authors: Micheletti Cristian , Orland Henri 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Motivation: The steady growth of the number of available protein structures has constantly motivated the development of new algorithms for detecting structural correspondences in proteins. Detecting structural equivalences in two or more proteins is computationally demanding as it typically entails the exploration of the combinatorial space of all possible amino acid pairings in the parent proteins. The search is often aided by the introduction of various constraints such as considering protein fragments, rather than single amino acids, and/or seeking only sequential correspondences in the given proteins. An additional challenge is represented by the difficulty of associating to a given alignment, a reliable a priori measure of its statistical significance.
Results: Here, we present and discuss MISTRAL (Multiple STRuctural ALignment), a novel strategy for multiple protein alignment based on the minimization of an energy function over the low-dimensional space of the relative rotations and translations of the molecules. The energy minimization avoids combinatorial searches and returns pairwise alignment scores for which a reliable a priori statistical significance can be given.
Availability: MISTRAL is freely available for academic users as a standalone program and as a web service at http://ipht.cea.fr/protein.php.
Contact: michelet@sissa.it
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Septal rebound stretch reflects the functional substrate to cardiac resynchronization therapy and predicts volumetric and neurohormonal response
Authors: De Boeck Bart W.L. , Teske Arco J. , Meine Mathias , Leenders Geert E. , Cramer Maarten J. , Prinzen Frits W. , Doevendans Pieter A. 
Published: August 2009

AimsTo develop a novel myocardial deformation index that is highly sensitive to the effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and that can be used to predict response to CRT.Methods and resultsBefore and 6.5 ± 2.3 months after implantation of a CRT device, longitudinal shortening and stretch were timed and quantified by speckle tracking echocardiography in a cohort of 62 patients. Distinction was made between systolic total stretch (STS; all systolic stretch) and systolic rebound stretch (SRS; only systolic stretch following initial shortening). Systolic total stretch and SRS could be measured in all wall segments in 41 of 62 patients. Septal SRS quantification was possible in all 62 patients and was performed by a blinded observer. Cardiac resynchronization therapy reduced STS (−55 ± 30%) but reduced SRS (−77 ± 21%) significantly more (P < 0.01). The largest amount of baseline SRS and the largest reductions in SRS (−90 ± 22%) were found in the septum. Reductions in local SRS were paralleled by increases in local systolic shortening that were twice as large (r = 0.79), thereby strongly improving septal function. Baseline values of septal SRS correlated with reductions in left ventricular end‐systolic volume index (ΔLVESVi; r = 0.62) and brain‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (Δlog10BNP; r = 0.57). Septal SRS was an independent predictor of CRT response in linear regression analysis and predicted ΔLVESVi of ≥15% with a sensitivity and specificity of 81% at ROC analysis (areas under the curve 0.89 ± 0.04).ConclusionSeptal rebound stretch appears to be a sensitive and practical diagnostic criterion to quantify the functional substrate amenable to CRT and to predict response.
Red blood cell distribution width predicts long‐term outcome regardless of anaemia status in acute heart failure patients
Authors: Pascual‐Figal Domingo A. , Bonaque Juan C. , Redondo Belen , Caro Cesar , Manzano‐Fernandez Sergio , Sánchez‐Mas Jesús , Garrido Iris P. , Valdes Mariano 
Published: August 2009

AimsTo study the long‐term prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure (AHF) and to compare the value of this measurement with haemoglobin levels and anaemia status.Methods and resultsDuring a 2‐year period, we studied 628 consecutive patients (aged 71 years [interquartile range, IQR: 61–77], 68% male) hospitalized with AHF. Demographic, clinical, echocardiographic, and laboratory characteristics were registered at discharge and patients were closely followed‐up for 38.1 months [16.5–49.1]. Median RDW was 14.4% [13.5–15.5] and was higher among decedents (15.0% [13.8–16.1] vs. 14.2 [13.3–15.3], P < 0.001). After adjustment for other prognostic factors in a multivariable Cox proportional‐hazards model, RDW remained a significant predictor (P = 0.004, HR 1.072, 95% CI 1.023–1.124); whereas, haemoglobin or anaemia status did not add prognostic information. RDW levels above the median were associated with a significantly lower survival rate on long‐term follow‐up (log rank <0.001). These levels were predictive of death in anaemic patients (n = 263, P = 0.029) and especially in non‐anaemic patients (n = 365) (P < 0.001, HR 1.287, 95% CI 1.147–1.445), even after adjustment in the multivariable model.ConclusionHigher RDW levels at discharge were associated with a worse long‐term outcome, regardless of haemoglobin levels and anaemia status.
A fusion peptide directs enhanced systemic dystrophin exon skipping and functional restoration in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice
Authors: Yin HaiFang , Moulton Hong M , Betts Corinne , Seow Yiqi , Boutilier Jordan , Iverson Patrick L , Wood Matthew J A 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in the DMD gene that abolish the synthesis of dystrophin protein. Antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) targeted to trigger excision of an exon bearing a mutant premature stop codon in the DMD transcript have been shown to skip the mutated exon and partially restore functional dystrophin protein in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. To fully exploit the therapeutic potential of this method requires highly efficient systemic AO delivery to multiple muscle groups, to modify the disease process and restore muscle function. While systemic delivery of naked AOs in DMD animal models requires high doses and is of relatively poor efficiency, we and others have recently shown that short arginine-rich peptide-AO conjugates can dramatically improve in vivo DMD splice correction. Here we report for the first time that a chimeric fusion peptide (B-MSP-PMO) consisting of a muscle-targeting heptapeptide (MSP) fused to an arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptide (B-peptide) and conjugated to a morpholino oligomer (PMO) AO directs highly efficient systemic dystrophin splice correction in mdx mice. With very low systemic doses, we demonstrate that B-MSP-PMO restores high-level, uniform dystrophin protein expression in multiple peripheral muscle groups, yielding functional correction and improvement of the mdx dystrophic phenotype. Our data demonstrate proof-of-concept for this chimeric peptide approach in DMD splice correction therapy and is likely to have broad application.
Spatial prediction of demersal fish distributions: enhancing our understanding of species–environment relationships
Authors: Moore Cordelia H. , Harvey Euan S. , Van Niel Kimberly P. 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Moore, C. H., Harvey, E. S., and Van Niel, K. P. 2009. Spatial prediction of demersal fish distributions: enhancing our understanding of species–environment relationships. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 2068–2075. We used species distribution modelling to identify key environmental variables influencing the spatial distribution of demersal fish and to assess the potential of these species–environment relationships to predict fish distributions accurately. In the past, predictive modelling of fish distributions has been limited, because detailed habitat maps of deeper water (>10 m) have not been available. However, recent advances in mapping deeper marine environments using hydroacoustic surveys have redressed this limitation. At Cape Howe Marine National Park in southeastern Australia, previously modelled benthic habitats based on hydroacoustic and towed video data were used to investigate the spatial ecology of demersal fish. To establish the influence of environmental variables on the distributions of this important group of marine fish, classification trees (CTs) and generalized additive models (GAMs) were developed for four demersal fish species. Contrasting advantages were observed between the two approaches. CTs provided greater explained variation for three of the four species and revealed a better ability to model species distributions with complex environmental interactions. However, the predictive accuracy of the GAMs was greater for three of the four species. Both these modelling techniques provided a detailed understanding of demersal fish distributions and landscape linkages and an accurate method for predicting species distributions across unsampled locations where continuous spatial benthic data are available. Information of this nature will permit more-targeted fisheries management and more-effective planning and monitoring of marine protected areas.
PR10 expression in maize and its effect on host resistance against Aspergillus flavus infection and aflatoxin production
Authors: CHEN ZHI‐YUAN , BROWN ROBERT L. , DAMANN KENNETH E. , CLEVELAND THOMAS E. 
Published: August 2009

SUMMARYMaize (Zea mays L.) is a major crop susceptible to Aspergillus flavus infection and subsequent contamination with aflatoxins, the potent carcinogenic secondary metabolites of the fungus. Protein profiles of maize genotypes resistant and susceptible to A. flavus infection and/or aflatoxin contamination have been compared, and several resistance‐associated proteins have been found, including a pathogenesis‐related protein 10 (PR10). In this study, RNA interference (RNAi) gene silencing technology was employed to further investigate the importance of PR10. An RNAi gene silencing vector was constructed and introduced into immature Hi II maize embryos through both bombardment and Agrobacterium infection procedures. PR10 expression was reduced by 65% to more than 99% in transgenic callus lines from bombardment. The RNAi‐silenced callus lines also showed increased sensitivity to heat stress treatment. A similar reduction in PR10 transcript levels was observed in seedling leaf and root tissues developed from transgenic kernels. When inoculated with A. flavus, RNAi‐silenced mature kernels produced from Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation showed a significant increase in fungal colonization and aflatoxin production in 10 and six, respectively, of 11 RNAi lines compared with the non‐silenced control. Further proteomic analysis of RNAi‐silenced kernels revealed a significant reduction in PR10 production in eight of 11 RNAi lines that showed positive for transformation. A significant negative correlation between PR10 expression at either transcript or protein level and kernel aflatoxin production was observed. The results indicate a major role for PR10 expression in maize aflatoxin resistance.
Human–gelada baboon conflict in and around the Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
Authors: Yihune Mesele , Bekele Afework , Tefera Zelealem 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThe degree of conflict between gelada baboons and local communities in and around the Simien Mountains National Park was investigated and possible solutions for the existing problems are suggested. The study was carried out from September, 2005 to March, 2006 by means of questionnaire survey, direct observations on crop damage by gelada baboon and using faecal dropping analysis. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and responses were compared using chi‐squared test and one‐way ANOVA. Logistic regression model was used to determine factors that caused crop damage. The average annual crop loss by gelada baboon per household was 117 ± 10 kg. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.43, P < 0.001) between the type of crop grown and the type of crop damaged. Among the respondents, 47.3% reported serious loss of barley by gelada baboons. Analysis from the faecal droppings showed that 18% of the samples constituted barley although the extent of damage varied from village to village. Among the respondents, 60.3% cultivated only barley because of the cold weather and the type of soil in the study area. Distance from the Park and the frequency of crop damage were negatively correlated (−0.57, P < 0.001). Although farmers utilized various methods to protect their farms against gelada baboons, the most prominent method was direct watching (48.3%). To minimize the existing problems, local residents and the Park authorities should work together to identify alternative crops and land‐use patterns that might not attract gelada baboons.