bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Copper and bezafibrate cooperate to rescue cytochrome c oxidase deficiency in cells of patients with sco2 mutations
Authors: Casarin Alberto , Giorgi Gianpietro , Pertegato Vanessa , Siviero Roberta , Cerqua Cristina , Doimo Mara , Basso Giuseppe , Sacconi Sabrina , Cassina Matteo , Rizzuto Rosario , Brosel Sonja , M Davidson Mercy , DiMauro Salvatore , Schon Eric A , Clementi Maurizio , Trevisson Eva , Salviati Leonardo 
Published: April 2012

Abstract

Background
Mutations in SCO2 cause cytochrome c oxidase deficiency (COX) and a fatal infantile cardioencephalomyopathy. SCO2 encodes a protein involved in COX copper metabolism; supplementation with copper salts rescues the defect in patients’ cells. Bezafibrate (BZF), an approved hypolipidemic agent, ameliorates the COX deficiency in mice with mutations in COX10, another COX-assembly gene.

Methods
We have investigated the effect of BZF and copper in cells with SCO2 mutations using spectrophotometric methods to analyse respiratory chain activities and a luciferase assay to measure ATP production..

Results
Individual mitochondrial enzymes displayed different responses to BZF. COX activity increased by about 40% above basal levels (both in controls and patients), with SCO2 cells reaching 75-80% COX activity compared to untreated controls. The increase in COX was paralleled by an increase in ATP production. The effect was dose-dependent: it was negligible with 100 μM BZF, and peaked at 400 μM BZF. Higher BZF concentrations were associated with a relative decline of COX activity, indicating that the therapeutic range of this drug is very narrow. Combined treatment with 100 μM CuCl2 and 200 μM BZF (which are only marginally effective when administered individually) achieved complete rescue of COX activity in SCO2 cells.

Conclusions
These data are crucial to design therapeutic trials for this otherwise fatal disorder. The additive effect of copper and BZF will allow to employ lower doses of each drug and to reduce their potential toxic effects. The exact mechanism of action of BZF remains to be determined.
Effects of zinc supplementation on diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Jayawardena R , Ranasinghe P , Galappatthy P , Malkanthi RLDK , Constantine GR , Katulanda P 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
The number of people with diabetes and pre-diabetes are exponentially increasing. Studies on humans have shown the beneficial effects of Zinc supplementation in patients with diabetes. The present study aims to systematically evaluate the literature and meta-analyze the effects of Zinc supplementation on diabetes. A systematic review of published studies reporting the effects of Zinc supplementations on diabetes mellitus was undertaken. The literature search was conducted in the following databases; PubMed, Web of Science and SciVerse Scopus. A meta-analysis of studies examining the effects of Zinc supplementation on clinical and biochemical parameters in patients with diabetes was performed. The total number of articles included in the present review is 25, which included 3 studies on type-1 diabetes and 22 studies on type-2 diabetes. There were 12 studies comparing the effects of Zinc supplementation on fasting blood glucose in patients with type-2 diabetes. The pooled mean difference in fasting blood glucose between Zinc supplemented and placebo groups was 18.13mg/dl (95%CI:33.85,2.41; p<0.05). 2-h post-prandial blood sugar also shows a similar distinct reduction in (34.87mg/dl [95%CI:75.44; 5.69]) the Zinc treated group. The reduction in HbA1c was 0.54% (95%CI:0.86;0.21) in the Zinc treated group. There were 8 studies comparing the effects of Zinc supplementation on lipid parameters in patients with type-2 diabetes. The pooled mean difference for total cholesterol between Zinc supplemented and placebo groups was 32.37mg/dl (95%CI:57.39,7.35; p<0.05). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol also showed a similar distinct reduction in the Zinc treated group, the pooled mean difference from random effects analysis was 11.19mg/dl (95%CI:21.14,1.25; p<0.05). Studies have also shown a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressures after Zinc supplementation. This first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of Zinc supplementation in patients with diabetes demonstrates that Zinc supplementation has beneficial effects on glycaemic control and promotes healthy lipid parameters. Further studies are required to identify the exact biological mechanisms responsible for these results.
The development of Brazilian agriculture: future technological challenges and opportunities
Authors: Pereira Pedro A Arraes , Martha Geraldo B , Santana Carlos AM , Alves Eliseu 
Published: April 2012

AbstractEnsuring food security for the worlds population over the coming decades will face the challenges of a larger world population, greater urbanization, limited natural resources, higher levels of income, and stronger links between the agricultural and biofuel markets. Overcoming the challenges these represent will require, among other efforts, promoting sustainable expansion of agricultural production through higher productivity and greater cropping intensity. In this paper, we examine the role of Brazils agriculture industry in the domestic and world markets; first, we review the countrys agricultural development experience, and second, we address some key issues that will play a pivotal role in Brazilian agriculture in the future. The paper highlights the main aspects of the modernization process experienced by Brazils national agriculture industry, presents the style of agricultural growth followed by the country, and discusses selected technologies that have played a major role in transforming the sector over the past four decades. We also analyze income from different farm sizes, and provide an overview of key agricultural research challenges and technologies that will be pursued by Brazil in the near future.
RLR-mediated production of interferon-β by a human dendritic cell subset and its role in virus-specific immunity
Authors: Szabo Attila , Bene Krisztián , Gogolák Péter , Réthi Bence , Lányi Árpád , Jankovich István , Dezső Balázs , Rajnavölgyi Éva 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Identification of the CD1a+ moDC as an inflammatory subset with specialized activation of RLR and associated cytokine and functional activities.
Cytosolic RIG-I-like helicases (RLR) are PRRs involved in type I IFN production and antiviral immunity. This study focuses to the comparison of the expression, function, and signaling cascades associated to RLR in the previously identified CD14−DC-SIGN+PPARγlowCD1a+ and CD14lowDC-SIGN+PPARγhighCD1a− human moDC subsets. Our results revealed that the expression of RLR genes and proteins as well as the activity of the coupled signaling pathways are significantly higher in the CD1a+ subset than in its phenotypically and functionally distinct counterpart. Specific activation of RLR in moDCs by poly(I:C) or influenza virus was shown to induce the secretion of IFN-β via IRF3, whereas induction of proinflammatory cytokine responses were predominantly controlled by TLR3. The requirement of RLR-mediated signaling in CD1a+ moDCs for priming naïve CD8+ T lymphocytes and inducing influenza virus-specific cellular immune responses was confirmed by RIG-I/MDA5 silencing, which abrogated these functions. Our results demonstrate the subset-specific activation of RLR and the underlying mechanisms behind its cytokine secretion profile and identify CD1a+ moDCs as an inflammatory subset with specialized functional activities. We also provide evidence that this migratory DC subset can be detected in human tonsil and reactive LNs.
Transition to total one-stop wideawake hand surgery service-audit: a retrospective review
Authors: Bismil Msk , Bismil Qmk , Harding David , Harris Phillip , Lamyman Elaine , Sansby Lizzie 
Published: April 2012

Summary Objectives To document the transition to a totally one-stop (patient seen and treated in one appointment) wide-awake (local anaesthesia only) hand surgery service. Design Retrospective review of 10 year service with detailed analysis of last 1000 cases including process and cost-effectiveness and efficiency analysis. Setting Purpose-built CQC-certified day-case surgical facility where we have pioneered the UK's first totally one-stop wide-awake orthopaedic service. Participants Approximately five thousand orthopaedic patients treated in the last ten years. Main outcome measures Surgical outcomes, patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Results The OSWA model is safe, efficient and effective; with a low complication rate, extremely high patient satisfaction; and cost-savings to the NHS of 50-75% of the national tariff. The service saved the NHS approximately £750,000 for the 1000 cases presented; and over £2 million since the inception of the service. Conclusions A totally one-stop wide-awake hand surgery service is a practicable and feasible alternative to the conventional treatment pathway with benefits in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Social Learning Through Endogenous Information Acquisition: An Experiment
Authors: Çelen Boğaçhan , Hyndman Kyle 
Published: April 2012

This paper provides a test of a theory of social learning through endogenous information acquisition. A group of subjects face a decision problem under uncertainty. Subjects are endowed with private information about the fundamentals of the problem and make decisions sequentially. The key feature of the experiment is that subjects can observe the decisions of predecessors by forming links at a cost. The model predicts that the average welfare is enhanced in the presence of a small cost. Our experimental results support this prediction. When the informativeness of signals changes across treatments, behavior changes in accordance with the theory. However, within treatments, there are important deviations from rationality such as a tendency to conform and excessive link formation. Given these biases, our results indicate that subjects would, except when faced with a small cost, have been better off not forming any links. This paper was accepted by Teck Ho, behavioral economics.
How Near-Miss Events Amplify or Attenuate Risky Decision Making
Authors: Tinsley Catherine H. , Dillon Robin L. , Cronin Matthew A. 
Published: April 2012

In the aftermath of many natural and man-made disasters, people often wonder why those affected were underprepared, especially when the disaster was the result of known or regularly occurring hazards (e.g., hurricanes). We study one contributing factor: prior near-miss experiences. Near misses are events that have some nontrivial expectation of ending in disaster but, by chance, do not. We demonstrate that when near misses are interpreted as disasters that did not occur, people illegitimately underestimate the danger of subsequent hazardous situations and make riskier decisions (e.g., choosing not to engage in mitigation activities for the potential hazard). On the other hand, if near misses can be recognized and interpreted as disasters that almost happened, this will counter the basic “near-miss” effect and encourage more mitigation. We illustrate the robustness of this pattern across populations with varying levels of real expertise with hazards and different hazard contexts (household evacuation for a hurricane, Caribbean cruises during hurricane season, and deep-water oil drilling). We conclude with ideas to help people manage and communicate about risk. This paper was accepted by Teck Ho, decision analysis.
Developmental Trajectories in Syndromes With Intellectual Disability, With a Focus on Wolf-Hirschhorn and Its Cognitive–Behavioral Profile
Authors: Fisch Gene S. , Carpenter Nancy , Howard-Peebles Patricia N. , Holden Jeanette J. A. , Tarleton Jack , Simensen Richard , Battaglia Agatino 
Published: April 2012

AbstractFew studies exist of developmental trajectories in children with intellectual disability, and none for those with subtelomeric deletions. We compared developmental trajectories of children with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome to other genetic disorders. We recruited 106 children diagnosed with fragile X, Williams-Beuren syndrome, or Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, assessing their intellectual and adaptive behavior abilities. We retested 61 children 2 years later. We compared Time 1 and Time 2 difference scores related to genetic disorder, age, initial IQ, or adaptive behavior composite. Results show genetic disorder and initial IQ score were significant factors for IQ differences, but only genetic disorder affected adaptive behavior differences. Results suggest different gene-brain-behavior pathways likely exist for these genetic disorders. Different developmental trajectories will influence the type and intensity of intervention implemented by caregivers.
XTEM characterization of modulated ion implantation through self-organized anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes
Authors: Guan Wei , Ghatak Jay , Peng Nianhua , Peng Yong , Jeynes Chris , Möbus Günter 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTPenetration of a nanochannel mask by 190keV Co+ ions is tested for the purpose of achieving laterally modulated ion implantation into a SiO2 thin film on a Si substrate. A 2D-nanoporous membrane of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is chosen as the mask. Criteria and challenges for designing the mask are presented. Implantation experiments through a mask with pore diameter of 125 nm and inter-pore distance of 260 nm are carried out. Cross-sectional TEM (XTEM) is shown as an ideal tool to assess depth distribution and lateral distribution of implanted ions at the same time, complemented by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy linescans, a Co distribution with lateral modulation is found at 120 nm below the oxide surface. First experiments in converting the atomic distribution of Co to discrete nanoparticles by in-situ TEM annealing are presented.
The Status of Legal Authority for Injury Prevention Practice in State Health Departments
Authors: Stier Daniel D. , Thombley Melisa L. , Kohn Melvin A. , Jesada Rebecca A. 
Published: April 2012

Despite the potential for public health strategies to decrease the substantial burden of injuries, injury prevention infrastructure in state health departments is underdeveloped. We sought to describe the legal support for injury prevention activities at state health departments. We searched the Lexis database for state laws providing authority for those activities, and categorized the scope of those laws. Only 10 states have authority that covers the full scope of injury prevention practice; in the others, legal authority is piecemeal, nonspecific, or nonexistent. More comprehensive legal authority could help health departments access data for surveillance, work with partners, address sensitive issues, and garner funding. Efforts should be undertaken to enhance legal support for injury prevention activities across the country.
Safety Belt Laws and Disparities in Safety Belt Use Among US High-School Drivers
Authors: García-España J. Felipe , Winston Flaura K. , Durbin Dennis R. 
Published: April 2012

Objectives. We compared reported safety belt use, for both drivers and passengers, among teenagers with learner’s permits, provisional licenses, and unrestricted licenses in states with primary or secondary enforcement of safety belt laws. Methods. Our data source was the 2006 National Young Driver Survey, which included a national representative sample of 3126 high-school drivers. We used multivariate, log-linear regression analyses to assess associations between safety belt laws and belt use. Results. Teenaged drivers were 12% less likely to wear a safety belt as drivers and 15% less likely to wear one as passengers in states with a secondary safety belt law than in states with a primary law. The apparent reduction in belt use among teenagers as they progressed from learner to unrestricted license holder occurred in only secondary enforcement states. Groups reporting particularly low use included African American drivers, rural residents, academically challenged students, and those driving pickup trucks. Conclusions. The results provided further evidence for enactment of primary enforcement provisions in safety belt laws because primary laws are associated with higher safety belt use rates and lower crash-related injuries and mortality.
Rampage Violence Requires a New Type of Research
Authors: Harris John M. , Harris Robin B. 
Published: April 2012

Tragedies such as school shootings and the assault on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords share features that define them as acts of “rampage violence.” These types of events can lead to despair about their inevitability and unpredictability. To understand and prevent rampage violence, we need to acknowledge that current discipline-based violence research is not well suited to this specific challenge. There are numerous important, unanswered research questions that can inform policies designed to prevent rampage violence. It is time to develop alternative research approaches to reduce the risk of rampage violence. Such approaches should incorporate transdisciplinary research models; flexible, outcomes-focused organizational structures similar to those used to investigate other catastrophic events; and an expanded inventory of analytic tools.
Chronic and Acute Exposures to the World Trade Center Disaster and Lower Respiratory Symptoms: Area Residents and Workers
Authors: Maslow Carey B. , Friedman Stephen M. , Pillai Parul S. , Reibman Joan , Berger Kenneth I. , Goldring Roberta , Stellman Steven D. , Farfel Mark 
Published: April 2012

Objectives. We assessed associations between new-onset (post–September 11, 2001 [9/11]) lower respiratory symptoms reported on 2 surveys, administered 3 years apart, and acute and chronic 9/11-related exposures among New York City World Trade Center–area residents and workers enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry. Methods. World Trade Center–area residents and workers were categorized as case participants or control participants on the basis of lower respiratory symptoms reported in surveys administered 2 to 3 and 5 to 6 years after 9/11. We created composite exposure scales after principal components analyses of detailed exposure histories obtained during face-to-face interviews. We used multivariate logistic regression models to determine associations between lower respiratory symptoms and composite exposure scales. Results. Both acute and chronic exposures to the events of 9/11 were independently associated, often in a dose-dependent manner, with lower respiratory symptoms among individuals who lived and worked in the area of the World Trade Center. Conclusions. Study findings argue for detailed assessments of exposure during and after events in the future from which potentially toxic materials may be released and for rapid interventions to minimize exposures and screen for potential adverse health effects.
H1N1 Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy and Fetal and Neonatal Outcomes
Authors: Fell Deshayne B. , Sprague Ann E. , Liu Ning , Yasseen Abdool S. , Wen Shi-Wu , Smith Graeme , Walker Mark C. ,   for Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario
Published: April 2012

Objectives. We evaluated the relationship between maternal H1N1 vaccination and fetal and neonatal outcomes among singleton births during the 2009–2010 H1N1 pandemic. Methods. We used a population-based perinatal database in Ontario, Canada, to examine preterm birth (PTB), small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births, 5-minute Apgar score below 7, and fetal death via multivariable regression. We compared outcomes between women who did and did not receive an H1N1 vaccination during pregnancy. Results. Of the 55 570 mothers with a singleton birth, 23 340 (42.0%) received an H1N1 vaccination during pregnancy. Vaccinated mothers were less likely to have an SGA infant based on the 10th (adjusted risk ratio [RR] = 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.85, 0.96) and 3rd (adjusted RR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.72, 0.92) growth percentiles; PTB at less than 32 weeks’ gestation (adjusted RR = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.58, 0.91) and fetal death (adjusted RR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.47, 0.91) were also less likely among these women. Conclusions. Our results suggest that second- or third-trimester H1N1 vaccination was associated with improved fetal and neonatal outcomes during the recent pandemic. Our findings need to be confirmed in future studies with designs that can better overcome concerns regarding biased estimates of vaccine efficacy.
Bidirectional Association Between Depression and Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Pan An , Keum NaNa , Okereke Olivia I. , Sun Qi , Kivimaki Mika , Rubin Richard R. , Hu Frank B. 
Published: April 2012

OBJECTIVE
Epidemiological studies have repeatedly investigated the association between depression and metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the results have been inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to summarize the current evidence from cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies that evaluated this association.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles published up to January 2012. Cross-sectional and cohort studies that reported an association between the two conditions in adults were included. Data on prevalence, incidence, unadjusted or adjusted odds ratio (OR), and 95% CI were extracted or provided by the authors. The pooled OR was calculated separately for cross-sectional and cohort studies using random-effects models. The I2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity.

RESULTS
The search yielded 29 cross-sectional studies (n = 155,333): 27 studies reported unadjusted OR with a pooled estimate of 1.42 (95% CI 1.28–1.57; I2 = 55.1%); 11 studies reported adjusted OR with depression as the outcome (1.27 [1.07–1.57]; I2 = 60.9%), and 12 studies reported adjusted OR with MetS as the outcome (1.34 [1.18–1.51]; I2 = 0%). Eleven cohort studies were found (2 studies reported both directions): 9 studies (n = 26,936 with 2,316 new-onset depression case subjects) reported adjusted OR with depression as the outcome (1.49 [1.19–1.87]; I2 = 56.8%), 4 studies (n = 3,834 with 350 MetS case subjects) reported adjusted OR with MetS as the outcome (1.52 [1.20–1.91]; I2 = 0%).

CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate a bidirectional association between depression and MetS. These results support early detection and management of depression among patients with MetS and vice versa.