bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of hepatitis B Virus replication by hepatocyte nuclear factor 4‐alpha specific short hairpin RNA
Authors: He Fang , Chen En‐Qiang , Liu Li , Zhou Tao‐You , Liu Cong , Cheng Xing , Liu Feng‐Jun , Tang Hong 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackgroundPrevious studies showed that hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) may play a critical role in hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication.AimsThis study aimed to investigate the effect of knocking down of HNF4α with RNA interference technique on HBV replication in a HBV replication mouse model.MethodsFour HNF4α, specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA)‐producing plasmids were constructed. HBV mRNA and DNA replication intermediates were analysed using Northern and Southern blot respectively. The expression of HNF4α and HBV core antigen (HBcAg) was detected using immunohistochemistry technique.ResultsOne of the HNF4α shRNAs, HNF4α shRNA1, efficiently inhibited the expression of HNF4α in HepG2 cells and mice liver. HBV RNA transcripts and DNA replication intermediates in HNF4α shRNA1 group were decreased 67.3 and 76%, respectively, in HepG2 cells, and 68.1 and 70.6% in mice liver respectively. The expression level of HBcAg in the liver was also decreased with the inhibition of HNF4α expression.ConclusionsThese results suggested that decreasing of HNF4α expression was associated with the reduced level of HBV replication in HepG2 cells and mice liver. These data indicated that HNF4α played a critical role in HBV replication in vivo, and HNF4α shRNA could inhibit HBV replication in vivo.
Differential Effects of Ivabradine and Ryanodine on Pacemaker Activity in Canine Sinus Node and Purkinje Fibers
Authors: SOSUNOV EUGENE A. , ANYUKHOVSKY EVGENY P. 
Published: February 2012

Effects of Ivabradine and Ryanodine on Cardiac Pacemakers.
Introduction:
It is generally accepted that at least 2 major mechanisms contribute to sinus node (SN) pacemaking: a membrane voltage (mainly If) clock and a calcium (Ca) clock (localized submembrane sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release during late diastolic depolarization). The aim of this study was to compare the contributions of each mechanism to pacemaker activity in SN and Purkinje fibers (PFs) exhibiting normal or abnormal automaticity.
Methods and Results:
Conventional microelectrodes were used to record action potentials in isolated spontaneously beating canine SN and free running PF in control and in the presence of 0.1 μM isoproterenol. Ryanodine (0.1–3 μM) and ivabradine (3 μM) were used to inhibit sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release or If, respectively. To induce automaticity at low membrane potentials, PFs were superfused with BaCl2. In SN, ivabradine reduced the rate whereas ryanodine had no effect. Isoproterenol significantly accelerated automatic rate, which was decreased by ivabradine and ryanodine. In normally polarized PFs, ryanodine had no effects on the automatic rate in the absence or presence of isoproterenol, whereas ivabradine inhibited both control and isoproterenol‐accelerated automaticity. In PF depolarized with BaCl2, ivabradine decreased BaCl2‐induced automatic rate while ryanodine had no effect.
Conclusion:
In canine SN, If contributes to both basal automaticity and β‐adrenergic‐induced rate acceleration while the ryanodine‐inhibited Ca clock appears more involved in β‐adrenergic regulation of pacemaker rate. In PF, normal automaticity depends mainly on If. Inhibition of basal potassium conductance results in high automatic rates at depolarized membrane potentials with SN‐like responses to inhibition of membrane and Ca clocks. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 650–655, June 2012)
Long‐Term Follow‐Up in Patients with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Authors: LI CHENG‐HUNG , LIN YENN‐JIANG , HUANG JIN‐LONG , WU TSU‐JUEY , CHENG CHEN‐CHUAN , LIN WEI‐SHIANG , TUAN TA‐CHUAN , CHANG SHIH‐LIN , LO LI‐WEI , HU YU‐FENG , CHAO TZE‐FAN , CHUNG FA‐PO , TSAI CHIN‐FENG , TSAO HSUAN‐MING , CHEN SHIH‐ANN 
Published: February 2012

Long‐Term Prognosis in Patients with ARVC. Introduction: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a major cause of sudden cardiac death due to tachyarrhythmias. The purpose of this study was to investigate the long‐term prognosis in patients with ARVC and the incidence of rapid ventricular arrhythmias during follow‐up.Methods: Thirty ARVC patients (19 male, 63.3%, mean age 48 ± 15 years) fulfilling modified Task Force criteria 2010 were included. Of them, 13 patients (43.3%) received implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) implantation. Rapid ventricular arrhythmia was defined as electrical storm or the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) with a cycle length of 240 ms or less that necessitate shock delivery to 2 or more times within a 24‐hour period.Results: With a mean follow‐up of 68 ± 10 months, 6 patients (20%) with ICD implantation had recurrent rapid VT/VF. One (3.3%) of them died of multiple shocks and SCD, and 5 (16.7%) had multiple ICD therapies due to VT/VF and electrical storm. The interval between the diagnosis of ARVC and occurrence of rapid VT/VF was 13.4 ± 4.9 months. Most (5/6, 83.3%) events of recurrent rapid VT/VF occurred within 2 years. Ablated patients who did not receive an ICD implant were totally free of rapid VT/VF.Conclusions: For patients with ARVC, long‐term prognosis is favorable. During a long‐term follow‐up, patients meeting the criteria for ICD implantation have a higher rate of rapid and potentially life‐threatening arrhythmias. However, early and clustered recurrence of rapid VT/VF in patients with an ICD is common, whereas late occurrence of rapid VT/VF is very rare. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 750‐756, July 2012)
Educational achievement and vocational career in twins – a Swedish national cohort study
Authors: Hjern Anders , Ekeus Cecilia , Rasmussen Finn , Lindblad Frank 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAim:  To investigate how being born and raised as a twin is associated with IQ, educational achievement and vocational career.Methods:  Register study in a national birth cohort, complemented with a siblings study. The study population included 13 368 individuals born and raised as twins and 837 752 singletons, including 3019 siblings of twins, in the Swedish birth cohorts of 1973–1981. Our outcome measures were mean grade points on a five point scale from ninth grade of primary school at 15–16 years, IQ tests on a nine grade point scale from male conscripts at 18–19 years, highest completed education, disability benefits, work income and employment at 27–35 years of age.Results:  Twins had slightly better mean grade point averages in ninth grade; +0.08 (95% CI 0.04–0.11) and more often had completed a university education in young adulthood; OR 1.16 (1.02–1.21) compared with singleton siblings, despite male twins having a slightly lower IQ at military conscription compared with male singletons. Employment rates, mean income and disability benefits were similar in twins and singletons.Conclusions:  Twins have slightly better educational careers and similar vocational careers compared with those born as singletons.
The Effect of Spatial Structure of Pasture Tree Cover on Avian Frugivores in Eastern Amazonia
Authors: Lasky Jesse R. , Keitt Timothy H. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe movement of frugivores between remnant forests and successional areas is vital for tropical forest tree species to colonize successional habitats. The response of these species to the spatial structure of pasture tree cover is largely unknown. We studied avian frugivores that were found in primary forest edges and large pastures in easternAmazonia,Brazil. We determined how the small‐scale spatial structure of pasture trees at forest edges affects five response variables: bird presence, visitation rate, duration of visit, species richness, and an index accounting for species’ level of frugivory and abundance in forests. We used hierarchical linear models to estimate the effect of four predictor variables on response variables: (1) clustering of pasture trees; (2) percent canopy cover of pasture trees; (3) distance of pasture tree to forest edge; and (4) tree crown area. The study species, many of which are widely distributed in the Neotropics, were generally insensitive to percent cover and clustering of trees. Frugivore visitation to individual trees remained constant as cover increased. Visitation was positively correlated with focal tree distance to forest edge and crown area. The positive relationship between distance and visitation rates may be due to the increased abundance of some resource further from forests. If pastures were abandoned the distance from forest edges would not likely limit frugivore visitation and seed deposition under large pasture trees in our study (i.e., up to 200 m distant).
News Coverage of New Presidents in The New York Times, 1981‐2009
Authors: FARNSWORTH STEPHEN J. , LICHTER S. ROBERT 
Published: February 2012

Content analysis of front‐page The New York Times stories during the first year of the Barack Obama presidency revealed news coverage that was far more positive in tone than that received during the first year of the Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush presidencies. Overall, the Obama findings reveal a media honeymoon in that influential newspaper, a sharp contrast from first‐year coverage of other presidents during the modern era of a more combative press. The positive policy coverage Obama received in the Times was also significantly more positive than on evening newscasts of network television and on Fox News’ Special Report.Un análisis de los reportajes en primera plana del New York Times durante el primer año de presidencia de Barack Obama reveló reportajes con un tono mucho más positivo que aquel recibido durante el primer año de las presidencias de Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton y George W. Bush. En conjunto, estos hallazgos muestran una luna de miel del influyente periódico con Barack Obama, un marcado contraste con la cobertura que recibieron otros presidentes durante la era moderna de una prensa más competitiva. La positiva cobertura que Obama recibió del Times también fue significativamente más positiva que la recibida por noticieros vespertinos en cadenas televisivas y en el programa Fox News’ Special Report.Related Articles:“Media Use in the Contemporary Presidency,” (1996): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.1996.tb00441.x/abstract“Selective Media Exposure and Partisan Differences,” (2011): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2011.00288.x/abstract“The Influence of Media Policy Narratives on Public Opinion,” (2011): http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2009.00175.x/abstract
‘Twisting the Wrist’: Teaching South Asian Religions in the Contemporary Academy
Authors: Suthren Hirst Jacqueline , Zavos John 
Published: February 2012

AbstractResearch into South Asian religious traditions has developed rapidly over the past two decades or so, contributing to and reflecting both a critical reflexive turn in the discipline of Religious Studies, and the growing influence of Postcolonial theory in the Humanities and Social Sciences. In this article, we explore the implications of these developments for teaching about South Asian religious traditions in the contemporary academy. We argue that a particular challenge is presented by the persistent influence of the world religions paradigm in Higher Education teaching environments, notwithstanding the emergence of new research agendas. We review the approach taken towards concepts of ‘religion’ and ‘religions’ in a series of recently published volumes directed at students of South Asian religious traditions, and ask how these approaches are reflected in the organisation and pedagogic concerns of these volumes. We then go on to suggest particular strategies for approaching teaching about South Asian religious traditions, emphasising the importance of multiple ways of contextualising data, and encouraging critical reflection on this multiplicity. We use the metaphor of the kaleidoscope to explain this approach, encouraging students to ‘twist the wrist’ in order to view case studies in different contexts, and so build up nuanced, critically aware pictures of the diverse traditions they are studying.
Characterization of Listeria Monocytogenes Isolates in Import Food Products of China from 8 Provinces Between 2005 and 2007
Authors: Wang Ping , Yang Hairong , Hu Yue , Yuan Fei , Zhao Guiming , Zhao Yongsheng , Chen Ying 
Published: February 2012

Abstract:  A total of 48 Listeria monocytogenes isolates of different import food products from 8 provinces between 2005 and 2008 were characterized. The serotype and virulence were confirmed for each strain and molecular subtyping were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Twenty five strains were assigned to serotype 1/2a, and 11 isolates to serotype 1/2b, serotype 4b were found in 7 isolate, and the remaining 5 strains were grouped into serotypes 1/2c, 4a, and 4e. Molecular subtyping schemes found thirty two sequence types (STs) among these isolates and the majority of L. monocytogenes strains belonged to lineage II (56%), followed by lineage I (38%), lineage III (6%). Two molecular subtype clusters, cluster A included all isolates of lineage II, while cluster B contained the isolates of lineages I and lineages III. Two L. monocytogenes strains were not grouped in either of the two clusters. Fifty three isolates were as virulent as L. monocytogenes reference strain EGD in mouse virulence assay, while the isolates 22213 and 22265 had low pathogenicity. These results provide the first molecular insight into the L. monocytogenes strains isolated from import food products of 8 provinces in China and indicate the potential risk to cause human disease if intake by contaminated foods. MLST could be used as a routine subtyping method of L. monocytogenes isolates. In China, inspection and quarantine strategies of imported foods should be strengthened.Practical Application:  There is a potential risk of listeriosis in China and routine subtyping of L. monocytogenes isolates is important. It is necessary for food hygiene management to strengthen the supervision of imported foods.
Zinc transporters and their role in the pancreatic β‐cell
Authors: Lemaire Katleen , Chimienti Fabrice , Schuit Frans 
Published: February 2012

AbstractZinc is an essential nutrient with tremendous importance for human health, and zinc deficiency is a severe risk factor for increased mortality and morbidity. As abnormal zinc homeostasis causes diabetes, and because the pancreatic β‐cell contains the highest zinc content of any known cell type, it is of interest to know how zinc fluxes are controlled in β‐cells. The understanding of zinc homeostasis has been boosted by the discovery of multiprotein families of zinc transporters, and one of them – zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8) – is abundantly and specifically expressed in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. In this review, we discuss the evidence for a physiological role of ZnT8 in the formation of zinc‐insulin crystals, the physical form in which most insulin is stored in secretory granules. In addition, we cross‐examine this information, collected in genetically modified mouse strains, to the knowledge that genetic variants of the human ZnT8 gene predispose to the onset of type 2 diabetes and that epitopes on the ZnT8 protein trigger autoimmunity in patients with type 1 diabetes. The overall conclusion is that we are still at the dawn of a complete understanding of how zinc homeostasis operates in normal β‐cells and how abnormalities lead to β‐cell dysfunction and diabetes. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040‐1124.2012.00199.x, 2012)
The Pst system of Streptococcus mutans is important for phosphate transport and adhesion to abiotic surfaces
Authors: Luz D.E. , Nepomuceno R.S.L. , Spira B. , Ferreira R.C.C. 
Published: February 2012

SummaryThe Pst system is a high‐affinity inorganic phosphate transporter found in many bacterial species. Streptococcus mutans, the etiological agent of tooth decay, carries a single copy of the pst operon composed of six cistrons (pstS, pstC1, pstC, pstB, smu.1134 and phoU). Here, we show that deletion of pstS, encoding the phosphate‐binding protein, reduces phosphate uptake and impairs cell growth, which can be restored upon enrichment of the medium with high concentrations of inorganic phosphate. The relevance of Pst for growth was also demonstrated in the wild‐type strain treated with an anti‐PstS antibody. Nevertheless, a reduced ability to bind to saliva‐coated surfaces was observed, along with the reduction of extracellular polysaccharide production, although no difference on pH acidification was observed between mutant and wild‐type strains. Taken together, the present data indicate that the S. mutans Pst system participates in phosphate uptake, cell growth and expression of virulence‐associated traits.
A Hybrid Reliability Approach Based on Probability and Interval for Uncertain Structures
Authors: Jiang C. , Han X. , Li W. X. , Liu J. , Zhang Z. 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
Traditional reliability analysis generally uses probability approach to quantify the uncertainty, while it needs a great amount of information to construct precise distributions of the uncertain parameters. In this paper, a new reliability analysis technique is developed based on a hybrid uncertain model, which can deal with problems with limited information. All uncertain parameters are treated as random variables, while some of their distribution parameters are not given precise values but variation intervals. Due to the existence of the interval parameters, a limit-state strip enclosed by two bounding hyper-surfaces will be resulted in the transformed normal space, instead of a single hyper-surface as we usually obtain in conventional reliability analysis. All the limit-state strips are then summarized into two different classes and corresponding reliability analysis models are proposed for them. A monotonicity analysis is carried out for probability transformations of the random variables, through which effects of the interval distribution parameters on the limit state can be well revealed. Based on the monotonicity analysis, two algorithms are then formulated to solve the proposed hybrid reliability models. Three numerical examples are investigated to demonstrate the effectiveness of the present method.
Relative Catalytic Efficiency of
ldhL
- and
ldhD
-Encoded Products Is Crucial for Optical Purity of Lactic Acid Produced by Lactobacillus Strains
Authors: Zheng Zhaojuan , Sheng Binbin , Ma Cuiqing , Zhang Haiwei , Gao Chao , Su Fei , Xu Ping 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

NAD-dependent
l
- and
d
-lactate dehydrogenases coexist in
Lactobacillus
genomes and may convert pyruvic acid into
l
-lactic acid and
d
-lactic acid, respectively. Our findings suggest that the relative catalytic efficiencies of
ldhL
- and
ldhD
-encoded products are crucial for the optical purity of lactic acid produced by
Lactobacillus
strains.
Use of a Coculture To Enable Current Production by Geobacter sulfurreducens
Authors: Qu Youpeng , Feng Yujie , Wang Xin , Logan Bruce E. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

Microbial fuel cells often produce more electrical power with mixed cultures than with pure cultures. Here, we show that a coculture of a nonexoelectrogen (
Escherichia coli
) and
Geobacter sulfurreducens
improved system performance relative to that of a pure culture of the exoelectrogen due to the consumption of oxygen leaking into the reactor.
Characterization of Bacterial Polysaccharide Capsules and Detection in the Presence of Deliquescent Water by Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Su Hai-Nan , Chen Zhi-Hua , Liu Sheng-Bo , Qiao Li-Ping , Chen Xiu-Lan , He Hai-Lun , Zhao Xian , Zhou Bai-Cheng , Zhang Yu-Zhong 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

We detected polysaccharide capsules from
Zunongwangia profunda
SM-A87 with atomic force microscopy (AFM). The molecular organization of the capsules at the single-polysaccharide-chain level was reported. Furthermore, we found that with ScanAsyst mode the polysaccharide capsules could be detected even in the presence of deliquescent water covering the capsule.
Characterization of a Novel Lytic Protein Encoded by the Bacillus cereus E33L Gene
ampD
as a Bacillus anthracis Antimicrobial Protein
Authors: Bourguet Feliza A. , Souza Brian E. , Hinz Angela K. , Coleman Matthew A. , Jackson Paul J. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

Lytic proteins encoded by bacterial genomes have been implicated in cell wall biosynthesis and recycling. The
Bacillus cereus
E33L
ampD
gene encodes a putative
N
-acetylmuramoyl-
l
-alanine amidase. This gene, expressed
in vitro
, produced a very stable, highly active lytic protein. Very low concentrations rapidly and efficiently lyse vegetative
Bacillus anthracis
cells.
Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Genes
pesL
and
pes1
Are Essential for Fumigaclavine C Production in Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: O'Hanlon Karen A. , Gallagher Lorna , Schrettl Markus , Jöchl Christoph , Kavanagh Kevin , Larsen Thomas O. , Doyle Sean 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

The identity of metabolites encoded by the majority of nonribosomal peptide synthetases in the opportunistic pathogen,
Aspergillus fumigatus
, remains outstanding. We found that the nonribosomal peptide (NRP) synthetases PesL and Pes1 were essential for fumigaclavine C biosynthesis, the end product of the complex ergot alkaloid (EA) pathway in
A. fumigatus
. Deletion of either
pesL
(Δ
pesL
) or
pes1
(Δ
pes1
) resulted in complete loss of fumigaclavine C biosynthesis, relatively increased production of fumitremorgins such as TR-2, fumitremorgin C and verruculogen, increased sensitivity to H
2
O
2
, and increased sensitivity to the antifungals, voriconazole, and amphotericin B. Deletion of
pesL
resulted in severely reduced virulence in an invertebrate infection model (
P
< 0.001). These findings indicate that NRP synthesis plays an essential role in mediating the final prenylation step of the EA pathway, despite the apparent absence of NRP synthetases in the proposed EA biosynthetic cluster for
A. fumigatus
. Liquid chromatography/diode array detection/mass spectrometry analysis also revealed the presence of fumiquinazolines A to F in both
A. fumigatus
wild-type and Δ
pesL
strains. This observation suggests that alternative NRP synthetases can also function in fumiquinazoline biosynthesis, since PesL has been shown to mediate fumiquinazoline biosynthesis
in vitro
. Furthermore, we provide here the first direct link between EA biosynthesis and virulence, in agreement with the observed toxicity associated with EA exposure. Finally, we demonstrate a possible cluster cross-talk phenomenon, a theme which is beginning to emerge in the literature.