bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Isolation of a Paenibacillus sp. Strain and Structural Elucidation of Its Broad-Spectrum Lipopeptide Antibiotic
Authors: Guo Yaoqi , Huang En , Yuan Chunhua , Zhang Liwen , Yousef Ahmed E. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

This research was initiated to search for novel antimicrobial compounds produced by food or environmental microorganisms. A new bacterial strain, designated OSY-SE, which produces a unique and potent antimicrobial agent was isolated from soil. The isolate was identified as a
Paenibacillus
sp. through cultural, biochemical, and genetic analyses. An antimicrobial compound was extracted from
Paenibacillus
OSY-SE with acetonitrile and purified using liquid chromatography. After analyses by mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the antimicrobial compound was determined to be a cyclic lipopeptide consisting of a C
15
fatty acyl (FA) chain and 13 amino acids. The deduced sequence is FA-Orn-Val-Thr-Orn-Ser-Val-Lys-Ser-Ile-Pro-Val-Lys-Ile. The carboxyl-terminal Ile is connected to Thr by ester linkage. The new compound, designated paenibacterin, showed antagonistic activities against most Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria tested, including
Listeria monocytogenes
, methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Escherichia coli
O157:H7, and
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium. Paenibacterin is resistant to trypsin, lipase, α-glucosidase, and lysozyme. Its antimicrobial activity was lost after digestion by pronase and polymyxin acylase. Paenibacterin is readily soluble in water and fairly stable to exposure to heat and a wide range of pH values. The new isolate and its antimicrobial agent are being investigated for usefulness in food and medical applications.
Role of ATG8 and Autophagy in Programmed Nuclear Degradation in Tetrahymena thermophila
Authors: Liu Ming-Liang , Yao Meng-Chao 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for the degradation of cellular components, but its role in enucleation during differentiation has not been established.
Tetrahymena thermophila
is a unicellular eukaryote with two functionally distinct nuclei, the somatic (macro-) and the germ line (micro-) nuclei. These nuclei are produced during sexual reproduction (conjugation), which involves differentiation and selective degradation of several specific nuclei. To examine the role of autophagy in nuclear degradation, we studied the function of two ATG8 genes in
Tetrahymena
. Through fluorescent protein tagging, we found that both proteins are targeted to degrading nuclei at specific stages, with some enrichment on the nuclear periphery, suggesting the formation of autophagosomes surrounding these nuclei. In addition,
ATG8
knockout mutant cells showed a pronounced delay in nuclear degradation without apparently preventing the completion of other developmental events. This evidence provided direct support for a critical role for autophagy in programmed nuclear degradation. The results also showed differential roles for two ATG8 genes, with
ATG8-65
playing a more significant role in starvation than
ATG8-2
, although both are important in nuclear degradation.
Prevalence and Detailed Mapping of the Gonococcal Genetic Island in Neisseria meningitidis
Authors: Woodhams Katelynn L. , Benet Zachary L. , Blonsky Sarah E. , Hackett Kathleen T. , Dillard Joseph P. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACT

The 57-kb gonococcal genetic island (GGI) encodes a type IV secretion system (T4SS) that is found in most strains of
N. gonorrhoeae
. This T4SS functions to secrete single-stranded DNA that is active in natural transformation. The GGI has also been found in some strains of
N. meningitidis
. We screened 126 isolates of
N. meningitidis
and found the GGI in 17.5% of strains, with the prevalence varying widely among serogroups. The GGI is found in a significant number of serogroup C, W-135, and X strains but was not found in strains of serogroup A, B, or Y. Through detailed PCR mapping and DNA sequencing, we identified five distinct GGI types in meningococci. DNA sequencing and a genetic assay revealed that the GGI was likely integrated into the meningococcal chromosome by the site-specific recombinase XerCD and that the GGI can be excised and lost from the genome. Functional studies showed that in contrast with the gonococcal T4SS, the meningococcal T4SS does not secrete DNA, nor does it confer Ton-independent intracellular survival. Deletion of T4SS genes did not affect association with or invasion of host cells. These results demonstrate that the GGI is found in a significant proportion of meningococcal strains and that while some strains carry multiple insertions and deletions in the GGI, other strains carry intact T4SS genes and may produce functional secretion systems.
δ- and γ-Tocopherols, but not α-Tocopherol, Inhibit Colon Carcinogenesis in Azoxymethane-Treated F344 Rats
Authors: Guan Fei , Li Guangxun , Liu Anna B. , Lee Mao-Jung , Yang Zhihong , Chen Yu-Kuo , Lin Yong , Shih Weichung , Yang Chung S. 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
The cancer preventive activity of vitamin E has been extensively discussed, but the activities of specific forms of tocopherols have not received sufficient attention. Herein, we compared the activities of δ-tocopherol (δ-T), γ-T, and α-T in a colon carcinogenesis model. Male F344 rats, seven weeks old, were given two weekly subcutaneous injections of azoxymethane (AOM) each at a dose of 15 mg/kg body weight. Starting 1 week before the AOM injection, the animals were maintained on a modified AIN76A diet, or the same diet containing 0.2% of δ-T, γ-T, α-T, or a γ-T-rich mixture of tocopherols (γ-TmT), until the termination of the experiment at 8 weeks after the second AOM injection. δ-T treatment showed the strongest inhibitory effect, decreasing the numbers of aberrant crypt foci by 62%. γ-T and γ-TmT were also effective, but α-T was not. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that δ-T and γ-T treatments reduced the levels of 4-hydroxynonenal and nitrotyrosine and the expression of cyclin D1 in the colon, preserved the expression of PPAR-γ, and decreased the serum levels of prostaglandin E2 and 8-isoprostane. Supplementation with 0.2% δ-T, γ-T, or α-T increased the respective levels of tocopherols and their side-chain degradation metabolites in the serum and colon tissues. Rather high concentrations of δ-T and γ-T and their metabolites were found in colon tissues. Our study provides the first evidence for the much higher cancer preventive activity of δ-T and γ-T than α-T in a chemically induced colon carcinogenesis model. It further suggests that δ-T is more effective than γ-T. Cancer Prev Res; 5(4); 644–54. ©2012 AACR.
Patient characteristics associated with GP referral to the Access to Allied Psychological Services Program: A case-control study
Authors: Maddock Gillian R , Startup Mike , Carter Gregory L 
Published: February 2012

Background: GPs have referred patients for psychological treatment under the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care, Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) Program since 2003. It is not known how GPs might select patients for referral. We explored which characteristics identified ATAPS patients compared to usual GP patients. Methods: The study was conducted in GP Access, a Division of General Practice (Newcastle and Lower Hunter) in NSW, Australia. It was a case-control design with 63 cases (ATAPS patients), and 64 controls (GP patients never referred to ATAPS). Unadjusted and sequentially adjusted logistic regressions were used to identify independent predictors of being an ATAPS case based on official referral guidelines: ICD-10 diagnosis of depression or anxiety and scores on the K-10 (psychological distress) and DASS-21 (psychological symptoms). A multivariable logistic regression was also used to determine the best minimum set of predictor variables. Results: Eight-three per cent of ATAPS cases had anxiety or depression. In unadjusted models, any mood disorder, OR 7.68 (95% CI: 3.47, 17.01), any anxiety disorder, OR 2.88 (95% CI: 1.37, 6.05), higher K-10 score, OR 1.06 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.14) and higher DASS-21 score, OR 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.09) were associated with being an ATAPS case. Any mood disorder, any anxiety disorder, K-10 score and DASS-21 scores remained significant in most adjusted analyses and all models showed change when adjusted for mental disability and physical disability. Three variables predicted being an ATAPS case in the multivariable regression: greater mental disability, lesser physical disability and greater number of substances misused. Conclusion: Cases had higher levels of mental disability and greater substance misuse, but lower levels of physical disability. This may reflect GP referral decision making and have implications for policy development.
Differences in Head and Neck Cancer Risk Perception between Smoking and Nonsmoking NASCAR Attendees
Authors: White Laura J. , Chin‐Quee Anthony L. , Berg Carla J. , Wise Justin C. , Hapner Edie R. 
Published: February 2012

ObjectiveAlthough research has documented a difference in cancer risk perception between smokers and nonsmokers, this has not been specifically documented for head and neck cancer. The aim of this study was to determine differences in risk perception for head and neck cancer between smokers and nonsmokers in an at‐risk population.Study DesignA cross‐sectional survey was administered.SettingCommunity‐based head and neck cancer screenings.Subjects and MethodsParticipants completed a 28‐item questionnaire assessing sociodemographic information, smoking status, and risk perception of head and neck cancer.ResultsIn total, 507 participants completed the questionnaire. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANCOVA) using dependent variables related to risk perception of head and neck cancer evidenced a significant main effect that smokers (mean [SD], 1.10 [0.07]) worried about head and neck cancer significantly more than nonsmokers (0.64 [0.06]), F(1, 459) = 26.97, P <. 001, η2 =. 06, and nonsmokers (2.70 [0.05]) believed head and neck cancer was significantly more dangerous than did smokers (2.53 [0.06]), F(1, 459) = 5.90, P =. 015, η2 =. 01.ConclusionFindings indicated differences in perception of risk for head and neck cancer between smokers and nonsmokers. By gaining a better understanding of the psychosocial factors related to perceived risk of head and neck cancer, otolaryngologists and health care providers may better tailor interventions aimed at increasing awareness of cancer risk and promoting cessation.
Consistent causal effect estimation under dual misspecification and implications for confounder selection procedures
Authors: Gruber Susan , van der Laan Mark J 
Published: February 2012

In a previously published article in this journal, Vansteeland et al. [ Stat Methods Med Res. Epub ahead of print 12 November 2010. DOI: 10.1177/0962280210387717] address confounder selection in the context of causal effect estimation in observational studies. They discuss several selection strategies and propose a procedure whose performance is guided by the quality of the exposure effect estimator. The authors note that when a particular linearity condition is met, consistent estimation of the target parameter can be achieved even under dual misspecification of models for the association of confounders with exposure and outcome and demonstrate the performance of their procedure relative to other estimators when this condition holds. Our earlier published work on collaborative targeted minimum loss based learning provides a general theoretical framework for effective confounder selection that explains the findings of Vansteelandt et al. and underscores the appropriateness of their suggestions that a confounder selection procedure should be concerned with directly targeting the quality of the estimate and that desirable estimators produce valid confidence intervals and are robust to dual misspecification.
Plasma 1,8-cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma
Authors: Moss Mark , Oliver Lorraine 
Published: February 2012

Objective The mode of influence of the aromas of plant essential oils on human behaviour is largely unclear. This study was designed to assess the potential pharmacological relationships between absorbed 1,8-cineole following exposure to rosemary aroma, cognitive performance and mood. Methods Twenty healthy volunteers performed serial subtraction and visual information processing tasks in a cubicle diffused with the aroma of rosemary. Mood assessments were made pre and post testing, and venous blood was sampled at the end of the session. Pearson correlations were carried out between serum levels of 1,8-cineole, cognitive performance measures and change in mood scores. Results Here we show for the first time that performance on cognitive tasks is significantly related to concentration of absorbed 1,8-cineole following exposure to rosemary aroma, with improved performance at higher concentrations. Furthermore, these effects were found for speed and accuracy outcomes, indicating that the relationship is not describing a speed–accuracy trade off. The relationships between 1,8-cineole levels and mood were less pronounced, but did reveal a significant negative correlation between change in contentment and plasma 1,8-cineole levels. Conclusion These findings suggest that compounds absorbed from rosemary aroma affect cognition and subjective state independently through different neurochemical pathways.
Role of bone marrow transplantation for correcting hemophilia A in mice
Authors: Follenzi Antonia , Raut Sanj , Merlin Simone , Sarkar Rita , Gupta Sanjeev 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
To better understand cellular basis of hemophilia, cell types capable of producing FVIII need to be identified. We determined whether bone marrow (BM)–derived cells would produce cells capable of synthesizing and releasing FVIII by transplanting healthy mouse BM into hemophilia A mice. To track donor-derived cells, we used genetic reporters. Use of multiple coagulation assays demonstrated whether FVIII produced by discrete cell populations would correct hemophilia A. We found that animals receiving healthy BM cells survived bleeding challenge with correction of hemophilia, although donor BM-derived hepatocytes or endothelial cells were extremely rare, and these cells did not account for therapeutic benefits. By contrast, donor BM-derived mononuclear and mesenchymal stromal cells were more abundant and expressed FVIII mRNA as well as FVIII protein. Moreover, injection of healthy mouse Kupffer cells (liver macrophage/mononuclear cells), which predominantly originate from BM, or of healthy BM-derived mesenchymal stromal cells, protected hemophilia A mice from bleeding challenge with appearance of FVIII in blood. Therefore, BM transplantation corrected hemophilia A through donor-derived mononuclear cells and mesenchymal stromal cells. These insights into FVIII synthesis and production in alternative cell types will advance studies of pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic development in hemophilia A.
First continental underground electric railway, Budapest 1896
Authors: Porrino Matteo 
Published: February 2012

In 1871, a municipal commission in charge of city planning in Budapest introduced an urban development plan based on a concentric annular structure and several large radials. Another element of the plan was the attractive Andrássy Avenue linking the inner city to the city park (Városliget). In 1893, the Siemens & Halske Company developed a project for a shallowly buried railway that was to extend the entire length of the new avenue. The 3690 m long line, inaugurated in 1896, was mainland Europe’s first underground electric railway, preceded only by London’s underground (1890). In the early 1970s, complete restructuring was carried out because of increases in traffic and construction of the underground network. The short surface segment on the inside of the park was taken out of service, the segment between the two stations was buried and the line was extended to the current terminus, beyond the outer boulevard. The subway was then entirely refurbished in 1994–1996. This paper highlights the particular adaptive capacities of the small M1 line, which remains, after more than a century and despite the singular nature of the initial project, perfectly integrated in Budapest’s transport system.
Luminescence properties of divinylbenzene and methylmethacrylate copolymers
Authors: Zhmurin Piotr , Elyseev Dmitriy , Lebedev Valentin , Titskaya Valentina , Adadurov Alexander 
Published: February 2012

Abstract
This article describes our attempts to produce ”nonexcimer” polymer systems by means of rigid fixation of chromophore groups positioned between two vinyl bonds. Divinylbenzene and methylmethacrylate copolymers were chosen as such systems. Study of the optical properties of synthesized copolymers showed their constancy in a wide region of specific concentrations of chromophore groups. The absence of luminescent properties modification in a wide concentrations range proves the possibility of eliminating the intrasystem energy traps by means of rigid fixation of chromophores in polymer.
New Virgulid Cercaria (Trematoda, Lecithodendroidea) from Freshwater Mollusk Melanopsis praemorsa (Melanopsidae) from Azerbaijan Water Bodies. Morphology and Chaetotaxy of Cercaria Agstaphensis 31
Authors: Manafov A. 
Published: February 2012

New Virgulid Cercaria (Trematoda, Lecithodendroidea) from Freshwater Mollusk Melanopsis praemorsa (Melanopsidae) from Azerbaijan Water Bodies. Morphology and Chaetotaxy of Cercaria Agstaphensis 31
An illustrated morphological description with chaetotaxy and differential diagnosis of a new virgulid cercaria - Cercaria agstaphensis 31 from the freshwater prosobranchial mollusk Melanopsis praemorsa (Linnaeus, 1758) are given. Special attention is paid to the arming of the tegument, structure of the glandular apparatus, excretory system, digestive system, structure of the sensory apparatus and other larval morphological characters.
Bird Distribution in Biotopes of Open Agricaltural Lands in Breeding Season
Authors: Kuzmenko T. 
Published: February 2012

Bird Distribution in Biotopes of Open Agricaltural Lands in Breeding Season
Based on comparative analysis of the vegetation structure in fields of different crops and taking into account intensity of land cultivation and types of avifauna communities formed in these fields, we identified five groups of fields in the Left-Bank Polissya and Wood-and-Steppe zone of Ukraine. The greatest number of breeding species and the most abundant species are in the first group (cereals, flax, white mustard, and buckwheat). The largest total average density, the highest average density of breeding species with nesting of two characteristic species is typical for fields of the second group (rapeseed and peas). The smallest proportion of breeding birds and the large dominant proportion were seen in low crops and in dense closed crops (soybean, lupine), these values are slightly higher than those in fields of beet and potatoes.
Individual differences in police dog handlers
Authors: Kaleta Tadeusz , Pisula Wojciech , Fiszdon Katarzyna , Kondrakiewicz Piotr 
Published: February 2012

Individual differences in police dog handlers
The Polish adaptation of the NEO-FFI inventory (see Costa & McCrea, 1989; 1992b; Zawadzki et al. 2007) was used in the present study to assess the personality of dog handlers. For diagnosis of the emotional intelligence, the Polish scale Popular Questionnaire of Emotional Intelligence was used (Jaworowska & Matczak, 2005). There were 601 participants out of the total estimated number of 1408 police dog handlers in Poland. The results were compared with normalization tests for the measures used. The personality profile and emotional intelligence of dog handlers differ significantly from general population. Described in the NEO-FFI terms, police dog handlers are characterized by very low neuroticism, slightly above average extraversion, slightly below average openness to experience, a little above average agreeableness, and very high conscientiousness. In terms of emotional intelligence, they demonstrate higher control and understanding of emotions. It seems that the results obtained in the study may become relevant for the recruitment and training of police officers.
Conscious access to fear-relevant information is mediated by threshold
Authors: Szczepanowski Remigiusz 
Published: February 2012

Conscious access to fear-relevant information is mediated by thresholdThe present report proposed a model of access consciousness to fear-relevant information according to which there is a threshold for emotional perception beyond that the subject makes hits with no false alarm. The model was examined by having the participants performed a confidence-ratings masking task with fearful faces. Measures of the thresholds for conscious access were taken by looking at the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves generated from a three-state low- and high-threshold (3-LHT) model by Krantz. Indeed, the analysis of the masking data revealed that the ROCs had threshold-like-nature (a two-limb shape) rather continuous (a curvilinear shape) challenging in this fashion the classical signal-detection view on perceptual processing. Moreover, the threshold ROC curve exhibited the specific y-intercepts relevant to conscious access performance. The study suggests that the threshold can be an intrinsic property of conscious access, mediating emotional contents between perceptual states and consciousness.
The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey: validation across different occupational groups in Poland
Authors: Chirkowska-Smolak Teresa , Kleka Pawel 
Published: February 2012

The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey: validation across different occupational groups in Poland
This paper concerns the psychometric evaluation of the Polish version of a self-report questionnaire to measure burnout. Although the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is the most commonly employed measure of burnout, researchers have been troubled by some of its psychometric limitations. The aim of this study is to examine the MBI-GS factor structure in three occupational groups (both within the human services sector and elsewhere), and to evaluate its reliability (internal consistency). In evaluating factorial validity, we carried out an explanatory analysis and a number of confirmatory analyses (using the total database and the three occupational groups). An additional aim was to explore the relationships between biographic characteristics (gender, age, work experience, employment level, and occupation) and burnout. The results of the confirmatory analyses show us that all three models fit the data almost acceptably, both in the total sample (N=998) and in the separate occupational groups, and that the fit of the three-factor solution appears to be somewhat better than that of the one- and two-factor solutions. When the initial model failed to fit the data well, we had to eliminate two items with weak reliability. The results then confirmed the factorial validity of the MBI-GS—as expected, the MBI-GS consists of three scales that are moderately correlate.