bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of Circulation Patterns on Temperature Behavior at the Regional Scale: A Case Study Investigated via Neural Network Modeling
Authors: Pasini Antonello , Langone Rocco 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
An analysis of the influence of circulation patterns on temperature changes in an extended Italian Alpine area has been performed by nonlinear methods and neural network modeling. This leads to the clarification of the roles of these patterns in the various seasons and permits the development of models that are able to reconstruct in a satisfactory manner the behavior of temperature anomalies in the second half of the twentieth century in this limited region. This nonlinear analysis shows that the role of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is probably overestimated, and that European blocking and the Scandinavian pattern should be considered as prime candidates as temperature drivers in this area.
Irritability and Social Isolation in Dementia Patients With and Without Depression
Authors: Shub Denis , Bass David M. , Morgan Robert O. , Judge Katherine S. , Snow A. Lynn , Wilson Nancy L. , Walder Annette , Murry Brian , Kunik Mark E. 
Published: January 2012

This study examined the prevalence of irritability and social isolation in veterans with dementia, with and without depression. Participants were diagnosed with dementia and enrolled in a dementia care-coordination and support-service intervention. Participants were interviewed and underwent assessment with the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, a Patient Strain Measure and the Short Blessed Test. In all, of 294 participants completing interviews, 77 (26.2%) were depressed and 107 (36.4%) endorsed irritability; mean social isolation score was 1.59 ± 1.96. Irritability was significantly more likely to be present in depressed versus nondepressed participants ( P < .0001), but this relationship was moderated by dementia severity. The mean social isolation score was also significantly more elevated in depressed rather than nondepressed patients (2.82 ± 1.96 vs 1.15 ± 1.76, respectively). Conclusions: Depressed persons with dementia are significantly more likely to experience irritability and social isolation than those who are not depressed.
Preparation of adsorbent for extracting heavy metal ions by coir yarn
Authors: Zaman Haydar U , Al-Mamun Md , Khan Mubarak A , Khan Ruhul A 
Published: January 2012

Coir yarns were cured with acrylic acid (AA) and phosphoric acid (PA) using ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Concentration of AA and PA, soaking time and intensity of UV radiation were optimized based on polymer loading (PL). It was found that the formulation containing 4% PA, 30% AA, 64% methanol and 2% photoinitiator showed maximum 35.13% of PL. The grafted yarns were soaked in CuSO4 solution for 30–180 min at different conditions. After withdrawing the yarns, the remaining copper in the solution were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer. It was revealed that copper was successfully removed using the grafted coir yarns.
Hips, elbows and Stifles
Authors: Grierson James 
Published: January 2012

Practical relevance Cats commonly present with joint disease and trauma. A methodical approach to diagnostics and treatment can aid the clinician in the management of these cases. Clinical challenges Cats with joint disease may present with a vague history owing to their independent nature, and gait assessment is often challenging when compared with the dog. Knowledge of feline-specific anatomy is important to avoid over- or misinterpretation of physical examination or imaging findings. Audience This review of feline joint disease focuses on the more common, non-traumatic conditions of the hip, stifle and elbow. It aims to provide first opinion clinicians with a guide to decision making that will assist them in achieving a diagnosis and formulating a management strategy. Evidence base There is an extensive body of original articles and textbooks in the published literature relating to aspects of feline joint disease. This article combines information from key companion animal and feline-specific references together with the author’s clinical experience to provide a practical overview of joint disease, and highlight important differences between cats and dogs in terms of presentation and treatment.
Annexin II interactions with the annexin II receptor enhance multiple myeloma cell adhesion and growth in the bone marrow microenvironment
Authors: D'Souza Sonia , Kurihara Noriyoshi , Shiozawa Yusuke , Joseph Jeena , Taichman Russell , Galson Deborah L. , Roodman G. David 
Published: January 2012

AbstractMultiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable B-cell malignancy in which the marrow microenvironment plays a critical role in our inability to cure MM. Marrow stromal cells in the microenvironment support homing, lodging, and growth of MM cells through activation of multiple signaling pathways in both MM and stromal cells. Recently, we identified annexin II (AXII) as a previously unknown factor produced by stromal cells and osteoclasts (OCL) that is involved in OCL formation, HSC and prostate cancer (PCa) homing to the BM as well as mobilization of HSC and PCa cells. AXII expressed on stromal cells supports PCa cell lodgment via the AXII receptor (AXIIR) on PCa cells, but the role of AXII and AXIIR in MM is unknown. In this study, we show that MM cells express AXIIR, that stromal/osteoblast-derived AXII facilitates adhesion of MM cells to stromal cells via AXIIR, and OCL-derived AXII enhances MM cell growth. Finally, we demonstrate that AXII activates the ERK1/2 and AKT pathways in MM cells to enhance MM cell growth. These results demonstrate that AXII and AXIIR play important roles in MM and that targeting the AXII/AXIIR axis may be a novel therapeutic approach for MM.
RNA-Seq and molecular docking reveal multi-level pesticide resistance in the bed bug
Authors: Mamidala Praveen , Wijeratne Asela J , Wijeratne Saranga , Kornacker Karl , Sudhamalla Babu , Rivera-Vega Loren J , Hoelmer Andrew , Meulia Tea , Jones Susan C , Mittapalli Omprakash 
Published: January 2012

AbstractBackgroundBed bugs (Cimex lectularius) are hematophagous nocturnal parasites of humans that have attained high impact status due to their worldwide resurgence. The sudden and rampant resurgence ofC. lectulariushas been attributed to numerous factors including frequent international travel, narrower pest management practices, and insecticide resistance.ResultsWe performed a next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) experiment to find differentially expressed genes between pesticide-resistant (PR) and pesticide-susceptible (PS) strains ofC. lectularius. A reference transcriptome database of 51,492 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) was created by combining the databases derived fromde novoassembled mRNA-Seqtags (30,404 ESTs) and our previous 454 pyrosequenced database (21,088 ESTs). The two-way GLMseq analysis revealed ~15,000 highly significant differentially expressed ESTs between the PR and PS strains. Among the top 5,000 differentially expressed ESTs, 109 putative defense genes (cuticular proteins, cytochrome P450s, antioxidant genes, ABC transporters, glutathioneS-transferases, carboxylesterases and acetyl cholinesterase) involved in penetration resistance and metabolic resistance were identified. Tissue and development-specific expression of P450 CYP3 clan members showed high mRNA levels in the cuticle, Malpighian tubules, and midgut; and in early instar nymphs, respectively. Lastly, molecular modeling and docking of a candidate cytochrome P450 (CYP397A1V2) revealed the flexibility of the deduced protein to metabolize a broad range of insecticide substrates including DDT, deltamethrin, permethrin, and imidacloprid.ConclusionsWe developed significant molecular resources forC. lectulariusputatively involved in metabolic resistance as well as those participating in other modes of insecticide resistance. RNA-Seqprofiles of PR strains combined with tissue-specific profiles and molecular docking revealed multi-level insecticide resistance inC. lectularius. Future research that is targeted towards RNA interference (RNAi) on the identified metabolic targets such as cytochrome P450s and cuticular proteins could lay the foundation for a better understanding of the genetic basis of insecticide resistance inC. lectularius.
Randomised controlled trial of improvisational music therapy's effectiveness for children with autism spectrum disorders (TIME-A): study protocol
Authors: Geretsegger Monika , Holck Ulla , Gold Christian 
Published: January 2012

AbstractBackgroundPrevious research has suggested that music therapy may facilitate skills in areas typically affected by autism spectrum disorders such as social interaction and communication. However, generalisability of previous findings has been restricted, as studies were limited in either methodological accuracy or the clinical relevance of their approach. The aim of this study is to determine effects of improvisational music therapy on social communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorders. An additional aim of the study is to examine if variation in dose of treatment (i.e., number of music therapy sessions per week) affects outcome of therapy, and to determine cost-effectiveness.Methods/DesignChildren aged between 4;0 and 6;11 years who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Parents of all participants will receive three sessions of parent counselling (at 0, 2, and 5 months). In addition, children randomised to the two intervention groups will be offered individual, improvisational music therapy over a period of five months, either one session (low-intensity) or three sessions (high-intensity) per week. Generalised effects of music therapy will be measured using standardised scales completed by blinded assessors (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, ADOS) and parents (Social Responsiveness Scale, SRS) before and 2, 5, and 12 months after randomisation. Cost effectiveness will be calculated as man years. A group sequential design with first interim look at N = 235 will ensure both power and efficiency.DiscussionResponding to the need for more rigorously designed trials examining the effectiveness of music therapy in autism spectrum disorders, this pragmatic trial sets out to generate findings that will be well generalisable to clinical practice. Addressing the issue of dose variation, this study's results will also provide information on the relevance of session frequency for therapy outcome.Trial RegistrationCurrent Controlled TrialsISRCTN78923965.
Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among children from six cities of China
Authors: Xu Haiquan , Li Yanping , Liu Ailing , Zhang Qian , Hu Xiaoqi , Fang Hongyun , Li Tingyu , Guo Hongwei , Li Ying , Xu Guifa , Ma Jun , Du Lin , Ma Guansheng 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in childhood can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia in adulthood, which is of increasing concern in transitional and advanced economies. The aim of the current study was to explore the prevalence of MetS among children from six cities of China.

Methods
A total of 8,764 children (4,495 boys, 4,269 girls) aged 7-11 years were randomly selected from 6 cities of China. MetS was mainly defined by the criteria proposed by International Diabetes Federation (IDF).

Results
The overall prevalence of MetS for children older than 10 years was 0.8% by IDF definition. Obese children had significantly higher MetS prevalence compared with their counterparts with overweight (6.6% vs. 0.9%, p < 0.01) and normal weight (6.6% vs. 0.05%, p < 0.01). The prevalence of abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertension and high glucose among obese children was 93.4%, 16.5%, 14.3%, 7.3% and 4.0%, respectively, which significantly higher than those among overweight children (37.0%, 6.1%, 10.0%, 4.2%, and 3.3%, respectively) and among normal weight children (1.2%, 3.3%, 4.0%, 1.7% and 2.5%, respectively). The proportion of children with at least one, two, and three items of the metabolic abnormalities were 25.0%, 5.4% and 0.9%, respectively. Metabolic abnormalities were also present in children under 10 years of age.

Conclusions
The early onset of MetS among children and relatively high proportions of children with at least one or two metabolic abnormalities in cities of China can increase the risk of developing MetS. It implies the necessity to take effective actions to control and prevent the rapid development of obesity among children in developing countries, especial those undergoing transition to a Western lifestyle.
Construction and transformation of a Thermotoga-E. colishuttle vector
Authors: Han Dongmei , Norris Stephen M , Xu Zhaohui 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background

Thermotoga spp. are attractive candidates for producing biohydrogen, green chemicals, and thermostable enzymes. They may also serve as model systems for understanding life sustainability under hyperthermophilic conditions. A lack of genetic tools has hampered the investigation and application of these organisms. This study aims to develop a genetic transfer system for Thermotoga spp.

Results
Methods for preparing and handling Thermotoga solid cultures under aerobic conditions were optimized. A plating efficiency of ~50% was achieved when the bacterial cells were embedded in 0.3% Gelrite. A Thermotoga-E. coli shuttle vector pDH10 was constructed using pRQ7, a cryptic mini-plasmid found in T. sp. RQ7. Plasmid pDH10 was introduced to T. maritima and T. sp. RQ7 by electroporation and liposome-mediated transformation. Transformants were isolated, and the transformed kanamycin resistance gene (kan) was detected from the plasmid DNA extracts of the recombinant strains by PCR and was confirmed by restriction digestions. The transformed DNA was stably maintained in both Thermotoga and E. coli even without the selective pressure.

Conclusions

Thermotoga are transformable by multiple means. Recombinant Thermotoga strains have been isolated for the first time. A heterologous kan gene is functionally expressed and stably maintained in Thermotoga.
Copeptin does not accurately predict disease severity in imported malaria
Authors: van Wolfswinkel Marlies E , Hesselink Dennis A , Hoorn Ewout J , de Rijke Yolanda B , Koelewijn Rob , van Hellemond Jaap J , van Genderen Perry JJ 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
Copeptin has recently been identified to be a stable surrogate marker for the unstable hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP). Copeptin has been shown to correlate with disease severity in leptospirosis and bacterial sepsis. Hyponatraemia is common in severe imported malaria and dysregulation of AVP release has been hypothesized as an underlying pathophysiological mechanism. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of copeptin as a predictor of disease severity in imported malaria.

Methods
Copeptin was measured in stored serum samples of 204 patients with imported malaria that were admitted to our Institute for Tropical Diseases in Rotterdam in the period 1999-2010. The occurrence of WHO defined severe malaria was the primary end-point. The diagnostic performance of copeptin was compared to that of previously evaluated biomarkers C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, lactate and sodium.

Results
Of the 204 patients (141 Plasmodium falciparum, 63 non-falciparum infection), 25 had severe malaria. The Area Under the ROC curve of copeptin for severe disease (0.66 [95% confidence interval 0.59-0.72]) was comparable to that of lactate, sodium and procalcitonin. C-reactive protein (0.84 [95% CI 0.79-0.89]) had a significantly better performance as a biomarker for severe malaria than the other biomarkers.

Conclusions
C-reactive protein but not copeptin was found to be an accurate predictor for disease severity in imported malaria. The applicability of copeptin as a marker for severe malaria in clinical practice is limited to exclusion of severe malaria.
Targeting notch pathway enhances rapamycin antitumor activity in pancreas cancers through PTEN phosphorylation
Authors: Vo Kevin , Amarasinghe Barushi , Washington Kay , Gonzalez Adriana , Berlin Jordan , Dang Thao P 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
Pancreas cancer is one of most aggressive human cancers with the survival rate for patients with metastatic pancreas cancer at 5-6 months. The poor survival demonstrates a clear need for better target identification, drug development and new therapeutic strategies. Recent discoveries have shown that the role for Notch pathway is important in both development and cancer. Its contribution to oncogenesis also involves crosstalks with other growth factor pathways, such as Akt and its modulator, PTEN. The mounting evidence supporting a role for Notch in cancer promotion and survival suggests that targeting this pathway alone or in combination with other therapeutics represents a promising therapeutic strategy.

Results
Using a pancreas cancer tissue microarray, we noted that Jagged1, Notch3 and Notch4 are overexpressed in pancreas tumors (26%, 84% and 31% respectively), whereas Notch1 is expressed in blood vessels. While there was no correlation between Notch receptor expression and survival, stage or tumor grade, Notch3 was associated with Jagged1 and EGFR expression, suggesting a unique relationship between Notch3 and Jagged1. Inhibition of the Notch pathway genetically and with gamma-secretase inhibitor (GSI) resulted in tumor suppression and enhanced cell death. The observed anti-tumor activity appeared to be through Akt and modulation of PTEN phosphorylation. We discovered that transcriptional regulation of RhoA by Notch is important for PTEN phosphorylation. Finally, the mTOR inhibitor Rapamycin enhanced the effect of GSI on RhoA expression, resulting in down regulation of phospho-Akt and increased in vitro tumor cytotoxity.

Conclusions
Notch pathway plays an important role in maintaining pancreas tumor phenotype. Targeting this pathway represents a reasonable strategy for the treatment of pancreas cancers. Notch modulates the Akt pathway through regulation of PTEN phosphorylation, an observation that has not been made previously. Furthermore, we discovered that this regulation is dependent on RhoA/Rock1 activation. Enhanced phospho-Akt suppression when GSI is combined with rapamycin suggests that targeting both pathways will lead to a greater efficacy in the treatment of patients with pancreas cancer.
Validity and reliability of the Iranian version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™) Generic Core Scales in children
Authors: Amiri Parisa , Eslamian Ghazaleh , Mirmiran Parvin , Shiva Niloofar , Jafarabadi Mohammad Asghari , Azizi Fereidoun 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the Iranian version of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ 4.0 (PedsQL™ 4.0) Generic Core Scales in children.

Methods
A standard forward and backward translation procedure was used to translate the US English version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales for children into the Iranian language (Persian). The Iranian version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 Generic Core Scales was completed by 503 healthy and 22 chronically ill children aged 8-12 years and their parents. The reliability was evaluated using internal consistency. Known-groups discriminant comparisons were made, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted.

Results
The internal consistency, as measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficients, exceeded the minimum reliability standard of 0.70. All monotrait-multimethod correlations were higher than multitrait-multimethod correlations. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) between the children self-report and parent proxy-reports showed moderate to high agreement. Exploratory factor analysis extracted six factors from the PedsQL™ 4.0 for both self and proxy reports, accounting for 47.9% and 54.8% of total variance, respectively. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis for 6-factor models for both self-report and proxy-report indicated acceptable fit for the proposed models. Regarding health status, as hypothesized from previous studies, healthy children reported significantly higher health-related quality of life than those with chronic illnesses.

Conclusions
The findings support the initial reliability and validity of the Iranian version of the PedsQL™ 4.0 as a generic instrument to measure health-related quality of life of children in Iran.
SiC formation for a solar cell passivation layer using an RF magnetron co-sputtering system
Authors: Joung Yeun-Ho , Kang Hyun Il , Kim Jung Hyun , Lee Hae-Seok , Lee Jaehyung , Choi Won Seok 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
In this paper, we describe a method of amorphous silicon carbide film formation for a solar cell passivation layer. The film was deposited on p-type silicon (100) and glass substrates by an RF magnetron co-sputtering system using a Si target and a C target at a room-temperature condition. Several different SiC [Si1-xCx] film compositions were achieved by controlling the Si target power with a fixed C target power at 150 W. Then, structural, optical, and electrical properties of the Si1-xCx films were studied. The structural properties were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The optical properties were achieved by UV-visible spectroscopy and ellipsometry. The performance of Si1-xCx passivation was explored by carrier lifetime measurement.
Durability test with fuel starvation using a Pt/CNF catalyst in PEMFC
Authors: Jung Juhae , Park Byungil , Kim Junbom 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
In this study, a catalyst was synthesized on carbon nanofibers [CNFs] with a herringbone-type morphology. The Pt/CNF catalyst exhibited low hydrophilicity, low surface area, high dispersion, and high graphitic behavior on physical analysis. Electrodes (5 cm2) were prepared by a spray method, and the durability of the Pt/CNF was evaluated by fuel starvation. The performance was compared with a commercial catalyst before and after accelerated tests. The fuel starvation caused carbon corrosion with a reverse voltage drop. The polarization curve, EIS, and cyclic voltammetry were analyzed in order to characterize the electrochemical properties of the Pt/CNF. The performance of a membrane electrode assembly fabricated from the Pt/CNF was maintained, and the electrochemical surface area and cell resistance showed the same trend. Therefore, CNFs are expected to be a good support in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
First identification of primary nanoparticles in the aggregation of HMF
Authors: Zhang Mu , Yang Hong , Liu Yinong , Sun Xudong , Zhang Dongke , Xue Dongfeng 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
5-Hydroxymethylfurfural [HMF] is an important intermediate compound for fine chemicals. It is often obtained via hydrothermal treatment of biomass-derived carbohydrates, such as fructose, glucose and sucrose. This study investigates the formation of carbonaceous spheres from HMF created by dehydration of fructose under hydrothermal conditions. The carbonaceous spheres, ranging between 0.4 and 10 μm in diameter, have granulated morphologies both on the surface and in the interior. The residual solution is found to contain a massive number of primary nanoparticles. The chemical structure of the carbonaceous spheres was characterised by means of FTIR and NMR spectroscopies. Based on these observations, a mechanism involving the formation and aggregation of the nanoparticles is proposed. This mechanism differs considerably from the conventional understanding in the open literature.