bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chitosan Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Inactivation: Characterization and In Vitro Investigation†
Authors: Chen Chueh‐Pin , Chen Chin‐Tin , Tsai Tsuimin 
Published: January 2012

AbstractThe growing resistance to antibiotics has rendered antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (PDI) an attractive alternative treatment modality for infectious diseases. Chitosan (CS) was shown to further potentiate the PDI effect of photosensitizers and was therefore used in this study to investigate its ability to potentiate the activity of erythrosine (ER) against bacteria and yeast. CS nanoparticles loaded with ER were prepared by ionic gelation method and tested for their PDI efficacy on planktonic cells and biofilms of Streptococcus mutans, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. The nanoparticles were characterized for their size, polydispersity index and zeta potential. No toxicity was observed when planktonic cells and biofilms were treated with the nanoparticles in the dark. However, when the cells were exposed to light irradiation after treatment with free ER or ER/CS nanoparticles, a significant phototoxicity was observed. The antimicrobial activity of ER/CS nanoparticles was significantly higher than ER in free form. The particle size and incubation time of the nanoparticles also appeared to be important factors affecting their PDI activity against S. mutans and C. albicans.
Poverty, Livelihoods and War Legacies: The Case of Post‐War Rural Kosovo
Authors: Douarin Elodie , Litchfield Julie , Sabates‐Wheeler Rachel 
Published: January 2012

SummaryThis paper examines the effects of war on livelihood portfolios and welfare outcomes of rural households in Kosovo using the 2000 Kosovo Living Standards Measurement Survey. We question to what extent the legacy of war was experienced through selection into low return livelihood activities or through decreases in welfare generally. We first identify portfolios using a clustering algorithm which groups households pursuing similar combinations of activities. The emerging clusters are comparable to those described in more qualitative studies for Kosovo in the immediate post‐conflict period. We then examine the determinants of livelihood portfolio choice and the consequences of these for welfare outcomes, controlling for war legacies and selection into specific portfolios. We find evidence of a relationship between a household's war experience and their livelihood choices and that war exposure has different impacts on household welfare depending on the livelihood portfolio adopted. We also identify significant selection effects on welfare for three out of four of our livelihood clusters, highlighting the fact that selecting into a specific portfolio raised or lowered welfare above expected levels.
Managing diabetes in dialysis patients
Authors: O'Toole Sam M , Fan Stanley L , Yaqoob M Magdi , Chowdhury Tahseen A 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
Burgeoning levels of diabetes are a major concern for dialysis services, as diabetes is now the most common cause of end-stage renal disease in most developed nations. With the rapid rise in diabetes prevalence in developing countries, the burden of end stage renal failure due to diabetes is also expected to rise in such countries. Diabetic patients on dialysis have a high burden of morbidity and mortality, particularly from cardiovascular disease, and a higher societal and economic cost compared to non-diabetic subjects on dialysis. Tight glycaemic and blood pressure control in diabetic patients has an important impact in reducing risk of progression to end stage renal disease. The evidence for improving glycaemic control in patients on dialysis having an impact on mortality or morbidity is sparse. Indeed, many factors make improving glycaemic control in patients on dialysis very challenging, including therapeutic difficulties with hypoglycaemic agents, monitoring difficulties, dialysis strategies that exacerbate hyperglycaemia or hypoglycaemia, and possibly a degree of therapeutic nihilism or inertia on the part of clinical diabetologists and nephrologists. Standard drug therapy for hyperglycaemia (eg, metformin) is clearly not possible in patients on dialysis. Thus, sulphonylureas and insulin have been the mainstay of treatment. Newer therapies for hyperglycaemia, such as gliptins and glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues have become available, but until recently, renal failure has precluded their use. Newer gliptins, however, are now licensed for use in ‘severe renal failure’, although they have yet to be trialled in dialysis patients. Diabetic patients on dialysis have special needs, as they have a much greater burden of complications (cardiac, retinal and foot). They may be best managed in a multidisciplinary diabetic–renal clinic setting, using the skills of diabetologists, nephrologists, clinical nurse specialists in nephrology and diabetes, along with dietitians and podiatrists.
INTEGER OPERATORS IN FINITE VON NEUMANN ALGEBRAS
Authors: THOM ANDREAS 
Published: January 2012

Motivated by the study of spectral properties of self-adjoint operators in the integral group ring of a sofic group, we define and study integer operators. We establish a relation with classical potential theory and in particular the circle of results obtained by Fekete and Szegö, see [3, 4, 13]. More concretely, we use results by Rumely, see [12], on equidistribution of algebraic integers to obtain a description of those integer operator which have spectrum of logarithmic capacity less than or equal to one. Finally, we relate the study of integer operators to a recent construction by Petracovici and Zaharescu, see [10].
PTP1B Is an Androgen Receptor–Regulated Phosphatase That Promotes the Progression of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Lessard Laurent , Labbé David P. , Deblois Geneviève , Bégin Louis R. , Hardy Serge , Mes-Masson Anne-Marie , Saad Fred , Trotman Lloyd C. , Giguère Vincent , Tremblay Michel L. 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
The androgen receptor (AR) signaling axis plays a key role in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer. In this study, we found that the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1B, a well-established regulator of metabolic signaling, was induced after androgen stimulation of AR-expressing prostate cancer cells. PTP1B induction by androgen occurred at the mRNA and protein levels to increase PTP1B activity. High-resolution chromosome mapping revealed AR recruitment to two response elements within the first intron of the PTP1B encoding gene PTPN1, correlating with an AR-mediated increase in RNA polymerase II recruitment to the PTPN1 transcriptional start site. We found that PTPN1 and AR genes were coamplified in metastatic tumors and that PTPN1 amplification was associated with a subset of high-risk primary tumors. Functionally, PTP1B depletion delayed the growth of androgen-dependent human prostate tumors and impaired androgen-induced cell migration and invasion in vitro. However, PTP1B was also required for optimal cell migration of androgen-independent cells. Collectively, our results established the AR as a transcriptional regulator of PTPN1 transcription and implicated PTP1B in a tumor-promoting role in prostate cancer. Our findings support the preclinical testing of PTP1B inhibitors for prostate cancer treatment. Cancer Res; 72(6); 1529–37. ©2012 AACR.
Myeloid Progenitor Cells in the Premetastatic Lung Promote Metastases by Inducing Mesenchymal to Epithelial Transition
Authors: Gao Dingcheng , Joshi Natasha , Choi Hyejin , Ryu Seongho , Hahn Mary , Catena Raul , Sadik Helen , Argani Pedram , Wagner Patrick , Vahdat Linda T. , Port Jeffrey L. , Stiles Brendon , Sukumar Saraswati , Altorki Nasser K. , Rafii Shahin , Mittal Vivek 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
Tumors systemically initiate metastatic niches in distant target metastatic organs. These niches, composed of bone marrow–derived hematopoietic cells, provide permissive conditions for future metastases. However, the mechanisms by which these cells mediate outgrowth of metastatic tumor cells are not completely known. Using mouse models of spontaneous breast cancer, we show enhanced recruitment of bone marrow–derived CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid progenitor cells in the premetastatic lungs. Gene expression profiling revealed that the myeloid cells from metastatic lungs express versican, an extracellular matrix proteoglycan. Notably, versican in metastatic lungs was mainly contributed by the CD11b+Ly6Chigh monocytic fraction of the myeloid cells and not the tumor cells or other stromal cells. Versican knockdown in the bone marrow significantly impaired lung metastases in vivo, without impacting their recruitment to the lungs or altering the immune microenvironment. Versican stimulated mesenchymal to epithelial transition of metastatic tumor cells by attenuating phospho-Smad2 levels, which resulted in elevated cell proliferation and accelerated metastases. Analysis of clinical specimens showed elevated versican expression within the metastatic lung of patients with breast cancer. Together, our findings suggest that selectively targeting tumor-elicited myeloid cells or versican represents a potential therapeutic strategy for combating metastatic disease. Cancer Res; 72(6); 1384–94. ©2012 AACR.
Effective Treatment of Metastatic Forms of Epstein-Barr Virus–Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma with a Novel Adenovirus-Based Adoptive Immunotherapy
Authors: Smith Corey , Tsang Janice , Beagley Leone , Chua Daniel , Lee Victor , Li Vivian , Moss Denis J. , Coman William , Chan Kwok H. , Nicholls John , Kwong Dora , Khanna Rajiv 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in China and Southeast Asia where it is tightly associated with infections by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The role of tumor-associated viral antigens in NPC renders it an appealing candidate for cellular immunotherapy. In earlier preclinical studies, a novel adenoviral vector–based vaccine termed AdE1-LMPpoly has been generated that encodes EBV nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA1) fused to multiple CD8+ T-cell epitopes from the EBV latent membrane proteins, LMP1 and LMP2. Here, we report the findings of a formal clinical assessment of AdE1-LMPpoly as an immunotherapeutic tool for EBV-associated recurrent and metastatic NPC. From a total of 24 patients with NPC, EBV-specific T cells were successfully expanded from 16 patients with NPC (72.7%), whereas six patients with NPC (27.3%) showed minimal or no expansion of virus-specific T cells. Transient increase in the frequencies of LMP1&2- and EBNA1-specific T-cell responses was observed after adoptive transfer to be associated with grade I flu-like symptoms and malaise. The time to progression in these patients ranged from 38 to 420 days with a mean time to progression of 136 days. Compared with patients who did not receive T cells, the median overall survival increased from 220 to 523 days. Taken together, our findings show that adoptive immunotherapy with AdE1-LMPpoly vaccine is safe and well tolerated and may offer clinical benefit to patients with NPC. Cancer Res; 72(5); 1116–25. ©2012 AACR.
Akt/PKB-Mediated Phosphorylation of Twist1 Promotes Tumor Metastasis via Mediating Cross-Talk between PI3K/Akt and TGF-β Signaling Axes
Authors: Xue Gongda , Restuccia David F. , Lan Qiang , Hynx Debby , Dirnhofer Stephan , Hess Daniel , Rüegg Curzio , Hemmings Brian A. 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
Metastatic breast tumor cells display an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) that increases cell motility, invasion, and dissemination. Although the transcription factor Twist1 has been shown to contribute to EMT and cancer metastasis, the signaling pathways regulating Twist1 activity are poorly understood. Here, we show that Twist1 is ubiquitously phosphorylated in 90% of 1,532 invasive human breast tumors. Akt/protein kinase B (PKB)–mediated Twist1 phosphorylation promotes EMT and breast cancer metastasis by modulating its transcriptional target TGF-β2, leading to enhanced TGF-β receptor signaling, which in turn maintains hyperactive phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling. Preventing phosphorylation of Twist1, as well as depletion of TGF-β2, significantly impaired the metastatic potential of cancer cells in vivo, indicating a key role of phosphorylated Twist1 (phospho-Twist1) in mediating cross-talk between the PI3K/Akt and TGF-β/Smad signaling axes that supports metastatic tumor development. Our results describe a novel signaling event linking PI3K/Akt hyperactivation in tumor cells to direct regulation of Twist1 activation and tumor metastasis.
Significance: We identified the first phospho-Twist1 transcriptional target TGF-β2, which mediates cross-talk between PI3K/Akt and TGF-β signaling and promotes tumor metastasis. Our results thus illustrate a direct role of PI3K/Akt signaling in metastatic cancer development and suggest that Twist1 phosphorylation could be a potential therapeutic target in clinical cancer treatment. Cancer Discovery; 2(3); 248–59. ©2012 AACR.
This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 193
Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Goel Sachin S. , Agarwal Shikhar , Tuzcu E. Murat , Ellis Stephen G. , Svensson Lars G. , Zaman Tarique , Bajaj Navkaranbir , Joseph Lee , Patel Neil S. , Aksoy Olcay , Stewart William J. , Griffin Brian P. , Kapadia Samir R. 
Published: January 2012

Background—
With the availability of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, management of coronary artery disease in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) is posing challenges. Outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with severe AS and coronary artery disease remain unknown. We sought to compare the short-term outcomes of PCI in patients with and without AS.

Methods and Results—

From our PCI database, we identified 254 patients with severe AS who underwent PCI between 1998 and 2008. Using propensity matching, we found 508 patients without AS who underwent PCI in the same period. The primary end point of 30-day mortality after PCI was similar in patients with and without severe AS (4.3% [11 of 254] versus 4.7% [24 of 508]; hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–1.69;
P
=0.2). Patients with low ejection fraction (≤30%) and severe AS had a higher 30-day post-PCI mortality compared with those with an ejection fraction >30% (5.4% [7 of 45] versus 1.2% [4 of 209];
P
<0.001). In addition, AS patients with high Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (≥10) had a higher 30-day post-PCI mortality than those with a Society of Thoracic Surgeons score <10 (10.4% [10 of 96] versus 0%;
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—
PCI can be performed in patients with severe symptomatic AS and coronary artery disease without an increased risk of short-term mortality compared with propensity-matched patients without AS. Patients with ejection fraction ≤30% and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score ≥10% are at a highest risk of 30-day mortality after PCI. This finding has significant implications in the management of severe coronary artery disease in high-risk severe symptomatic AS patients being considered for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
Is Aortic Atherothrombotic Disease Detected Using Multidetector-Row CT Associated With an Increased Risk of Early Ischemic Lesion Recurrence After Acute Ischemic Stroke?
Authors: Ko Youngchai , Kim Wook-Joo , Jang Myung Suk , Yang Mi Hwa , Park Jung Hyun , Choi Sang Il , Chun Eun Ju , Lee Soo Joo , Han Moon-Ku , Bae Hee-Joon 
Published: January 2012

Background and Purpose—
Multidetector-row CT (MDCT) is emerging as a new tool for diagnosing aortic atherothrombotic disease (AAD). We elucidated whether MDCT-detected AAD is associated with an increased risk of early ischemic lesion recurrence on diffusion-weighted MRI after ischemic stroke.

Methods—
A consecutive series of patients with acute ischemic stroke confirmed using diffusion-weighted MRI who were hospitalized within 48 hours after symptom onset and underwent MDCT were identified in a prospective stroke registry database. AAD on MDCT was defined as the presence of plaque formation that was noncalcified and ≥4 mm thick, ulcerative, or soft and thrombosed (vulnerable) in the proximal aortic arch. Ischemic lesion recurrence on diffusion-weighted MRI was defined as the occurrence of any new lesion separate from the index lesion on follow-up diffusion-weighted MRI performed within 14 days after symptom onset.

Results—
A total of 138 patients was selected. MDCT detected AAD in 24 of 138 (17.4%); ≥4 mm thickness in 17 of 138 (12.3%); ulcerated plaque in 20 of 138 (14.5%); and vulnerable plaque in 16 of 138 (11.6%). With respect to diffusion-weighted MRI lesion recurrence, the crude ORs (95% CIs) were as follows: AAD, 3.56 (1.43–8.89); vulnerable plaque, 3.21 (1.11–9.30); ulcerated plaque, 3.37 (1.27–8.95); and ≥4 mm thickness of the noncalcified plaque, 4.23 (1.11–16.19). These results remained significant after adjustments for potential confounders were made.

Conclusions—
This study shows that AAD detected by MDCT increases the risk of early ischemic lesion recurrence after acute ischemic stroke, thus supporting the role of MDCT in diagnosing AAD and assessing its contribution to recurrence.
Ambulatory Systolic–Diastolic Pressure Regression Index as a Predictor of Clinical Events
Authors: Aznaouridis Konstantinos , Vlachopoulos Charalambos , Protogerou Athanase , Stefanadis Christodoulos 
Published: January 2012

Background and Purpose—
Blood pressure variables derived by ambulatory monitoring are important prognostic markers in hypertensive patients. Recent studies showed that ambulatory systolic–diastolic pressure regression index (ASDPRI), also known as ambulatory arterial stiffness index, may correlate with cardiovascular (CV) outcomes.

Methods—
We explored the predictive value of ASDPRI for future CV events, stroke, and all-cause mortality by meta-analyses of 7 longitudinal studies that had evaluated ASDPRI and had followed 20 505 subjects for a mean follow-up of 7.8 years.

Results—

The pooled relative risk of total CV events (including CV mortality), stroke, and all-cause mortality was 1.51 (95% CI, 1.18–1.93;
P
=0.001; 5 studies), 2.01 (95% CI, 1.60–2.52;
P
<0.001; 4 studies), and 1.25 (95% CI, 1.10–1.41;
P
=0.001; 4 studies), respectively, for high ASDPRI versus low ASDPRI subjects. An increase of ASDPRI by 1 standard deviation was associated with an age-adjusted, sex-adjusted, and risk factor-adjusted relative risk increase of total CV events and stroke by 15% and 30%, respectively. ASDPRI predicted stroke better than total CV events, predicted stroke better in normotensive subjects than in hypertensive patients, and also predicted total CV events better in females than in males. There was not significant publication bias.

Conclusions—
ASDPRI is an ambulatory blood pressure-derived biomarker that strongly predicts future CV events, stroke, and all-cause mortality. These findings suggest that this index may be useful for risk stratification purposes.
Overlap between the Neural Correlates of Cued Recall and Source Memory: Evidence for a Generic Recollection Network?
Authors: Hayama Hiroki R. , Vilberg Kaia L. , Rugg Michael D. 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
Recall of a studied item and retrieval of its encoding context (source memory) both depend on recollection of qualitative information about the study episode. This study investigated whether recall and source memory engage overlapping neural regions. Participants (n = 18) studied a series of words, which were presented either to the left or right of fixation. fMRI data were collected during a subsequent test phase in which three-letter word-stems were presented, two thirds of which could be completed by a study item. Instructions were to use each stem as a cue to recall a studied word and, when recall was successful, to indicate the word's study location. When recall failed, the stem was to be completed with the first word to come to mind. Relative to stems for which recall failed, word-stems eliciting successful recall were associated with enhanced activity in a variety of cortical regions, including bilateral parietal, posterior midline, and parahippocampal cortex. Activity in these regions was enhanced when recall was accompanied by successful rather than unsuccessful source retrieval. It is proposed that the regions form part of a “recollection network” in which activity is graded according to the amount of information retrieved about a study episode.
The Southern Annular Mode Seen through Weather Regimes
Authors: Pohl Benjamin , Fauchereau Nicolas 
Published: January 2012

This article investigates the prominent features of the Southern Hemisphere (south of 20°S) atmospheric circulation when extracted using EOF analysis and a k-means clustering algorithm. The focus is on the southern annular mode (SAM), the nature of its recent trend, and the zonal symmetry of associated spatial patterns. The study uses the NCEP–Department of Energy Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project II Reanalysis (NCEP-2) (period 1979–2009) to obtain robust patterns over the recent years and the Twentieth Century Reanalysis Project (period 1871–2008) to document decadal changes. Also presented is a comparison of these signals against a station-based reconstruction of the SAM index and a gridded interpolated dataset [Hadley Centre Sea Level Pressure dataset version 2 (HadSLP2)]. Over their common period, both reanalyses are in fair agreement, both in terms of spatial patterns and temporal variability. In particular, both datasets show weather regimes that can be interpreted as the opposite phases of the SAM. At the decadal time scale, the study shows that the trend toward the positive SAM phase (as inferred from the usual EOF-based index) is related more to an increase in the frequency of clusters corresponding to the positive phase, with little changes in the frequency of the negative SAM events. Similarly, the long-term tropospheric warming trend already discussed in the literature is shown to be related more to a decrease in the number of abnormally cold days, with little changes in the number of abnormally warm days. The cluster analysis therefore allows for complement descriptions based on simple indexes or EOF decompositions, highlighting the nonlinear nature of the decadal changes in the Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation and temperature.
Parameterization of Tropical Instability Waves and Examination of Their Impact on ENSO Characteristics
Authors: Imada Yukiko , Kimoto Masahide 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
The impact of tropical instability waves (TIWs) on El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) characteristics is investigated by introducing a new parameterization of TIWs into an atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (AOGCM), the Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate (MIROC), with a medium-resolution (~1.4°) ocean model (known as MIROCmedres). Because this resolution is not sufficient to reproduce eddies at the spatial scale of TIWs, this approach isolates TIW effects from other factors that can affect ENSO characteristics. The parameterization scheme represents the effect of baroclinic eddy heat transport by TIWs. A 100-yr integration reveals a significant role of TIWs in observed ENSO asymmetry. Asymmetric heat transport associated with TIWs that are active (inactive) during La Niña (El Niño) generates a significant asymmetric negative feedback to ENSO and explains the observed asymmetric feature of a stronger-amplitude El Niño and weaker-amplitude La Niña. Furthermore, the parameterized eddy heat flux also affects the mean subsurface heat balance via the shallowing and steepening thermocline. This change in subsurface stratification induces a stronger thermocline feedback and a longer ENSO period.