bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Natural mixture of silica and smectite as a new clayey material for industrial applications
Authors: Sohling U. , Ruf F. , Schurz K. , Emmerich K. , Steudel A. , Schuhmann R. , Weidler P. , Ralla K. , Riechers D. , Kasper C. , Scheper T. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe main physico-chemical properties of a new smectitic clay containing large amounts of amorphous material are reviewed and potential industrial applications of this type of clay are discussed. Due to a 34% amorphous material content (natural silica gel), the investigated clay has very high porosity and can be used as it is or in acid-impregnated form for oil bleaching or phosphate reduction in edible oil. In the field of biodiesel purification, the new clay can be used to remove, in particular, mono-, diglycerides and glycerol. The natural silica-smectite mixture is also suitable as a carrier for liquid ingredients, for example in animal feeds, and might serve as a partial or complete substitute for synthetic precipitated silicas. In the field of bioseparation processes, the clay can be used as an adsorbent for protein separation by means of cation exchange. Due to the suppressed swelling (compared with smectite alone), it can be packed in columns which can be regenerated.
c-Abl mediates endothelial apoptosis induced by inhibition of integrins αvβ3 and αvβ5 and by disruption of actin
Authors: Xu Jingying , Millard Melissa , Ren Xiuhai , Cox Orla T. , Erdreich-Epstein Anat 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
Inhibition of integrins αvβ3 and αvβ5 in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) by the function-blocking peptide RGDfV induces loss of spreading on vitronectin, cell detachment, and apoptosis. We demonstrate that cell detachment is not required for apoptosis because plating on bovine serum albumin–blocked poly-L-lysine (allows attachment, but not integrin ligation and cell spreading) also induced apoptosis. Latrunculin B (LatB), which inhibits F-actin polymerization, induced transient loss of HBMEC spreading on vitronectin, but not their detachment, and induced apoptosis despite recovery of cell spreading. However, LatB did not cause apoptosis in 5 tumor cell lines. In HBMECs, both LatB and RGDfV induced transient Y412 and Y245 phosphorylation of endogenous c-Abl, a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase that reciprocally regulates F-actin. LatB also induced nuclear translocation of c-Abl in HBMECs. STI-571 (imatinib), a targeted therapy for BCR-ABL1+ leukemias and inhibitor of c-Abl, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and c-Kit, decreased endothelial apoptosis. LatB-induced HBMEC apoptosis, and its inhibition by STI-571 also occurred in a 3-dimensional collagen model, supporting physiologic relevance. Last, siRNA to c-Abl (but not nonspecific siRNA) also inhibited RGDfV- and LatB-induced apoptosis. Thus, endogenous c-Abl mediates endothelial apoptosis induced by inhibition of integrins αvβ3/αvβ5 or by LatB-induced disruption of F-actin.
Oral 6-mercaptopurine versus oral 6-thioguanine and veno-occlusive disease in children with standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia: report of the Children's Oncology Group CCG-1952 clinical trial
Authors: Stork Linda C. , Matloub Yousif , Broxson Emmett , La Mei , Yanofsky Rochelle , Sather Harland , Hutchinson Ray , Heerema Nyla A. , Sorrell April D. , Masterson Margaret , Bleyer Archie , Gaynon Paul S. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe Children's Cancer Group 1952 (CCG-1952) clinical trial studied the substitution of oral 6-thioguanine (TG) for 6-mercaptopurine (MP) and triple intrathecal therapy (ITT) for intrathecal methotrexate (IT-MTX) in the treatment of standard-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After remission induction, 2027 patients were randomized to receive MP (n = 1010) or TG (n = 1017) and IT-MTX (n = 1018) or ITT (n = 1009). The results of the thiopurine comparison are as follows. The estimated 7-year event-free survival (EFS) for subjects randomized to TG was 84.1% (± 1.8%) and to MP was 79.0% (± 2.1%; P = .004 log rank), although overall survival was 91.9% (± 1.4%) and 91.2% (± 1.5%), respectively (P = .6 log rank). The TG starting dose was reduced from 60 to 50 mg/m2 per day after recognition of hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD). A total of 257 patients on TG (25%) developed VOD or disproportionate thrombocytopenia and switched to MP. Once portal hypertension occurred, all subjects on TG were changed to MP. The benefit of randomization to TG over MP, as measured by EFS, was evident primarily in boys who began TG at 60 mg/m2 (relative hazard rate [RHR] 0.65, P = .002). The toxicities of TG preclude its protracted use as given in this study. This study is registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00002744.
LAITOR - Literature Assistant for Identification of Terms co-Occurrences and Relationships
Authors: Barbosa-Silva Adriano , Soldatos Theodoros G , Magalhães Ivan LF , Pavlopoulos Georgios A , Fontaine Jean-Fred , Andrade-Navarro Miguel A , Schneider Reinhard , Ortega J Miguel 
Published: February 2010

AbstractBackgroundBiological knowledge is represented in scientific literature that often describes the function of genes/proteins (bioentities) in terms of their interactions (biointeractions). Such bioentities are often related to biological concepts of interest that are specific of a determined research field. Therefore, the study of the current literature about a selected topic deposited in public databases, facilitates the generation of novel hypotheses associating a set of bioentities to a common context.ResultsWe created a text mining system (LAITOR:LiteratureAssistant forIdentification ofTerms co-Occurrences andRelationships) that analyses co-occurrences of bioentities, biointeractions, and other biological terms in MEDLINE abstracts. The method accounts for the position of the co-occurring terms within sentences or abstracts. The system detected abstracts mentioning protein-protein interactions in a standard test (BioCreative II IAS test data) with a precision of 0.82-0.89 and a recall of 0.48-0.70. We illustrate the application of LAITOR to the detection of plant response genes in a dataset of 1000 abstracts relevant to the topic.ConclusionsText mining tools combining the extraction of interacting bioentities and biological concepts with network displays can be helpful in developing reasonable hypotheses in different scientific backgrounds.
Comparative genomics reveals selective distribution and domain organization of FYVE and PX domain proteins across eukaryotic lineages
Authors: Banerjee Sumana , Basu Soumalee , Sarkar Srimonti 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
Phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate is involved in regulation of several key cellular processes, mainly endocytosis, signaling, nuclear processes, cytoskeletal remodelling, cell survival, membrane trafficking, phagosome maturation and autophagy. In most cases effector proteins bind to this lipid, using either FYVE or PX domain. These two domains are distributed amongst varied life forms such as virus, protists, fungi, viridiplantae and metazoa. As the binding ligand is identical for both domains, the goal of this study was to understand if there is any selectivity for either of these domains in different taxa. Further, to understand the different cellular functions that these domains may be involved in, we analyzed the taxonomic distribution of additional domains that associate with FYVE and PX.

Results
There is selectivity for either FYVE or PX in individual genomes where both domains are present. Fungi and metazoa encode more PX, whereas streptophytes in viridiplantae encode more FYVE. Excess of FYVE in streptophytes results from proteins containing RCC1and DZC domains and FYVE domains in these proteins have a non-canonical ligand-binding site. Within a taxonomic group the selected domain associates with a higher number of other domains and is thus expected to discharge a larger number of cellular functions. Also, while certain associated domains are present in all taxonomic groups, most of them are unique to a specific group indicating that while certain common functions are discharged by these domains in all taxonomic groups, some functions appear to be group specific.

Conclusions
Although both FYVE and PX bind to PtdIns(3)P, genomes of different taxa show distinct selectivity of encoding either of the two. Higher numbers of taxonomic group specific domains co-occur with the more abundant domain (FYVE/PX) indicating that group-specific rare domain architectures might have emerged to accomplish certain group-specific functions.
The Arabidopsis pop2-1mutant reveals the involvement of GABA transaminase in salt stress tolerance
Authors: Renault Hugues , Roussel Valérie , El Amrani Abdelhak , Arzel Matthieu , Renault David , Bouchereau Alain , Deleu Carole 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) is a non protein amino acid that has been reported to accumulate in a number of plant species when subjected to high salinity and many other environmental constraints. However, no experimental data are to date available on the molecular function of GABA and the involvement of its metabolism in salt stress tolerance in higher plants. Here, we investigated the regulation of GABA metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana at the metabolite, enzymatic activity and gene transcription levels upon NaCl stress.

Results
We identified the GABA transaminase (GABA-T), the first step of GABA catabolism, as the most responsive to NaCl. We further performed a functional analysis of the corresponding gene POP2 and demonstrated that the previously isolated loss-of-function pop2-1 mutant was oversensitive to ionic stress but not to osmotic stress suggesting a specific role in salt tolerance. NaCl oversensitivity was not associated with overaccumulation of Na+ and Cl- but mutant showed a slight decrease in K+. To bring insights into POP2 function, a promoter-reporter gene strategy was used and showed that POP2 was mainly expressed in roots under control conditions and was induced in primary root apex and aerial parts of plants in response to NaCl. Additionally, GC-MS- and UPLC-based metabolite profiling revealed major changes in roots of pop2-1 mutant upon NaCl stress including accumulation of amino acids and decrease in carbohydrates content.

Conclusions
GABA metabolism was overall up-regulated in response to NaCl in Arabidopsis. Particularly, GABA-T was found to play a pivotal function and impairment of this step was responsible for a decrease in salt tolerance indicating that GABA catabolism was a determinant of Arabidopsis salt tolerance. GABA-T would act in salt responses in linking N and C metabolisms in roots.
Primary care Identification and Referral to Improve Safety of women experiencing domestic violence (IRIS): protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Gregory Alison , Ramsay Jean , Agnew-Davies Roxane , Baird Kathleen , Devine Angela , Dunne Danielle , Eldridge Sandra , Howell Annie , Johnson Medina , Rutterford Clare , Sharp Debbie , Feder Gene 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
Domestic violence, which may be psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional, is a major public health problem due to the long-term health consequences for women who have experienced it and for their children who witness it. In populations of women attending general practice, the prevalence of physical or sexual abuse in the past year from a partner or ex-partner ranges from 6 to 23%, and lifetime prevalence from 21 to 55%. Domestic violence is particularly important in general practice because women have many contacts with primary care clinicians and because women experiencing abuse identify doctors and nurses as professionals from whom they would like to get support. Yet health professionals rarely ask about domestic violence and have little or no training in how to respond to disclosure of abuse.

Methods/Design
This protocol describes IRIS, a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial with the general practice as unit of randomisation. Our trial tests the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a training and support programme targeted at general practice teams. The primary outcome is referral of women to specialist domestic violence agencies. Forty-eight practices in two UK cities (Bristol and London) are randomly allocated, using minimisation, into intervention and control groups. The intervention, based on an adult learning model in an educational outreach framework, has been designed to address barriers to asking women about domestic violence and to encourage appropriate responses to disclosure and referral to specialist domestic violence agencies. Multidisciplinary training sessions are held with clinicians and administrative staff in each of the intervention practices, with periodic feedback of identification and referral data to practice teams. Intervention practices have a prompt to ask about abuse integrated in the electronic medical record system. Other components of the intervention include an IRIS champion in each practice and a direct referral pathway to a named domestic violence advocate.

Discussion
This is the first European randomised controlled trial of an intervention to improve the health care response to domestic violence. The findings will have the potential to inform training and service provision.

Trial registration
ISRCTN74012786
Effect of cardiometabolic risk factors on hypertension management: a cross-sectional study among 28 physician practices in the United States
Authors: Belletti Daniel A , Zacker Christopher , Wogen Jenifer 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Objective
This cross-sectional study sought to determine the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factor clusters (CMRFCs) and their effect on BP control among hypertensive patients from 28 US physician practices.

Methods
Each participating practice identified a random sample of 150-300 adults aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with hypertension. The primary outcome variable was BP control (BP < 140/90 mmHg for non-diabetic and <130/80 mmHg for diabetic patients). CMRFCs included hypertension in addition to obesity, dyslipidemia, and diabetes.

Results
Overall, 6,527 hypertensive patients were identified for study inclusion. More than half (54.3%) were female, and mean age was 64.7 years. Almost half (48.7%) were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). About 1 in every 4 patients (25.3%) had diabetes, and 60.7% had dyslipidemia. Mean blood pressure was 132.5/77.9 mmHg, and 55.0% of all patients had controlled BP; 62.4% of non-diabetic patients, and 33.3% of diabetic hypertensive patients, had BP controlled to recommended levels. Most (81.7%) hypertensive patients had ≥ 1 cardiometabolic risk factor, and 12.2% had all 3 risk factors. As compared to hypertensive patients without additional risk factors, adjusted odds ratios for BP control were significantly lower for all combinations of CMRFCs (ORs 0.15-0.83, all p < 0.04), with the exception of patients who had only dyslipidemia in addition to hypertension (OR = 1.09, p = NS). Prescriber adherence to recommended hypertension treatment guidelines for patients with diabetes, heart failure, or prior myocardial infarction was high. Although patients with risk factors were prescribed more antihypertensive medications than those without, hypertensive patients with all 3 risk factors were prescribed a mean of 2.4 antihypertensive medications compared to 1.7 for those with no risk factors; odds of BP control in these patients, however, was 0.23 [95% CI 0.19-0.29] that of patients with no other CMRFCs.

Conclusions
Across 28 US practices, only 18% of hypertensive patients did not have any additional cardiometabolic risk factors. The high prevalence of CMRFCs presents a challenge to effective hypertension management.
Geographical patterns and predictors of malaria risk in Zambia: Bayesian geostatistical modelling of the 2006 Zambia national malaria indicator survey (ZMIS)
Authors: Riedel Nadine , Vounatsou Penelope , Miller John M , Gosoniu Laura , Chizema-Kawesha Elizabeth , Mukonka Victor , Steketee Rick W 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
The Zambia Malaria Indicator Survey (ZMIS) of 2006 was the first nation-wide malaria survey, which combined parasitological data with other malaria indicators such as net use, indoor residual spraying and household related aspects. The survey was carried out by the Zambian Ministry of Health and partners with the objective of estimating the coverage of interventions and malaria related burden in children less than five years. In this study, the ZMIS data were analysed in order (i) to estimate an empirical high-resolution parasitological risk map in the country and (ii) to assess the relation between malaria interventions and parasitaemia risk after adjusting for environmental and socio-economic confounders.

Methods
The parasitological risk was predicted from Bayesian geostatistical and spatially independent models relating parasitaemia risk and environmental/climatic predictors of malaria. A number of models were fitted to capture the (potential) non-linearity in the malaria-environment relation and to identify the elapsing time between environmental effects and parasitaemia risk. These models included covariates (a) in categorical scales and (b) in penalized and basis splines terms. Different model validation methods were used to identify the best fitting model. Model-based risk predictions at unobserved locations were obtained via Bayesian predictive distributions for the best fitting model.

Results
Model validation indicated that linear environmental predictors were able to fit the data as well as or even better than more complex non-linear terms and that the data do not support spatial dependence. Overall the averaged population-adjusted parasitaemia risk was 20.0% in children less than five years with the highest risk predicted in the northern (38.3%) province. The odds of parasitaemia in children living in a household with at least one bed net decreases by 40% (CI: 12%, 61%) compared to those without bed nets.

Conclusions
The map of parasitaemia risk together with the prediction error and the population at risk give an important overview of the malaria situation in Zambia. These maps can assist to achieve better resource allocation, health management and to target additional interventions to reduce the burden of malaria in Zambia significantly. Repeated surveys will enable the evaluation of the effectiveness of on-going interventions.
Antimicrobial peptaibols, novel suppressors of tumor cells, targeted calcium-mediated apoptosis and autophagy in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Shi Mei , Wang Hong-Na , Xie Shu-Tao , Luo Yan , Sun Cai-Yun , Chen Xiu-Lan , Zhang Yu-Zhong 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world which is highly chemoresistant to currently available chemotherapeutic agents. Thus, novel therapeutic targets are needed to be sought for the successful treatment of HCC. Peptaibols, a family of peptides synthesized non-ribosomally by the Trichoderma species and other fungi, exhibit antibiotic activities against bacteria and fungi. Few studies recently showed that peptaibols exerted cytotoxicity toward human lung epithelial and breast carcinoma cells. However, the mechanism involved in peptaibol-induced cell death remains poorly understood.

Results
Here, we showed that Trichokonin VI (TK VI), a peptaibol from Trichoderma pseudokoningii SMF2, induced growth inhibition of HCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. It did not obviously impair the viability of normal liver cells at lower concentration. Moreover, the suppression of cell viability resulted from the programmed cell death (PCD) with characteristics of apoptosis and autophagy. An influx of Ca2+ triggered the activation of μ-calpain and proceeded to the translocation of Bax to mitochondria and subsequent promotion of apoptosis. On the other hand, typically morphological characteristics consistent with autophagy were also observed by punctate distribution of MDC staining and the induction of LC3-II, including extensive autophagic vacuolization and enclosure of cell organelles by these autophagosomes. More significantly, specific depletion of Bak expression by small RNA interfering (siRNA) could partly attenuate TK VI-induced autophagy. However, siRNA against Bax led to increased autophagy.

Conclusion
Taken together, these findings showed for the first time that peptaibols were novel regulators involved in both apoptosis and autophagy, suggesting that the class of peptaibols might serve as potential suppressors of tumor cells.
Synergistic effect of gefitinib and rofecoxib in mesothelioma cells
Authors: Stoppoloni Daniela , Canino Claudia , Cardillo Irene , Verdina Alessandra , Baldi Alfonso , Sacchi Ada , Galati Rossella 
Published: February 2010

Abstract

Background
Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive tumor that is resistant to conventional modes of treatment with chemotherapy, surgery or radiation. Research into the molecular pathways involved in the development of MM should yield information that will guide therapeutic decisions. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) are involved in the carcinogenesis of MM. Combination of COX-2 and EGFR inhibitors, therefore, could be an effective strategy for reducing cell growth in those lines expressing the two molecular markers.

Results
In order to verify the effect of COX-2 and EGFR inhibitors, five MM cell lines NCI-2452, MPP89, Ist-Mes-1, Ist-Mes-2 and MSTO-211 were characterized for COX-2 and EGFR and then treated with respective inhibitors (rofecoxib and gefitinib) alone and in combination. Only MPP89, Ist-Mes-1 and Ist-Mes-2 were sensitive to rofecoxib and showed growth-inhibition upon gefitinib treatment. The combination of two drugs demonstrated synergistic effects on cell killing only in Ist-Mes-2, the cell line that was more sensitive to gefitinib and rofecoxib alone. Down-regulation of COX-2, EGFR, p-EGFR and up-regulation of p21 and p27 were found in Ist-Mes-2, after treatment with single agents and in combination. In contrast, association of two drugs resulted in antagonistic effect in Ist-Mes-1 and MPP89. In these cell lines after rofecoxib exposition, only an evident reduction of p-AKT was observed. No change in p-AKT in Ist-Mes-1 and MPP89 was observed after treatment with gefitinib alone and in combination with rofecoxib.

Conclusions
Gefitinib and rofecoxib exert cell type-specific effects that vary between different MM cells. Total EGFR expression and downstream signalling does not correlate with gefitinib sensitivity. These data suggest that the effect of gefitinib can be potentiated by rofecoxib in MM cell lines where AKT is not activated.