bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
BODIES AT THE MARGINS: The Case of Transsexuality in Catholic and Shia Ethics
Authors: Bucar Elizabeth M. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTThis essay explores the ways in which emerging religious understandings of sexual reassignment surgery (SRS) have potential for new work in comparative ethics. I focus on the startling diversity of teachings on transsexuality among the Vatican and leading Shia clerics in Iran. While the Vatican rejects SRS as a cure for transsexuality, Iranian clerics not only support decisions to transition to a new sex, they see it as necessary in some cases given the gendered nature of the moral life. In this essay, after describing the practical justification for sexual reassignment surgeries in Iranian fatwas and the emerging official Vatican position on transsexuality, I explain how these divergent positions are based on different semiotics of sex and gender that reflect specific ontological views of the human body.
Environment‐dependent inbreeding depression: its ecological and evolutionary significance
Authors: Cheptou Pierre‐Olivier , Donohue Kathleen 
Published: November 2010

SummaryInbreeding depression is a major evolutionary and ecological force that influences population dynamics and the evolution of inbreeding‐avoidance traits such as mating systems and dispersal. There is now compelling evidence that inbreeding depression is environment‐dependent. Here, we discuss ecological and evolutionary consequences of environment‐dependent inbreeding depression. The environmental dependence of inbreeding depression may be caused by environment‐dependent phenotypic expression, environment‐dependent dominance, and environment‐dependent natural selection. The existence of environment‐dependent inbreeding depression challenges classical models of inbreeding as caused by unconditionally deleterious alleles, and suggests that balancing selection may shape inbreeding depression in natural populations; loci associated with inbreeding depression in some environments may even contribute to adaptation to others. Environment‐dependent inbreeding depression also has important, often neglected, ecological and evolutionary consequences: it can influence the demography of marginal or colonizing populations and alter adaptive optima of mating systems, dispersal, and their associated traits. Incorporating the environmental dependence of inbreeding depression into theoretical models and empirical studies is necessary for understanding the genetic and ecological basis of inbreeding depression and its consequences in natural populations.

Contents

Summary
395

I.
Introduction
396

II.
What is inbreeding depression?
396

III.
Causes of environment‐dependent inbreeding depression
397

IV.
Ecological and evolutionary consequences of environment‐dependent inbreeding depression
401

V.
Feedbacks when inbreeding depression influences the environment
404

VI.
Conclusions and future directions
405

Acknowledgements
406

References
406
Caffeic acid phenethyl ester protects against oxidative stress‐related renal dysfunction in rats treated with cyclosporin A
Authors: Wongmekiat Orawan , Gomonchareonsiri Sumittra , Thamprasert Kamthorn 
Published: November 2010

AbstractThe therapeutic index of cyclosporin A (CsA), an immunosuppressive drug, is limited by its nephrotoxic effect. Oxidative stress is suggested to play a crucial role as pathogenic factors. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a phenolic antioxidant, on renal function, morphology, and oxidative stress following CsA treatment. Rats were treated with vehicle, CsA (50 mg/kg), and CsA plus CAPE (10 and 30 μmol/kg) for 10 days. Renal function, histopathology, and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were evaluated 24 h after the last treatment. CsA produced nephrotoxicity as indicated by a significant increase in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, but decrease creatinine and urea clearance compared to those treated with vehicle. Severe vacuolations and tubular necrosis were evident in the kidney of CsA‐treated rats. CsA also increased renal MDA and decreased GSH content significantly. Administration of CAPE along with CsA restored all the changes caused by CsA. These results clearly demonstrate the pivotal role of oxidative stress and its relation to renal dysfunction and also point to the protective potential of CAPE against CsA nephrotoxicity. The protection afforded by CAPE is mediated, at least in part, through inhibiting renal lipid peroxidation and enhancing or maintaining the antioxidant glutathione content.
Radiofrequency Ablation Within the First Intercoccygeal Disk for Coccygodynia: A Case Report
Authors: Scemama Pascal , Shaparin Naum , Kaufman Andrew , Dua Susheel 
Published: November 2010

AbstractInterventional procedures for coccydynia (coccygodynia) are limited. This is a case report of long‐term improvement following radiofrequency ablation (RFA) within the 1st intercoccygeal disk.Case Presentation:  A 44‐year‐old female presented with a 1 year history of coccydynia following a fall. Examination under fluoroscopy localized her pain at the disk between the 1st and 2nd coccygeal vertebrae. Provocation with needle entry reproduced the patient's pain, and the 1st intercoccygeal disk was injected with 40 mg of methylprednisolone. This gave the patient excellent relief for about 3 weeks. The procedure was repeated at 4 weeks, providing with the same response. Decision was then made to proceed with RFA. Her symptoms were reproduced in response to stimulation at 50 Hz with 0.9 V, and stimulation at 2 Hz at 2 V did not result in any motor stimulation. RFA was then carried out at 70°C for 80 seconds, followed by injection of 20 mg of methylprednisolone. The patient's Numeric Rating Scale pain score decreased from 9/10 to 3/10 after the RFA. She had about 70% relief for about 6 months.Discussion:  There is evidence that intercoccygeal disks can be a source of coccydynia. Immunohistochemistry has shown mechanoreceptors in intercoccygeal disks, and coccygeal discography has been shown to reproduce coccygeal pain. Intercoccygeal disk injection is described as a therapeutic option in the literature. Because various RFA techniques have been successfully used for intervertebral diskogenic pain, the decision was made to attempt RFA at the 1st intercoccygeal disk with resultant significant long‐term improvement.
Clarifying the Standard Deviational Ellipse
Authors: Gong Jianxin 
Published: November 2010

For a set of geographical units in the Cartesian coordinate system, the locus of the standard deviation of the x coordinates of the set forms a closed curve as the system is rotated about the origin. This curve, often referred to as “standard deviational ellipse” (SDE), is not in fact an ellipse. The actual shape of the curve has remained unclear since the issue was mentioned initially by Lefever in 1926. In the present paper this closed curve, referred to as “standard deviation curve” (SDC), is clarified mathematically, and some of its applications in spatial analysis are discussed.The shape of SDC changes from a single circle to double circles when the distribution of the set of geographical units changes from an even condition to a straight line. The shape of SDC is determined explicitly by the ratio of its minor axis to its major axis. This ratio, therefore, is a useful index to show to what extent the distribution of a set of geographical units is circular, or linear. In addition, the size and radius of SDC can be used to indicate the distribution density of geographical units. The major axis of SDC, whose angle is determined explicitly for the first time, indicates the major orientation of geographical units.A program has been developed to apply SDC to spatial analysis (mean center, major orientation, distribution density, circular condition, etc.). The program is available from jx_gong@hotmail.com. It is written in the MapBasic language, and runs under MapInfo.
In vivo investigation on connective tissue healing to polished surfaces with different surface wettability
Authors: Kloss Frank R. , Steinmüller‐Nethl Doris , Stigler Robert G. , Ennemoser Thomas , Rasse Michael , Hächl Oliver 
Published: November 2010

AbstractObjectives: Connective tissue in contact to transgingival/‐dermal implants presents itself as tight scar formation. Although rough surfaces support the attachment they increase bacterial colonisation as well. In contrast to surface roughness, little is known about the influence of surface wettability on soft‐tissue healing in vivo. We therefore investigated the influence of different surface wettabilities on connective tissue healing at polished implant surfaces in vivo.Material and methods: Three polished experimental groups (titanium, titanium coated with hydrophobic nano‐crystalline diamond (H‐NCD) and titanium coated with hydrophilic nano‐crystalline diamond (O‐NCD) were inserted into the subcutaneous connective tissue of the abdominal wall of 24 rats. Animals were sacrificed after 1 and 4 weeks resulting in eight specimen per group per time point. Specimen were subjected to histological evaluation (van Giesson's staining) and immunohistochemistry staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), fibronectin and tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α).Results: Histological evaluation revealed dense scar formation at the titanium and H‐NCD surfaces. In contrast, the connective tissue was loose at the O‐NCD surface with a significantly higher number of cells after 4 weeks. O‐NCD demonstrated a strong expression of PCNA and fibronectin but a weak expression of TNF‐α. In contrast, the PCNA and fibronectin expression was low at the titanium and H‐NCD, with a strong signal of TNF‐α at the H‐NCD surface.Conclusions: Hydrophilicity influences the connective tissue healing at polished implant surfaces in vivo positively. The attachment of connective tissue and the number of cells in contact to the surface were increased. Moreover, the inflammatory response is decreased at the hydrophilic surface. To cite this article:
Kloss FR, Steinmüller‐Nethl D, Stigler RG, Ennemoser T, Rasse M, Hächl O. In vivo investigation on connective tissue healing to polished surfaces with different surface wettability. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 22, 2011; 699–705 doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2010.02038.x
Methods for Evaluation of Humoral Immune Responses in Human Genital Tract Secretions
Authors: Mestecky Jiri , Alexander Rashada C. , Wei Qing , Moldoveanu Zina 
Published: November 2010

Citation Mestecky J, Alexander RC, Wei Q, Moldoveanu Z. Methods for evaluation of humoral immune responses in human genital tract secretions. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 65: 361–367The compilation of epidemiological, virological, and immunological data clearly indicates that HIV‐1 infection must be considered primarily as a disease of the mucosal immune system. The earliest and most dramatic alterations of the immune system occur in the mucosal compartment. However, the mucosal immune systems of the genital and intestinal tracts display remarkable immunological differences that must be considered in the evaluation of humoral immune responses in HIV‐1‐infected individuals or in volunteers immunized with experimental HIV vaccines. In this regard, marked differences in the dominant Ig isotypes, molecular forms of HIV‐1‐specific antibodies, and their distinct effector functions in the genital versus intestinal tracts must be carefully evaluated and considered in the measurement and interpretation of humoral immune responses. Appropriate controls and alternative immunochemical assays should be used to complement and confirm results generated by ELISA, which are prone to false positivity. Special precautions and rigorous controls must be used in the evaluation of antibody‐mediated virus neutralization in external secretions of the genital and intestinal tracts.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Rural Communities: Current Research and Future Directions
Authors: Wardle Jon , Lui Chi‐Wai , Adams Jon 
Published: November 2010

AbstractContexts: The consumption of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in rural areas is a significant contemporary health care issue. An understanding of CAM use in rural health can provide a new perspective on health beliefs and practice as well as on some of the core service delivery issues facing rural health care generally.Purpose: This article presents the first review and synthesis of research findings on CAM use and practice in rural communities.Methods: A comprehensive search of literature from 1998 to 2010 in CINAHL, MEDLINE, AMED, and CSA Illumina (social sciences) was conducted. The search was confined to peer‐reviewed articles published in English reporting empirical research findings on the use or practice of CAM in rural settings.Findings: Research findings are grouped and examined according to 3 key themes: “prevalence of CAM use and practice,”“user profile and trends of CAM consumption,” and “potential drivers and barriers to CAM use and practice.”Conclusions: Evidence from recent research illustrates the substantial prevalence and complexity of CAM use in rural regions. A number of potential gaps in our understanding of CAM use and practice in rural settings are also identified.
Retrospect of the Chinese Exchange Rate Regime after Reform: Stylized Facts during the Period from 2005 to 2010
Authors: Sun Jie 
Published: November 2010

AbstractIn the present paper, we estimate the de facto RMB exchange rate regime, the currency basket, the floating band and the foreign exchange market pressure before and after the reform of the Chinese exchange rate regime in 2005. We find the following stylized facts: the value of the RMB became stable after the reform; the weight of the US dollar remained high in the basket, while other currencies remained statistically significant; and the floating band gradually increased to 10 percent during 2005–2008, and then greatly narrowed from the late summer of 2008 under the assumption of a yearly resetting interval. We find that the foreign exchange market pressure increased from 2005 to 2008. A possible reason is that the weight of the US dollar in the basket was slightly lower than the share of the US dollar in total transactions on the Chinese foreign exchange market. Therefore, it is reasonable for China to adopt a dollar peg exchange rate regime.
Molecular insights on the biosynthesis of antitumour compounds by actinomycetes
Authors: Olano Carlos , Méndez Carmen , Salas José A. 
Published: November 2010

SummaryNatural products are traditionally the main source of drug leads. In particular, many antitumour compounds are either natural products or derived from them. However, the search for novel antitumour drugs active against untreatable tumours, with fewer side‐effects or with enhanced therapeutic efficiency, is a priority goal in cancer chemotherapy. Microorganisms, particularly actinomycetes, are prolific producers of bioactive compounds, including antitumour drugs, produced as secondary metabolites. Structural genes involved in the biosynthesis of such compounds are normally clustered together with resistance and regulatory genes, which facilitates the isolation of the gene cluster. The characterization of these clusters has represented, during the last 25 years, a great source of genes for the generation of novel derivatives by using combinatorial biosynthesis approaches: gene inactivation, gene expression, heterologous expression of the clusters or mutasynthesis. In addition, these techniques have been also applied to improve the production yields of natural and novel antitumour compounds. In this review we focus on some representative antitumour compounds produced by actinomycetes covering the genetic approaches used to isolate and validate their biosynthesis gene clusters, which finally led to generating novel derivatives and to improving the production yields.
Genus Bupleurum: a review of its phytochemistry, pharmacology and modes of action
Authors: Ashour Mohamed L , Wink Michael 
Published: November 2010

Abstract

Objectives
Radix Bupleuri represents one of the most successful and widely used herbal drugs in Asia for treatment of many diseases over the past 2000 years. Thorough studies have been carried out on many species of this genus and have generated immense data about the chemical composition and corresponding biological activity of extracts and isolated secondary metabolites. In this work, we review the chemistry and pharmacology of the genus Bupleurum and explore the relationships between the pharmacological effects and the chemical composition of these drugs.

Key findings
Early studies on the genus Bupleurum had focused only on the traditional uses of the plants in the treatment of inflammatory disorders and infectious diseases. After chemical profiling, several groups of secondary metabolites were characterized with relevant biological activity: triterpene saponins (saikosaponins), lignans, essential oils and polysaccharides. As a result, present interest is now focused on the bioactivity of the isolated triterpene saponins acting as immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antiviral agents, as well as on the observed ant-iulcer activity of the polysaccharides and anti-proliferative activity of different lignans. Many saikosaponins exhibited very potent anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory activities both in vivo and in vitro.

Conclusions
Further investigations and screenings are required to explore other Bupleurum species, to evaluate the clinical safety and possible interactions with other drugs or herbs. Standardization of Bupleuri extracts is crucial for them being integrated into conventional medicine due to large chemical and biological variations between different species and varieties.
Chemical Looping Combustion Using the Direct Combustion of Liquid Metal in a Gas Turbine Based Cycle
Authors: McGlashan Niall R. , Childs Peter R. N. , Heyes Andrew L. 
Published: November 2010

Abstract
A combined cycle gas-turbine generating power and hydrogen is proposed and evaluated. The cycle embodies chemical looping combustion (CLC) and uses a Na based oxygen carrier. In operation, a stoichiometric excess of liquid Na is injected directly into the combustion chamber of a gas-turbine cycle, where it is burnt in compressed O2 produced in an external air separation unit (ASU). The resulting combustion chamber exit stream consists of hot Na vapor and this is expanded in a turbine. Liquid Na2O oxide is also generated in the combustion process but this can be separated, readily, from the Na vapor and collects in a pool at the bottom of the reactor. To regenerate liquid Na from Na2O, and hence complete the chemical loop, a reduction reactor (the reducer) is fed with three streams: the hot Na2O from the oxidizer, the Na vapor (plus some entrained wetness) exiting a Na-turbine, and a stream of solid fuel, which is assumed to be pure carbon for simplicity. The sensible heat content of the liquid Na2O and latent and sensible heat of the Na vapor provide the heat necessary to drive the endothermic reduction reaction and ensure the reducer is externally adiabatic. The exit gas from the reducer consists of almost pure CO, which can be used to generate byproduct H2 using the water-gas shift reaction. A mass and energy balance of the system is conducted assuming reactions reach equilibrium. The analysis allows for losses associated with turbomachinery; heat exchangers are assumed to operate with a finite approach temperature. However, pressure losses in equipment and pipework are assumed negligible—a reasonable assumption for this type of analysis that will still yield meaningful data. The analysis confirms that the combustion chamber exit temperature is limited by both first and second law considerations to a value suitable for a practical gas-turbine. The analysis also shows that the overall efficiency of the cycle, under optimum conditions and taking into account the work necessary to drive the ASU, can exceed 75%.
mexEF-oprN
Multidrug Efflux Operon of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
: Regulation by the MexT Activator in Response to Nitrosative Stress and Chloramphenicol
Authors: Fetar Hossam , Gilmour Christie , Klinoski Rachael , Daigle Denis M. , Dean Charles R. , Poole Keith 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT

A null mutation in the
mexS
gene of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
yielded an increased level of expression of a 3-gene operon containing a gene,
xenB
, whose product is highly homologous to a xenobiotic reductase in
Pseudomonas fluorescens
shown previously to remove nitro groups from trinitrotoluene and nitroglycerin (D. S. Blehert, B. G. Fox, and G. H. Chambliss, J. Bacteriol. 181:6254, 1999). This expression, which paralleled an increase in
mexEF-oprN
expression in the same mutant, was, like
mexEF-oprN
, dependent on the MexT LysR family positive regulator previously implicated in
mexEF-oprN
expression. As nitration is a well-known result of nitrosative stress, a role for
xenB
(and the coregulated
mexEF-oprN
) in a nitrosative stress response was hypothesized and tested. Using
s
-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) as a source of nitrosative stress, the expression of
xenB
and
mexEF-oprN
was shown to be GSNO inducible, although in the case of
xenB
, this was seen only for a mutant lacking MexEF-OprN. In both instances, this GSNO-inducible expression was dependent upon MexT. Chloramphenicol, a nitroaromatic antimicrobial that is a substrate for MexEF-OprN, was shown to induce
mexEF-oprN
but not
xenB
, again dependent upon the MexT regulator, possibly because it resembles a nitrosated nitrosative stress product accommodated by MexEF-OprN.
Antibody to Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand Ameliorates T Cell-Mediated Periodontal Bone Resorption
Authors: Lin Xiaoping , Han Xiaozhe , Kawai Toshihisa , Taubman Martin A. 
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACTActivated T and B lymphocytes in periodontal disease lesions express receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), which induces osteoclastic bone resorption. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of anti-RANKL antibody on periodontal bone resorptionin vitroandin vivo. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitansouter membrane protein 29 (Omp29) andA. actinomycetemcomitanslipopolysaccharide (LPS) were injected into 3 palatal gingival sites, and Omp29-specific T clone cells were transferred into the tail veins of rats. Rabbit anti-RANKL IgG antibody or F(ab′)2antibody fragments thereof were injected into the palatal sites in each rat (days −1, 1, and 3). Anti-RANKL IgG antibody significantly inhibited soluble RANKL (sRANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesisin vitro, in a dose-dependent manner, but also gave rise to a rat antibody response to rabbit IgGin vivo, with no significant inhibition of periodontal bone resorption detected. Lower doses (1.5 and 0.15 μg/3 sites) of F(ab′)2antibody were not immunogenic in the context of the experimental model. Periodontal bone resorption was inhibited significantly by injection of the anti-RANKL F(ab′)2antibody into gingivae. The sRANKL concentrations for the antibody-treated groups were decreased significantly compared to those for the untreated group. Osteoclasts on the alveolar bone surface were also diminished significantly after antibody injection. Gingival sRANKL concentration and bone loss showed a significant correlation with one another in animals receiving anti-RANKL F(ab′)2antibody. These results suggest that antibody to RANKL can inhibitA. actinomycetemcomitans-specific T cell-induced periodontal bone resorption by blockade and reduction of tissue sRANKL, providing an immunological approach to ameliorate immune cell-mediated periodontal bone resorption.