bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A derivative of 2-aminothiazole inhibits melanogenesis in B16 mouse melanoma cells via glycogen synthase kinase 3β phosphorylation
Authors: Kim Su Yeon , Hahn Hoh-Gyu , Nam Kee Dal , Park Kyoung-Chan , Yun Hye-Young , Baek Kwang Jin , Kwon Nyoun Soo , Kim Dong-Seok 
Published: June 2011

Abstract

Objectives
We have investigated whether KHG25855 (2-cyclohexylamino-1,3-thiazole hydrochloride) affected melanogenesis in B16 mouse melanoma cells, and the mechanisms involved.

Methods
Melanin content and tyrosinase activity were measured using an ELISA reader after cells were treated with KHG25855. KHG25855-induced signalling pathways were examined using Western blot analysis.

Key findings
KHG25855 decreased melanin production in a dose-dependent fashion, but KHG25855 did not directly inhibit tyrosinase, the rate-limiting melanogenic enzyme. The expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor, tyrosinase, and the related signal transduction pathways were also investigated. The effects of KHG25855 on the extracellular signal-regulated kinase and cAMP response element binding protein signalling pathways were determined, and KHG25855 was shown to have no effect on these signalling pathways. The Wnt signalling pathway is also deeply involved in melanogenesis, and so glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) phosphorylation was assessed after KHG25855 treatment; KHG25855 caused GSK3β phosphorylation (inactivation), but the level of β-catenin was not changed by KHG25855. Furthermore, α-melanocyte stimulating hormone-induced tyrosinase expression was downregulated by KHG25855.

Conclusions
We propose that KHG25855 showed hypopigmentary activity through tyrosinase downregulation via GSK3β phosphorylation.
Up-regulation of P-glycoprotein reduces intracellular accumulation of beta amyloid: investigation of P-glycoprotein as a novel therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Abuznait Alaa H , Cain Courtney , Ingram Drury , Burk David , Kaddoumi Amal 
Published: June 2011

Abstract

Objectives
Several studies have suggested the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) to play a role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease through the clearance of amyloid beta (Aβ) from the brain. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possibility of P-gp as a potential therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease by examining the impact of P-gp up-regulation on the clearance of Aβ, a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods
Uptake studies for 125I-radiolabelled Aβ1–40, and fluorescent immunostaining technique for P-gp and fluorescent imaging of Aβ1–40 were carried out in LS-180 cells following treatment with drugs known to induce P-gp expression.

Key findings
Approximately 10–35% decrease in 125I-Aβ1–40 intracellular accumulation was observed in cells treated with rifampicin, dexamethasone, caffeine, verapamil, hyperforin, β-estradiol and pentylenetetrazole compared with control. Also, fluorescent micrographs showed an inverse relationship between levels of P-gp expression and 5-carboxyfluorescein labelled Aβ (FAM-Aβ1–40) intracellular accumulation. Quantitative analysis of the micrographs revealed that the results were consistent with those of the uptake studies using 125I-Aβ1–40.

Conclusions
The investigated drugs were able to improve the efflux of Aβ1–40 from the cells via P-gp up-regulation compared with control. Our results elucidate the importance of targeting Aβ clearance via P-gp up-regulation, which will be effective in slowing or halting the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Pre-emptive intrathecal quinidine alleviates spinal nerve ligation-induced peripheral neuropathic pain
Authors: Cheng Kuang-I , Wang Hung-Chen , Lai Chung-Sheng , Tsai Hung-Pei , Kwan Aij-Lie , Ho Shung-Tai , Wang Jhi-Joung , Chang Lin-Li 
Published: June 2011

Abstract

Objectives
Quinidine, a class I anti-arrhythmic agent, is a sodium channel blocker that is more potent than lidocaine and mexiletine. This study tested pre-emptive intrathecal quinidine to attenuate neuropathic pain induced by lumbar spinal nerve ligation (SNL).

Methods
Ninety-six adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were grouped equally (n = 24 per group) as follows: group S (sham), removal of transverse process only; group L, SNL; group Q35, SNL pretreated with intrathecal quinidine 35 mm (50 µl); group Q70, SNL pretreated with intrathecal quinidine 70 mm (50 µl). Neuropathic pain was measured by thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. Other measurements included dys-regulation of sodium channel Nav1.3 in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and spinal microglia activation in spinal dorsal horn.

Key findings
Spinal nerve ligation induced abnormal mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia, up-regulated Nav1.3 in DRG, and activated microglia in spinal cord. Group Q70 showed attenuated thermal hyperalgesia (P &lt; 0.001) and mechanical allodynia (P &lt; 0.05) on postoperative day 5 (POD5) but not on POD7, reversed up-regulated expression of Nav1.3 on POD3 and POD7 in DRG and significantly attenuated microglia activation on POD7 (P = 0.032) in spinal cord.

Conclusions
Pretreatment with intrathecal quinidine 70 mm before SNL attenuates nerve ligation-induced neuropathic pain. The duration of the effect is 5 days.
The dimensions of positive emotions
Authors: Argyle Michael , Crossland Jill 
Published: June 2011

This study was designed to investigate the dimensionality of positive emotions and was run in two parts. In part 1, subjects were given a set of 24 different life‐situations all of which commonly give rise to positive emotions. They sorted the 24 situations into groups on the basis of whether or not they produced similar emotional responses. In part 2 of the study subjects rated each of the 24 situations on 13 emotion scales.The grouping data obtained in part 1 were submitted to multidimensional scaling (MDS) and returned a four‐dimensional solution. Canonical correlations between the four MDS dimensions and the 13 emotion scales revealed that dimension 1 is best explained by ‘absorption’, dimension 2 by ‘potency’, dimension 3 by ‘altruistic’ and dimension 4 by ‘spiritual’. These correlations were then married to an interpretation of the situations falling high and low on each of the four dimensions, with the following results. Dimension 1 distinguishes internal or private situations from social situations, dimension 2, achievement from leisure situations, dimension 3, social demands from self‐indulgence, and dimension 4, serious from trivial situations. The implications of these findings for the study of emotion are discussed.
Social projection as a function of cognitive mechanisms: Two meta‐analytic integrations
Authors: Mullen Brian , Hu Li‐tze 
Published: June 2011

Two meta‐analyses were conducted on the results of previous research examining two distinct species of social projection: under‐/overestimation of consensus, and false consensus. These meta‐analyses were guided by an interest in the relative contributions of cognitive mechanisms and motivational mechanisms to social projection. The following patterns were observed in these meta‐analyses: the majority significantly underestimates its own consensus; the minority significantly overestimates its own consensus; the minority's overestimation is substantially greater than the majority's underestimation; the majority's tendency to underestimate increases, and the minority's tendency to overestimate decreases, as actual consensus increases; estimates of consensus made before behavioural choices are generally larger; estimates of consensus are larger when the consensus estimation question asks for estimation of consensus for one's own group; false consensus effects are significant and of moderate magnitude; false consensus decreases as the difference in the relative size of the majority and the minority increases; false consensus is largest when estimates of consensus are made before choices; and false consensus is largest when the consensus estimation question asks for estimates of consensus for one's own group. Discussion considers the implications of these results for the relative contributions of cognition and motivation to social projection.I am quite sure that the average man is built just as I am; otherwise, I should not be making this revelation of my inside.Mark Twain (1908) Something About Repentance.
The role of stereotyping in system‐justification and the production of false consciousness
Authors: Jost John T. , Banaji Mahzarin R. 
Published: June 2011

Although the concept of justification has played a significant role in many social psychological theories, its presence in recent examinations of stereotyping has been minimal. We describe and evaluate previous notions of stereotyping as ego‐justification and group‐justification and propose an additional account, that of system‐justification, which refers to psychological processes contributing to the preservation of existing social arrangements even at the expense of personal and group interest. It is argued that the notion of system‐justification is necessary to account for previously unexplained phenomena, most notably the participation by disadvantaged individuals and groups in negative stereotypes of themselves, and the consensual nature of stereotypic beliefs despite differences in social relations within and between social groups. We offer a selective review of existing research that demonstrates the role of stereotypes in the production of false consciousness and develop the implications of a system‐justification approach.[T]he rationalizing and justifying function of a stereotype exceeds its function as a reflector of group attributes—G. W. Allport (1958, p. 192).
Comprehending the Scottish caution: Do offenders understand their right to remain silent?
Authors: Cooke David J. , Philip Lorraine 
Published: June 2011

Objectives. The Scottish legal system differs from that which pertains in the rest of the United Kingdom, for example, there is no standard police caution to administer to suspects in Scotland. The absence of a standardized caution may result in suspects being presented with a caution which is both semantically and syntactically complex. Over the last 30 years the central role given to an individual's appreciation that he/she has the right to remain silent has diminished when evaluating whether a confession has been obtained fairly. This study examines the extent to which offenders understand the caution and the factors which influence their level of comprehension.Methods. A Scottish Comprehension of Caution instrument was developed. One hundred convicted young offenders were assessed using this instrument, a short form of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised and a range of measures of criminal experience and attitudes.Results. The overall level of comprehension was low: while 89 per cent claimed to fully understand the caution only 11 per cent were considered to have a complete understanding. Level of understanding was linked to cognitive functioning and not linked to demographic or criminal justice variables.Conclusions. It is argued that the semantic and syntactic complexity of the caution is a significant barrier to understanding. This may reflect the fact that the archival function of legal language takes precedence over its communicative function.
Parenting influences on bullying and victimization
Authors: Baldry Anna C. , Farrington David P. 
Published: June 2011

Purpose. The main aim of this research was to investigate the parental styles and personal characteristics of bullies and victims, and to disentangle factors related to bully/victims from factors related to children who were only bullies or only victims.Method. A self‐report questionnaire on bullying was completed by 113 girls and 125 boys aged 11–14 years in a middle school in Rome.Results. Over half of all students had bullied others in the previous three months, and nearly half had been victimized. About a quarter of all students were both bullies and victims. Bullies tended to be male and to have low pro‐social behaviour, but these were largely characteristics of children who were only bullies. Victims tended to be female and to have low self‐esteem, but these were largely characteristics of children who were only victims. Children who were both bullies and victims tended to have authoritarian parents, but these were largely characteristics of bully/victims.Conclusions. It is important to study only bullies, only victims and bully/victims, as well as bullies and victims in general. Personal characteristics were related to only bullies or only victims, whereas parental styles were more related to bully/victims.
Lactobacilli Antagonize the Growth, Motility, and Adherence of Brachyspira pilosicoli: a Potential Intervention against Avian Intestinal Spirochetosis
Authors: Mappley Luke J. , Tchórzewska Monika A. , Cooley William A. , Woodward Martin J. , La Ragione Roberto M. 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT

Avian intestinal spirochetosis (AIS) results from the colonization of the ceca and colorectum of poultry by pathogenic
Brachyspira
species. The number of cases of AIS has increased since the 2006 European Union ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters, which, together with emerging antimicrobial resistance in
Brachyspira
, has driven renewed interest in alternative intervention strategies. Probiotics have been reported as protecting livestock against infection with common enteric pathogens, and here we investigate which aspects of the biology of
Brachyspira
they antagonize in order to identify possible interventions against AIS. The cell-free supernatants (CFS) of two
Lactobacillus
strains,
Lactobacillus reuteri
LM1 and
Lactobacillus salivarius
LM2, suppressed the growth of
Brachyspira pilosicoli
B2904 in a pH-dependent manner. In
in vitro
adherence and invasion assays with HT29-16E three-dimensional (3D) cells and in a novel avian cecal
in vitro
organ culture (IVOC) model, the adherence and invasion of
B. pilosicoli
in epithelial cells were reduced significantly by the presence of lactobacilli (
P
< 0.001). In addition, live and heat-inactivated lactobacilli inhibited the motility of
B. pilosicoli
, and electron microscopic observations indicated that contact between the lactobacilli and
Brachyspira
was crucial in inhibiting both adherence and motility. These data suggest that motility is essential for
B. pilosicoli
to adhere to and invade the gut epithelium and that any interference of motility may be a useful tool for the development of control strategies.
Isolation and Characterization of a Single-Stranded DNA Virus Infecting Chaetoceros lorenzianus Grunow
Authors: Tomaru Yuji , Takao Yoshitake , Suzuki Hidekazu , Nagumo Tamotsu , Koike Kanae , Nagasaki Keizo 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT

Diatoms are one of the most significant primary producers in the ocean, and the importance of viruses as a potential source of mortality for diatoms has recently been recognized. Thus far, eight different diatom viruses infecting the genera
Rhizosolenia
and
Chaetoceros
have been isolated and characterized to different extents. We report the isolation of a novel diatom virus (ClorDNAV), which causes the lysis of the bloom-forming species
Chaetoceros lorenzianus
, and show its physiological, morphological, and genomic characteristics. The free virion was estimated to be ∼34 nm in diameter. The arrangement of virus particles appearing in cross-section was basically a random aggregation in the nucleus. Occasionally, distinctive formations such as a ring-like array composed of 9 or 10 spherical virions or a centipede-like array composed of rod-shaped particles were also observed. The latent period and the burst size were estimated to be <48 h and 2.2 × 10
4
infectious units per host cell, respectively. ClorDNAV harbors a covalently closed circular single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) genome (5,813 nucleotides [nt]) that includes a partially double-stranded DNA region (979 nt). At least three major open reading frames were identified; one showed a high similarity to putative replicase-related proteins of the other ssDNA diatom viruses,
Chaetoceros salsugineum
DNA virus (previously reported as CsNIV) and
Chaetoceros tenuissimus
DNA virus. ClorDNAV is the third member of the closed circular ssDNA diatom virus group, the genus
Bacilladnavirus
.
Molecular Characterization of Noroviruses and Rotaviruses Involved in a Large Outbreak of Gastroenteritis in Northern Italy
Authors: Di Bartolo Ilaria , Monini Marina , Losio Marina Nadia , Pavoni Enrico , Lavazza Antonio , Ruggeri Franco Maria 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT
Noroviruses and rotaviruses from a gastroenteritis outbreak affecting >300 people near Garda Lake (Northern Italy) in 2009 were investigated. Characterization of viruses from 40 patient stool samples and 5 environmental samples identified three distinct rotavirus and five norovirus genotypes; two of the latter were detected in both patient and environmental samples.
Common Ancestry and Novel Genetic Traits of Francisella novicida-Like Isolates from North America and Australia as Revealed by Comparative Genomic Analyses
Authors: Siddaramappa Shivakumara , Challacombe Jean F , Petersen Jeannine M , Pillai Segaran , Hogg Geoff , Kuske Cheryl R 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT

Francisella novicida
is a close relative of
Francisella tularensis
, the causative agent of tularemia. The genomes of
F. novicida
-like clinical isolates 3523 (Australian strain) and Fx1 (Texas strain) were sequenced and compared to
F. novicida
strain U112 and
F. tularensis
strain Schu S4. The strain 3523 chromosome is 1,945,310 bp and contains 1,854 protein-coding genes. The strain Fx1 chromosome is 1,913,619 bp and contains 1,819 protein-coding genes. NUCmer analyses revealed that the genomes of strains Fx1 and U112 are mostly colinear, whereas the genome of strain 3523 has gaps, translocations, and/or inversions compared to genomes of strains Fx1 and U112. Using the genome sequence data and comparative analyses with other members of the genus
Francisella
, several strain-specific genes that encode putative proteins involved in RTX toxin production, polysaccharide biosynthesis/modification, thiamine biosynthesis, glucuronate utilization, and polyamine biosynthesis were identified. The RTX toxin synthesis and secretion operon of strain 3523 contains four open reading frames (ORFs) and was named
rtxCABD
. Based on the alignment of conserved sequences upstream of operons involved in thiamine biosynthesis from various bacteria, a putative THI box was identified in strain 3523. The glucuronate catabolism loci of strains 3523 and Fx1 contain a cluster of nine ORFs oriented in the same direction that appear to constitute an operon. Strains U112 and Schu S4 appeared to have lost the loci for RTX toxin production, thiamine biosynthesis, and glucuronate utilization as a consequence of host adaptation and reductive evolution. In conclusion, comparative analyses provided insights into the common ancestry and novel genetic traits of these strains.
Biochemical Analyses of Multiple Endoxylanases from the Rumen Bacterium Ruminococcus albus 8 and Their Synergistic Activities with Accessory Hemicellulose-Degrading Enzymes
Authors: Moon Young Hwan , Iakiviak Michael , Bauer Stefan , Mackie Roderick I. , Cann Isaac K. O. 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT

Ruminococcus albus
8 is a ruminal bacterium capable of metabolizing hemicellulose and cellulose, the major components of the plant cell wall. The enzymes that allow this bacterium to capture energy from the two polysaccharides, therefore, have potential application in plant cell wall depolymerization, a process critical to biofuel production. For this purpose, a partial genome sequence of
R. albus
8 was generated. The genomic data depicted a bacterium endowed with multiple forms of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes. The endoxylanases of
R. albus
8 exhibited diverse modular architectures, including incorporation of a catalytic module, a carbohydrate binding module, and a carbohydrate esterase module in a single polypeptide. The accessory enzymes of xylan degradation were a β-xylosidase, an α-
l
-arabinofuranosidase, and an α-glucuronidase. We hypothesized that due to the chemical complexity of the hemicellulose encountered in the rumen, the bacterium uses multiple endoxylanases, with subtle differences in substrate specificities, to attack the substrate, while the accessory enzymes hydrolyze the products to simple sugars for metabolism. To test this hypothesis, the genes encoding the predicted endoxylanases were expressed, and the proteins were biochemically characterized either alone or in combination with accessory enzymes. The different endoxylanase families exhibited different patterns of product release, with the family 11 endoxylanases releasing more products in synergy with the accessory enzymes from the more complex substrates. Aside from the insights into hemicellulose degradation by
R. albus
8, this report should enhance our knowledge on designing effective enzyme cocktails for release of fermentable sugars in the biofuel industry.
Extent and Variation of Phage-Borne Bacterial 16S rRNA Gene Sequences in Wastewater Environments
Authors: Del Casale Antonio , Flanagan Paul V. , Larkin Michael J. , Allen Christopher C. R. , Kulakov Leonid A. 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT

Phage metagenomes isolated from wastewater over a 12-month period were analyzed. The results suggested that various strains of
Proteobacteria
,
Bacteroidetes
, and other phyla are likely to participate in transduction. The patterns of 16S rRNA sequences found in phage metagenomes did not follow changes in the total bacterial community.
Tuning the Specificity of the Recombinant Multicomponent Toluene
o
-Xylene Monooxygenase from Pseudomonas sp. Strain OX1 for the Biosynthesis of Tyrosol from 2-Phenylethanol
Authors: Notomista Eugenio , Scognamiglio Roberta , Troncone Luca , Donadio Giuliana , Pezzella Alessandro , Di Donato Alberto , Izzo Viviana 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACT

Biocatalysis is today a standard technology for the industrial production of several chemicals, and the number of biotransformation processes running on a commercial scale is constantly increasing. Among biocatalysts, bacterial multicomponent monooxygenases (BMMs), a diverse group of nonheme diiron enzymes that activate dioxygen, are of primary interest due to their ability to catalyze a variety of complex oxidations, including reactions of mono- and dihydroxylation of phenolic compounds. In recent years, both directed evolution and rational design have been successfully used to identify the molecular determinants responsible for BMM regioselectivity and to improve their activity toward natural and nonnatural substrates. Toluene
o
-xylene monooxygenase (ToMO) is a BMM isolated from
Pseudomonas
sp. strain OX1 which hydroxylates a wide spectrum of aromatic compounds. In this work we investigate the use of recombinant ToMO for the biosynthesis in recombinant cells of
Escherichia coli
strain JM109 of 4-hydroxyphenylethanol (tyrosol), an antioxidant present in olive oil, from 2-phenylethanol, a cheap and commercially available substrate. We initially found that wild-type ToMO is unable to convert 2-phenylethanol to tyrosol. This was explained by using a computational model which analyzed the interactions between ToMO active-site residues and the substrate. We found that residue F176 is the major steric hindrance for the correct positioning of the reaction intermediate leading to tyrosol production into the active site of the enzyme. Several mutants were designed and prepared, and we found that the combination of different mutations at position F176 with mutation E103G allows ToMO to convert up to 50% of 2-phenylethanol into tyrosol in 2 h.