bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
1‐Dehydro‐[10]‐gingerdione from ginger inhibits IKKβ activity for NF‐κB activation and suppresses NF‐κB‐regulated expression of inflammatory genes
Authors: Lee Hwa Young , Park Sun Hong , Lee Misoon , Kim Hye‐Jin , Ryu Shi Yong , Kim Nam Doo , Hwang Bang Yeon , Hong Jin Tae , Han Sang‐Bae , Kim Youngsoo 
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEPungent constituents of ginger (Zingiber officinale) have beneficial effects on inflammatory pain and arthritic swelling. However, the molecular basis for these pharmacological properties is only partially understood. Here, we investigated the molecular target of 1‐dehydro‐[10]‐gingerdione (D10G), one of the pungent constituents of ginger, that mediates its suppression of NF‐κB‐regulated expression of inflammatory genes linked to toll‐like receptor (TLR)‐mediated innate immunity.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHRAW 264.7 macrophages or primary macrophages‐derived from bone marrows of C57BL/6 or C3H/HeJ mice were stimulated with the TLR4 agonist LPS in the presence of D10G. Catalytic activity of inhibitory κB (IκB) kinase β (IKKβ) was determined by a kinase assay and immunoblot analysis, and the expression of inflammatory genes by RT‐PCR analysis and a promoter‐dependent reporter assay.KEY RESULTSD10G directly inhibited the catalytic activity of cell‐free IKKβ. Moreover, D10G irreversibly inhibited cytoplasmic IKKβ‐catalysed IκBα phosphorylation in macrophages activated by TLR agonists or TNF‐α, and also IKKβ vector‐elicited NF‐κB transcriptional activity in these cells. These effects of D10G were abolished by substitution of the Cys179 with Ala in the activation loop of IKKβ, indicating a direct interacting site of D10G. This mechanism was shown to mediate D10G‐induced disruption of NF‐κB activation in LPS‐stimulated macrophages and the suppression of NF‐κB‐regulated gene expression of inducible NOS, COX‐2 and IL‐6.CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONSThis study demonstrates that IKKβ is a molecular target of D10G involved in the suppression of NF‐κB‐regulated gene expression in LPS‐activated macrophages; this suggests D10G has therapeutic potential in NF‐κB‐associated inflammation and autoimmune disorders.
Pregabalin‐ and topiramate‐mediated regulation of cognitive and motor impulsivity in DBA/2 mice
Authors: Navarrete Francisco , Pérez‐Ortiz José M , Manzanares Jorge 
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEImpulsivity is a core symptom in many neuropsychiatric disorders. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of topiramate and pregabalin on the modulation of different impulsivity dimensions in DBA/2 mice.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHThe effects of acute and chronic administration of pregabalin (10, 20 and 40 mg·kg−1) and topiramate (12.5, 25 and 50 mg·kg−1) were evaluated in the light–dark box (LDB), hole board test (HBT) and delayed reinforcement task (DRT). α2A‐Adrenoceptor, D2‐receptor and TH gene expression were evaluated by real‐time PCR in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), accumbens (ACC) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), respectively.KEY RESULTSAcute pregabalin administration showed a clear anxiolytic‐like effect (LDB) but did not modify novelty‐seeking behaviour (HBT). In contrast, topiramate produced an anxiolytic effect only at the highest dose, whereas it reduced novelty seeking at all doses tested. In the DRT, acute pregabalin had no effect, whereas topiramate only reduced motor impulsivity. Chronically, pregabalin significantly increased motor impulsivity and topiramate diminished cognitive impulsivity. Pregabalin decreased α2A‐adrenoceptor and D2‐receptor gene expression in the PFC and ACC, respectively, and increased TH in the VTA. In contrast, chronic administration of topiramate increased α2A‐adrenoceptor and D2‐receptor gene expression in the PFC and ACC, respectively, and also increased TH in the VTA.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSThese results suggest that the usefulness of pregabalin in impulsivity‐related disorders is related to its anxiolytic properties, whereas topiramate modulates impulsivity. These differences could be linked to their opposite effects on α2A‐adrenoceptor and D2‐receptor gene expression in the PFC and ACC, respectively.
Effect of Parameter Variations on the Hemodynamic Response Under Rotary Blood Pump Assistance
Authors: Lim Einly , Dokos Socrates , Salamonsen Robert F. , Rosenfeldt Franklin L. , Ayre Peter J. , Lovell Nigel H. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractNumerical models, able to simulate the response of the human cardiovascular system (CVS) in the presence of an implantable rotary blood pump (IRBP), have been widely used as a predictive tool to investigate the interaction between the CVS and the IRBP under various operating conditions. The present study investigates the effect of alterations in the model parameter values, that is, cardiac contractility, systemic vascular resistance, and total blood volume on the efficiency of rotary pump assistance, using an optimized dynamic heart–pump interaction model previously developed in our laboratory based on animal experimental measurements obtained from five canines. The effect of mean pump speed and the circulatory perturbations on left and right ventricular pressure volume loops, mean aortic pressure, mean cardiac output, pump assistance ratio, and pump flow pulsatility from both the greyhound experiments and model simulations are demonstrated. Furthermore, the applicability of some of the previously proposed control parameters, that is, pulsatility index (PI), gradient of PI with respect to pump speed, pump differential pressure, and aortic pressure are discussed based on our observations from experimental and simulation results. It was found that previously proposed control strategies were not able to perform well under highly varying circulatory conditions. Among these, control algorithms which rely on the left ventricular filling pressure appear to be the most robust as they emulate the Frank–Starling mechanism of the heart.
Recreation and Participation: Testing the Political Impact of Social Interaction*
Authors: Ikeda Ken'ichi , Kobayashi Tetsuro , Richey Sean 
Published: April 2012

ObjectivesWe research the political impact of human social interaction. Some scholars suggest that recreational or other informal interaction may promote political participation. Informal recreational interaction is proposed to be beneficial because it increases activity in more serious political participation.MethodsTo test these ideas, we use new nationally representative survey data from seven East Asian nations using Poisson regression models.ResultsWe show that informal social interaction and nonpolitical voluntary activity do increase political participation.ConclusionsEven though the recreation may begin as a nonpolitical activity, we show that it may spark later political participation.
Association between initial type of hemodialysis access used in the elderly and mortality
Authors: DeSilva Ranil N. , Sandhu Gurprataap S. , Garg Jalaj , Goldfarb‐Rumyantzev Alexander S. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractWe hypothesized that certain subpopulations (elderly and those with greater comorbidity) may not have significant benefit from “fistula first” initiative. A cohort of incident hemodialysis patients from 2005 to 2007, who were ≥70 years old, was derived from the United States Renal Data System. Primary variable of interest was type of vascular access used at first outpatient hemodialysis (i.e., fistula, graft, or central catheter), with primary outcome of all‐cause mortality (time to death measured from the first outpatient hemodialysis). A cohort of 82,202 patients was stratified by age (70 to ≤80, 81 to ≤90, and >90). Each group demonstrated a survival benefit with the use of an arterio‐venous fistula compared with catheter (hazard ratio [HR] 0.56 [P < 0.001], HR 0.55 [P < 0.001], and HR 0.69 [P = 0.007], respectively). Comparing graft to with a catheter, both groups, 70 to ≤80 and 81 to ≤90, had significant benefit compared with catheter (HR 0.73, P < 0.001 and HR 0.74, P < 0.001, respectively). However, significance was lost in those ≥90 (HR 0.83, P = 0.354). When substratified by comorbidity, those 81 to ≤90 years old with a history of malignancy or peripheral vascular disease also did not reach significant benefit compared with a catheter (HR 0.88, P = 0.423 and HR 0.85, P = 0.221, respectively). While specific subgroups in the hemodialysis population exist where use of fistulas and grafts at time of dialysis initiation is not of proven statistical benefit to survival, elderly hemodialysis patients with comorbidities still appear to benefit from the use of fistulas and grafts.
Fabrication and Characterization of Transparent Conductive ZnO:Al Thin Films Deposited on Polyethylene Terephthalate Substrates
Authors: Yang Wei‐Jen , Tsao Chung‐Chen , Hsu Chun‐Yoa , Chang Hung‐Chih , Chou Chang‐Ping , Kao Jin‐Yih 
Published: April 2012

This article deals with the optimization of the process parameters, with regard to multiple performance characteristics, involved in the preparation of transparent conducting Al2O3‐doped (2 wt.%) zinc oxide (AZO) thin films deposited onto flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates, using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering. Experiments based on the Grey‐Taguchi method were conducted to examine the influence of deposition parameters (RF power, sputtering pressure, substrate‐to‐target distance, and coating time) on the deposition rate, electrical resistivity and structural, morphological and optical transmittance. Experimental results indicate that using the optimal parameter set selected by Grey theory prediction, it is possible to achieve an improvement of 3.8% in deposition rate, of 45.6% in resistivity, and to maintain the transmittance over 80%, compared to that achieved by using the Taguchi method. For the Grey theory prediction, films were deposited using substrate‐to‐target distance of 80, 85, and 90 mm, while maintaining constant values for the other conditions. A clear decrease in resistivity was observed, as substrate‐to‐target distance decreased, with the lowest resistivity being obtained at 80 mm, although a better optical transmittance was achieved at a distance of 85 mm. It is evident that the resistivity decreases as the Al buffer thickness increases, with the lowest resistivity 7.0 × 10−4 Ω‐cm, being found for a 15 nm thickness of Al buffer. The transmittance decreases, as the Al buffer thickness increases; transmittance values of 84.5%, 81.8%, and 79.4% correspond to an Al buffer thickness of 5, 10, and 15 nm, respectively. From the results of pull‐off testing, the adhesive strength of the AZO film on a PET substrate increases, as the buffer thickness is increased.
Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Reinforced Hydroxyapatite‐Chitosan Composite Coating on Ti Metal: Corrosion and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Rath Purna Chandra , Singh Bimal P. , Besra Laxmidhar , Bhattacharjee Sarama 
Published: April 2012

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) reinforced Hydroxyapatite‐chitosan composite coating is developed on Titanium metal by single step Electrophoretic deposition (EPD). By suitably controlling EPD process parameters, it has been possible to co‐deposit MWCNT and hydroxyapatite (HAp) electrophoretically and chitosan electrochemically on Ti metal from acetic acid/water/ethanol mixed solvent containing dissolved chitosan. At optimized process parameters, the coating contains uniform incorporation of MWCNT in porous HAp‐chitosan matrix, having composition of 10–12 wt% chitosan, 10–15 wt% MWCNT, rest HAp, as determined by thermogravimetric analysis. Raman spectra of composite coating reveal almost unaffected characteristics of carbon nanotubes. Adhesion strength and microhardness of composite HAp‐chitosan‐MWCNT coating increases compared with HAp coating. Composite coating is found to be highly corrosion resistance with corrosion current at 9 nA/cm2. The apatite growth after immersion in simulated body fluid for 10 days shows that the composite HAp‐chitosan‐MWCNT coating is bioactive in nature.
The impact of plant associations onMacrosteles quadrilineatusmanagement in carrots
Authors: Szendrei Zsofia 
Published: April 2012

AbstractHabitat diversification can influence the interactions of insects with plants and this can be used in agroecosystems for the management of pest populations. Plant diversification can be achieved through planting crops, such as trap crops, or by adjusting weed management. Aster leafhopper,Macrosteles quadrilineatusForbes (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a polyphagous species that uses cereals, vegetables, and weeds as host plants. The influence of weeds onM. quadrilineatusabundance was investigated experimentally in carrot [Daucus carotaL. cv. Canada (Apiaceae)] field plots by adjusting the level of management of two groups of weeds (broadleaf and grass) and by comparing it to weed‐free plots. The preference ofM. quadrilineatusfor different cereal and weed species relative to carrots was tested in choice test assays. Habitat context influenced the abundance ofM. quadrilineatusin the field experiments. The presence of border crops such as oat, rye, barley, wheat, and triticale did not significantly attract or repel this insect to carrot plots compared to the no‐border treatment. However, spelt‐bordered plots had 42% fewerM. quadrilineatusthan three treatments, triticale, wheat, and barley, that had the highest insect abundance. The type of weed management affectedM. quadrilineatusabundance in carrot plots, but not the frequency of herbicide application. Plots that had carrot growing with broadleaf‐weeds had about 59% fewerM. quadrilineatuscompared with those growing with crabgrass or carrot alone. In the greenhouse choice tests, grasses (e.g., cereals) attracted and broadleaf‐weeds repelledM. quadrilineatusrelative to carrots. In summary, carrot growers may be able to manage this pest by reducing the interaction of cereal cover crops with carrots and eliminating grassy weeds in commercial production fields.
Host‐associated genetic differentiation in pecan leaf phylloxera
Authors: Dickey Aaron M. , Medina Raul F. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractHost‐associated differentiation (HAD) is the formation of genetically distinct host‐associated populations. One of the genotypic signatures of HAD is that populations exhibit stronger differentiation by host‐plant species than by geographic isolation. HAD, as a mechanism promoting ecological speciation, has been invoked to explain phytophagous insect diversity. Two traits proposed to promote HAD are endophagy and parthenogenesis. Using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs), we tested for the presence of HAD in pecan leaf phylloxera, Phylloxera notabilis Pergande (Hemiptera: Phylloxeridae), an endophagous, gall inducing, and cyclically parthenogenetic insect on sympatric pecan and water hickory at a geographic mesoscale. This species shows strong HAD. Whereas the effect of collecting site was significant, accounting for 7.3% of molecular variation, host‐plant species identity accounted for 63.5%. In addition, a choice test indicated that pecan leaf phylloxera originating from water hickory showed weak but significant preference for leaflets of the natal host, whereas pecan leaf phylloxera originating from pecan did not. This is the first such study of a species of arboreal Phylloxeridae, a poorly known insect group. This is also the first endophage and the second parthenogen shared by these two hickory species to show evidence of HAD. This hickory system could be a good parthenogen‐rich counterpoint to the goldenrod system in the study of HAD in insect communities.
Do fertilizer subsidies crowd out organic manures? The case of Malawi
Authors: Holden Stein , Lunduka Rodney 
Published: April 2012

AbstractWe assess the impacts of the Malawian Farm Input Subsidy Program on manure use at the farm plot level using more than 3,000 farm plot observations from six districts in central and southern Malawi over three years (2006, 2007, and 2009). The probabilities and intensities of manure use were investigated with the correlated random effects (CRE) probit and tobit models. The endogeneity of access to fertilizer subsidies and fertilizer use intensity was controlled for with a control function approach. Both the probability of manure use and intensity of manure use were positively correlated with the intensity of fertilizer use. A 1% increase in fertilizer use intensity is associated with a 1.94%–1.96% increase in the intensity of manure use outside the subsidy program and a 0.62%–1.66% increase in manure use with the subsidy program. A 1% increase in average fertilizer price was associated with a 0.43%–0.76% increase in the probability of manure use and a 3.5%–5.3% increase in the intensity of manure use.
Daily foraging cycles create overlapping time‐scales in functional responses
Authors: Casas Jérôme , McCauley Edward 
Published: April 2012

The functional response is one of the most widely measured attributes of consumers. Phenomenalistic descriptions of how predator attack rates vary with prey density are fundamental components of consumer‐resource models. The application of these functions typically assumes continuous foraging by individuals, along with stationarity in their behavioural and physiological processes. Yet most species display a diurnal cycle in foraging and resting, and the impact of this foraging pattern on the functional response is unknown.We use a physiologically structured or ‘state–space’ approach to examine how the daily foraging cycle affects the temporal dynamics of attack rates and the functional response of parasitoids (Aphytis melinus) and predators (Mantis crassulea and fishes). The state spaces for parasitoids and predators are the number of mature eggs, the eggload, and the satiation level, respectively. The corresponding rates are those of egg maturation and oviposition on one hand, and digestion and prey capture on the other hand.We show that the length of the foraging period alters both the shape of the functional response and the magnitude of attack rates, compared to a daily functional response proportional to the time spent foraging, as is classically done. Our models reveal how separation of time‐scales arises between behavioural or physiological and lifetime processes, and the difficulty in resolving such separation once the new time scale of a foraging cycle is introduced.Foragers in many environments, either because of exposure to low resource density or constrained by short foraging windows, cannot achieve the behavioural or physiological stationarity assumed in classical analyses. This introduces a fundamental mixture of time‐scales that has significant effects on estimates of attack rates. Using a population‐level model of predators and prey, we show how restricted periods of daily foraging have important dynamical consequences both in terms of equilibrium levels and return times to these equilibria.
An N‐Terminal Dileucine Motif Directs Two‐Pore Channels to the Tonoplast of Plant Cells
Authors: Larisch Nina , Schulze Christina , Galione Antony , Dietrich Petra 
Published: April 2012

AbstractTwo‐pore channels (TPCs) constitute a family of endolysosomal cation channels with functions in Ca2+ signaling. We used a mutational analysis to investigate the role of channel domains for the trafficking of the Arabidopsis TPC1 to the tonoplast, a process that is generally not well understood in plants. The results show that the soluble C‐terminus was not essential for targeting but for channel function, while further C‐terminal truncations of two or more transmembrane domains impaired protein trafficking. An N‐terminal dileucine motif (EDPLI) proved to be critical for vacuolar targeting of TPC1, which was independent of the adaptor protein AP‐3. Deletion or mutation of this sorting motif, which is conserved among TPCs caused redirection of the protein transport to the plasma membrane. An N‐terminal region with a predicted α‐helical structure was shown to support efficient vacuolar trafficking and was essential for TPC1 function. Similar to their localization in mammalian endosomes and lysosomes, MmTPC1 and MmTPC2 were targeted to small organelles and the membrane of the lytic vacuole, respectively, when expressed in plant cells. These results shed new light on the largely uncharacterized sorting signals of plant tonoplast proteins and reveal similarities between the targeting machinery of plants and mammals.
Evaluation of satisfaction with masticatory efficiency of new conventional complete dentures in edentulous patients ‐ a survey
Authors: Bajoria Atul A. , Saldanha Sharon , Shenoy Vidya K. 
Published: April 2012

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2012.00634.xEvaluation of satisfaction with Masticatory efficiency of new conventional complete dentures in edentulous patients. A surveyBackground:  Knowing how patients really feel after treatment is, very often, as relevant as the success rate of the conventional dentures and it can even be the measurement of masticatory function.Aim and objectives:  This questionnaire survey aimed to analyse the satisfaction level and masticatory efficiency of patients treated with conventional complete dentures.Design and setting:  Thirty edentulous patients were considered in the study. Satisfaction level and masticatory efficiency were analysed based on specific questionnaires for edentulous patients and by a likert rating scale from 0 to 5, at three moments: Prior to treatment (edentulous period), after the insertion of the new dentures and at 30–45 days follow‐up.Materials and methods:  Thirty patients including 12 male and 18 female patients (mean age 65 years), who voluntarily came for the services. T‐test was applied at three different levels.Results:  The rehabilitation with conventional complete dentures produced an improvement (p < 0.05) in satisfaction level and masticatory efficiency.Conclusion:  Thus, those patients who were edentulous previously and dissatisfied with their masticatory ability showed improvement after receiving a new set of conventional complete dentures.
Monochorionic twin fetus with VACTERL association after intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Authors: Kanasugi Tomonobu , Kikuchi Akihiko , Matsumoto Atsushi , Terata Miyuki , Isurugi Chizuko , Oyama Rie , Fukushima Akimune , Sugiyama Toru 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTWe report a rare case of a monochorionic twin gestation after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in which one of the fetuses had VACTERL association. A 27‐year‐old woman became pregnant by ICSI and was found to have monochorionic twin fetuses. One fetus was noted to have the following anomalies: a multicystic, dysplastic left kidney with a hydroureter, and a dilated colon. A normal‐sized stomach and normal amount of amniotic fluid were observed during the prenatal period with no other anomalies. The postnatal examination revealed hypospadias, and anal, esophageal, and duodenal atresia; thus, a diagnosis of VACTERL association was established. Although the prenatal diagnosis of this disorder is a challenge, even in a singleton, some of the characteristic features observed during antepartum ultrasonography may be a clue to the diagnosis, especially in a twin pregnancy after ICSI.