bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Study of the therapeutic effects of a hippotherapy simulator in children with cerebral palsy: a stratified single-blind randomized controlled trial
Authors: Herrero Pablo , Gómez-Trullén Eva M , Asensio Ángel , García Elena , Casas Roberto , Monserrat Esther , Pandyan Anand 
Published: May 2012

Objective: To investigate whether hippotherapy (when applied by a simulator) improves postural control and balance in children with cerebral palsy. Design: Stratified single-blind randomized controlled trial with an independent assessor. Stratification was made by gross motor function classification system levels, and allocation was concealed. Subjects: Children between 4 and 18 years old with cerebral palsy. Interventions: Participants were randomized to an intervention (simulator ON) or control (simulator OFF) group after getting informed consent. Treatment was provided once a week (15 minutes) for 10 weeks. Main measures: Gross Motor Function Measure (dimension B for balance and the Total Score) and Sitting Assessment Scale were carried out at baseline (prior to randomization), end of intervention and 12 weeks after completing the intervention. Results: Thirty-eight children participated. The groups were balanced at baseline. Sitting balance (measured by dimension B of the Gross Motor Function Measure) improved significantly in the treatment group (effect size = 0.36; 95% CI 0.01–0.71) and the effect size was greater in the severely disabled group (effect size = 0.80; 95% CI 0.13–1.47). The improvements in sitting balance were not maintained over the follow-up period. Changes in the total score of the Gross Motor Function Measure and the Sitting Assessment Scale were not significant. Conclusion: Hippotherapy with a simulator can improve sitting balance in cerebral palsy children who have higher levels of disability. However, this did not lead to a change in the overall function of these children (Gross Motor Function Classification System level V).
Health hazards among workers in plastic industry
Authors: Helal Sawsan Farouk , Elshafy Wessam Sabry 
Published: May 2012

Styrene is a basic building block for manufacturing thousands of products throughout the world. The present study aimed to (1) detect the presence of styrene and/or its metabolites in the workers in one of the Egyptian plastic factories; (2) demonstrate some common health effects of styrene exposure among the same group by some laboratory investigations and compare them with the unexposed healthy individuals; and (3) correlate the duration of styrene exposure and its level in the blood with the severity of the demonstrated health effects. This study was conducted in one of Egyptian plastic factories. The exposed group was 40 male workers, ranging in age from 18 to 33 years (23.20 ± 4.09), working 12 h/day with 1 day off, and working without any protective equipment. A control group of 50 unexposed healthy males matched with the exposed group for age (21–35 yrs (23.40 ± 4.05)), sex, socioeconomic status, and smoking habit is selected. Written individual consent is obtained from all participants followed by (a) a full medical and occupational history and full clinical examination; (b) ventilatory function tests: forced vital capacity (FVC), slow vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (FEV1)%, FEV1/FVC%, peak expiratory flow, and mid-expiratory flow 25–75%; (c) analyses of β2 microglobulin; blood styrene level; and urinary mandelic acid; and (d) cytogenetic study. The study results showed a statistically significant difference between the exposed and the control groups as regard the blood styrene level, urinary mandelic acid level, β2 microgloblin in urine, and chromosomal study. The study also showed a statistically significant correlation between the duration of styrene exposure and ventilatory function parameters, also between the duration of styrene exposure and some detectable chromosomal aberrations. Our study recommends the implementation of preemployment and periodic medical examinations and health education programs using personal protective equipments and following the recommended allowable concentrations of styrene exposure.
Use of core-shell polyaniline/polystyrene nanocomposite for removal of Cr (VI)
Authors: Lashkenari Mohammad Soleimani , Davodi Behzad , Ghorbani Mohsen , Eisazadeh Hossein 
Published: May 2012

In this study the ability of polyaniline/polystyrene as high performance synthetic adsorbent for the adsorptive removal of Cr (VI) ions from aqueous solutions was investigated. To carry out the investigation, the batch operation method was employed. As well, the effects of various experimental parameters like pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time and the temperature on the removal efficiency were studied. The optimum conditions for Cr (VI) removal are achieved with pH 4, adsorbent dosage of 15 g L−1, and 30 min equilibrium time. It is worth noting that the adsorption of Cr (VI) followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The equilibrium adsorption isotherm was better described by Temkin adsorption isotherm model. The adsorption capacity ( qmax) of PAn/Ps for Cr (VI) ions in terms of monolayer adsorption was 19 mg g−1. The change of entropy (▵S0) and enthalpy (▵H0) were estimated to be −0.08455 J (mol K)−1 and −29.04 kJ mol−1, respectively. The negative value of Gibbs free energy (▵ G0) indicates feasible and spontaneous adsorption of Cr (VI) on PAn/Ps.
Thermal, thermoechanical and morphological behavior of Octa (maleimido phenyl) silsesquioxane (OMPS)-cyanate ester nanocomposites
Authors: Jothibasu Seetharaman , Devaraju Subramani , Venkatesan Muthukumaraswamy R. , Chandramohan Ayyavu , Kumar Achimuthu Ashok , Alagar Muthukaruppan 
Published: May 2012

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)-cyanate ester (CE) nanocomposites have been developed by the incorporation of octafunctional maleimide POSS (OMPS) into the bisphenol-A based CE network through in situ method by thermal curing with the use of diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) as coupling agent. The formation of nanocomposite was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared analysis. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images confirm the morphology of CE/OMPS nanocomposites. The thermal and morphological properties were studied by varying different weight percentages (1, 3, 5 and 10%) of OMPS. The 5 wt.% OMPS-incorporated nanocomposite possesses higher values of glass transition temperature than those of nanocomposites filled with a lower percentages of OMPS. Further thermal stability of nanocomposites increased with increase in percentage composition of OMPS.
Human Trafficking
Authors: Mace Stephanie L. , Venneberg Donald L. , Amell James W. 
Published: May 2012

The Problem. This article addresses the global problem of human trafficking and provides an exploratory analysis of the need for, and possible approaches to, integrating the principles of Human Resource Development (HRD) to support a solution. The Solution. The solution focuses on the integration of HRD practices in the prevention of human trafficking. The origin of human trafficking, the history of its existence, definitions, and legislative discourse are reviewed. More precisely, the notion of National HRD (NHRD) and the connection to community development is explored within the context of the human trafficking phenomenon. The Stakeholders. The key stakeholders this article seeks to inform are service providers, nongovernmental organizations, community development and HRD practitioners, and first responders. Implications for HRD practice, theory and research, as well as recommendations for future research conclude this article.
Community and Societal Development
Authors: Budhwani Nadir N. , McLean Gary N. 
Published: May 2012

The Problem. Human Resource Development (HRD) scholars and practitioners need to address the problem of conceptualizing HRD in various community settings. The Solution. To address this need, the authors conducted a case study research to explore the role of HRD in developing the Ismaili community in Minnesota. Data analysis revealed four themes: (a) conceptualization of HRD in the Ismaili community of Minnesota, (b) history and examples of HRD efforts in this community, (c) the role of women in the community’s HRD efforts, and (d) the future of HRD in the Ismaili community of Minnesota. The use of HRD within this community was heavily focused on societal development of the community. The Stakeholders. Recommendations for HRD practice (practitioners) and research (researchers) suggest that HRD, especially within religious communities (members and leaders of such communities), be explored with an open mind for the purpose of creating a pluralistic and civil society (all citizens).
NFAT control of innate immunity
Authors: Fric Jan , Zelante Teresa , Wong Alicia Y. W. , Mertes Alexandra , Yu Hong-Bing , Ricciardi-Castagnoli Paola 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThe calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling pathway mediates multiple adaptive T-cell functions, but recent studies have shown that calcineurin/NFAT signaling also contributes to innate immunity and regulates the homeostasis of innate cells. Myeloid cells, including granulocytes and dendritic cells, can promote inflammation, regulate adaptive immunity, and are essential mediators of early responses to pathogens. Microbial ligation of pattern-recognition receptors, such as TLR4, CD14, and dectin 1, is now known to induce the activation of calcineurin/NFAT signaling in myeloid cells, a finding that has provided new insights into the molecular pathways that regulate host protection. Inhibitors of calcineurin/NFAT binding, such as cyclosporine A and FK506, are broadly used in organ transplantation and can act as potent immunosuppressive drugs in a variety of different disorders. There is increasing evidence that these agents influence innate responses as well as inhibiting adaptive T-cell functions. This review focuses on the role of calcineurin/NFAT signaling in myeloid cells, which may contribute to the various unexplained effects of immunosuppressive drugs already being used in the clinic.
On the role of FAN1 in Fanconi anemia
Authors: Trujillo Juan P. , Mina Leonardo B. , Pujol Roser , Bogliolo Massimo , Andrieux Joris , Holder Muriel , Schuster Beatrice , Schindler Detlev , Surrallés Jordi 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare bone marrow failure disorder with defective DNA interstrand crosslink repair. Still, there are FA patients without mutations in any of the 15 genes individually underlying the disease. A candidate protein for those patients, FA nuclease 1 (FAN1), whose gene is located at chromosome 15q13.3, is recruited to stalled replication forks by binding to monoubiquitinated FANCD2 and is required for interstrand crosslink repair, suggesting that mutation of FAN1 may cause FA. Here we studied clinical, cellular, and genetic features in 4 patients carrying a homozygous 15q13.3 micro-deletion, including FAN1 and 6 additional genes. Biallelic deletion of the entire FAN1 gene was confirmed by failure of 3′- and 5′-PCR amplification. Western blot analysis failed to show FAN1 protein in the patients' cell lines. Chromosome fragility was normal in all 4 FAN1-deficient patients, although their cells showed mild sensitivity to mitomycin C in terms of cell survival and G2 phase arrest, dissimilar in degree to FA cells. Clinically, there were no symptoms pointing the way to FA. Our results suggest that FAN1 has a minor role in interstrand crosslink repair compared with true FA genes and exclude FAN1 as a novel FA gene.
Genetic analysis of ancestry, admixture and selection in Bolivian and Totonac populations of the New World
Authors: Watkins W Scott , Xing Jinchuan , Huff Chad , Witherspoon David J , Zhang Yuhua , Perego Ugo A , Woodward Scott R , Jorde Lynn B 
Published: May 2012

Abstract

Background
Populations of the Americas were founded by early migrants from Asia, and some have experienced recent genetic admixture. To better characterize the native and non-native ancestry components in populations from the Americas, we analyzed 815,377 autosomal SNPs, mitochondrial hypervariable segments I and II, and 36 Y-chromosome STRs from 24 Mesoamerican Totonacs and 23 South American Bolivians.

Results and Conclusions
We analyzed common genomic regions from native Bolivian and Totonac populations to identify 324 highly predictive Native American ancestry informative markers (AIMs). As few as 40–50 of these AIMs perform nearly as well as large panels of random genome-wide SNPs for predicting and estimating Native American ancestry and admixture levels. These AIMs have greater New World vs. Old World specificity than previous AIMs sets. We identify highly-divergent New World SNPs that coincide with high-frequency haplotypes found at similar frequencies in all populations examined, including the HGDP Pima, Maya, Colombian, Karitiana, and Surui American populations. Some of these regions are potential candidates for positive selection. European admixture in the Bolivian sample is approximately 12%, though individual estimates range from 0–48%. We estimate that the admixture occurred ~360–384 years ago. Little evidence of European or African admixture was found in Totonac individuals. Bolivians with pre-Columbian mtDNA and Y-chromosome haplogroups had 5–30% autosomal European ancestry, demonstrating the limitations of Y-chromosome and mtDNA haplogroups and the need for autosomal ancestry informative markers for assessing ancestry in admixed populations.
Genome-wide association study identified three major QTL for carcass weight including the PLAG1-CHCHD7 QTN for stature in Japanese Black cattle
Authors: Nishimura Shota , Watanabe Toshio , Mizoshita Kazunori , Tatsuda Ken , Fujita Tatsuo , Watanabe Naoto , Sugimoto Yoshikazu , Takasuga Akiko 
Published: May 2012

Abstract

Background
Significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) for carcass weight were previously mapped on several chromosomes in Japanese Black half-sib families. Two QTL, CW-1 and CW-2, were narrowed down to 1.1-Mb and 591-kb regions, respectively. Recent advances in genomic tools allowed us to perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in cattle to detect associations in a general population and estimate their effect size. Here, we performed a GWAS for carcass weight using 1156 Japanese Black steers.

Results
Bonferroni-corrected genome-wide significant associations were detected in three chromosomal regions on bovine chromosomes (BTA) 6, 8, and 14. The associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) on BTA 6 were in linkage disequilibrium with the SNP encoding NCAPG Ile442Met, which was previously identified as a candidate quantitative trait nucleotide for CW-2. In contrast, the most highly associated SNP on BTA 14 was located 2.3-Mb centromeric from the previously identified CW-1 region. Linkage disequilibrium mapping led to a revision of the CW-1 region within a 0.9-Mb interval around the associated SNP, and targeted resequencing followed by association analysis highlighted the quantitative trait nucleotides for bovine stature in the PLAG1-CHCHD7 intergenic region. The association on BTA 8 was accounted for by two SNP on the BovineSNP50 BeadChip and corresponded to CW-3, which was simultaneously detected by linkage analyses using half-sib families. The allele substitution effects of CW-1, CW-2, and CW-3 were 28.4, 35.3, and 35.0 kg per allele, respectively.

Conclusion
The GWAS revealed the genetic architecture underlying carcass weight variation in Japanese Black cattle in which three major QTL accounted for approximately one-third of the genetic variance.
Genome-wide linkage analysis of QTL for growth and body composition employing the PorcineSNP60 BeadChip
Authors: Fernández Ana I , Pérez-Montarelo Dafne , Barragán Carmen , Ramayo-Caldas Yuliaxis , Ibáñez-Escriche Noelia , Castelló Anna , Noguera Jose Luis , Silió Luis , Folch Josep María , Rodríguez M Carmen 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe traditional strategy to map QTL is to use linkage analysis employing a limited number of markers. These analyses report wide QTL confidence intervals, making very difficult to identify the gene and polymorphisms underlying the QTL effects. The arrival of genome-wide panels of SNPs makes available thousands of markers increasing the information content and therefore the likelihood of detecting and fine mapping QTL regions. The aims of the current study are to confirm previous QTL regions for growth and body composition traits in different generations of an Iberian x Landrace intercross (IBMAP) and especially identify new ones with narrow confidence intervals by employing the PorcineSNP60 BeadChip in linkage analyses.ResultsThree generations (F3, Backcross 1 and Backcross 2) of the IBMAP and their related animals were genotyped with PorcineSNP60 BeadChip. A total of 8,417 SNPs equidistantly distributed across autosomes were selected after filtering by quality, position and frequency to perform the QTL scan. The joint and separate analyses of the different IBMAP generations allowed confirming QTL regions previously identified in chromosomes 4 and 6 as well as new ones mainly for backfat thickness in chromosomes 4, 5, 11, 14 and 17 and shoulder weight in chromosomes 1, 2, 9 and 13; and many other to the chromosome-wide signification level. In addition, most of the detected QTLs displayed narrow confidence intervals, making easier the selection of positional candidate genes.ConclusionsThe use of higher density of markers has allowed to confirm results obtained in previous QTL scans carried out with microsatellites. Moreover several new QTL regions have been now identified in regions probably not covered by markers in previous scans, most of these QTLs displayed narrow confidence intervals. Finally, prominent putative biological and positional candidate genes underlying those QTL effects are listed based on recent porcine genome annotation.
Exome sequencing generates high quality data in non-target regions
Authors: Guo Yan , Long Jirong , He Jing , Li Chung-I , Cai Qiuyin , Shu Xiao-Ou , Zheng Wei , Li Chun 
Published: May 2012

Abstract

Background
Exome sequencing using next-generation sequencing technologies is a cost efficient approach to selectively sequencing coding regions of human genome for detection of disease variants. A significant amount of DNA fragments from the capture process fall outside target regions, and sequence data for positions outside target regions have been mostly ignored after alignment.

Result
We performed whole exome sequencing on 22 subjects using Agilent SureSelect capture reagent and 6 subjects using Illumina TrueSeq capture reagent. We also downloaded sequencing data for 6 subjects from the 1000 Genomes Project Pilot 3 study. Using these data, we examined the quality of SNPs detected outside target regions by computing consistency rate with genotypes obtained from SNP chips or the Hapmap database, transition-transversion (Ti/Tv) ratio, and percentage of SNPs inside dbSNP. For all three platforms, we obtained high-quality SNPs outside target regions, and some far from target regions. In our Agilent SureSelect data, we obtained 84,049 high-quality SNPs outside target regions compared to 65,231 SNPs inside target regions (a 129% increase). For our Illumina TrueSeq data, we obtained 222,171 high-quality SNPs outside target regions compared to 95,818 SNPs inside target regions (a 232% increase). For the data from the 1000 Genomes Project, we obtained 7,139 high-quality SNPs outside target regions compared to 1,548 SNPs inside target regions (a 461% increase).

Conclusions
These results demonstrate that a significant amount of high quality genotypes outside target regions can be obtained from exome sequencing data. These data should not be ignored in genetic epidemiology studies.
Genetic variation and metabolic pathway intricacy govern the active compound content and quality of the Chinese medicinal plant
Lonicera japonica
thunb
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Song Lipu , Li Minhui , Liu Guiming , Chu Yanan , Ma Luyu , Zhou Yuanyuan , Wang Xiao , Gao Wei , Qin Shuangshuang , Yu Jun , Wang Xumin , Huang Luqi 
Published: May 2012

Abstract

Background
Traditional Chinese medicine uses various herbs for the treatment of various diseases for thousands of years and it is now time to assess the characteristics and effectiveness of these medicinal plants based on modern genetic and molecular tools. The herb Flos Lonicerae Japonicae (FLJ or Lonicera japonica Thunb.) is used as an anti-inflammatory agent but the chemical quality of FLJ and its medicinal efficacy has not been consistent. Here, we analyzed the transcriptomes and metabolic pathways to evaluate the active medicinal compounds in FLJ and hope that this approach can be used for a variety of medicinal herbs in the future.

Results
We assess transcriptomic differences between FLJ and L. japonica Thunb. var. chinensis (Watts) (rFLJ), which may explain the variable medicinal effects. We acquired transcriptomic data (over 100 million reads) from the two herbs, using RNA-seq method and the Illumina GAII platform. The transcriptomic profiles contain over 6,000 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) for each of the three flower development stages from FLJ, as well as comparable amount of ESTs from the rFLJ flower bud. To elucidate enzymatic divergence on biosynthetic pathways between the two varieties, we correlated genes and their expression profiles to known metabolic activities involving the relevant active compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and fatty acids. We also analyzed the diversification of genes that process the active compounds to distinguish orthologs and paralogs together with the pathways concerning biosynthesis of phenolic acid and its connections with other related pathways.

Conclusions
Our study provides both an initial description of gene expression profiles in flowers of FLJ and its counterfeit rFLJ and the enzyme pool that can be used to evaluate FLJ quality. Detailed molecular-level analyses allow us to decipher the relationship between metabolic pathways involved in processing active medicinal compounds and gene expressions of their processing enzymes. Our evolutionary analysis revealed specific functional divergence of orthologs and paralogs, which lead to variation in gene functions that govern the profile of active compounds.