bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mandaeism in Antiquity and the Antiquity of Mandaeism
Authors: Häberl Charles G. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThe evidence for a history of Mandaeism during the period of Late Antiquity (3rd–8th c. CE) and its evolution as a religious tradition prior to and immediately following the advent of Islam is surveyed. This evidence includes the Mandaean manuscript tradition, the testimony of outside witnesses, and the corpus of incantation texts from Late Antique Mesopotamia. It is noted that the study of this evidence has typically been subsumed under the study of related traditions, and that it could benefit from a reassessment. The issues addressed include Mandaeism’s relationship to other religions, such as Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Manichaeism, the antiquity and authenticity of its traditions, and the extent of Islamic influence upon them.
Prescribing the Families Own Dysfunctional Rules as a Therapeutic Strategy*
Authors: Andolfi Maurizio 
Published: May 2012

The use of paradox‐strategy in therapy is motivated by the fact that many families request help but at the same time seem to reject all offers of help. The therapist may be drawn into a game in which every effort on his part to act as an agent of change is nullified by the family group. In systemic terms these contradictory attitudes derive from the dynamic equilibrium existing between the tendency toward change, which is implicit in the request for help at one level, and the tendency toward homeostasis which at another level imposes the repetition of the family's habitual rules of interaction. The coexistence of these forces can entangle the therapist in the family's paradoxical logic of “help me to change, but without changing anything.”By accepting the contradiction facing him and by “uniting” himself with this within the family, the therapist puts himself into a position opposite to that which the family expects. His response to the family's paradoxical request is a paradox, or counterparadox, because it creates the contradictory communication typical of rigid family systems. By prescribing its own dysfunctional rules to the family, the therapist can stimulate the tendencies toward change present in the family system.
Classroom Discourse in Foreign Language Classrooms: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Thoms Joshua J. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThis article reviews studies that have investigated discourse in foreign language (FL) classroom contexts from the perspective of sociocultural theory. Sociocultural theory maintains that language learning and development in a classroom context are intimately tied to the discursive practices by which and through which learners interact with each other and their teacher. Furthermore, the research has shown that teachers play an important role in that the specific types of patterns created in their interactions with students are a fundamental source of learners’ competence in the FL. This review raises additional questions that remain to be addressed in future research that will potentially contribute to an evolving understanding of classroom discourse.
Beyond the Language‐Content Divide: Research on Advanced Foreign Language Instruction at the Postsecondary Level
Authors: Paesani Kate , Allen Heather Willis 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThis review examines research on advanced‐level foreign language (FL) teaching and learning in collegiate contexts with a particular focus on the merging of language and literary‐cultural content. The overarching question framing this review is: What is the relationship between language, literature, and culture, and how are they instantiated through FL curricula and instruction at the advanced level? To respond to this question, language and literary‐cultural content in advanced FL contexts are addressed from the perspective of three trends evidenced in published research: (1) conceptualizations of literature and culture within the advanced‐level curriculum, (2) integration of language and literary‐cultural content at the course level, and (3) incorporation of advanced language and content at the curricular level. The review concludes by identifying overarching themes and directions for future research.
A Review of High‐Leverage Teaching Practices: Making Connections Between Mathematics and Foreign Languages
Authors: Hlas Anne Cummings , Hlas Christopher S. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractRecent discussions in the field of teacher education call for more practice‐based professional development as a way to provide pre‐service teachers with the necessary skills to significantly advance student learning. High‐leverage teaching practices (HLTP) are a core set of teaching practices that, when executed proficiently by accomplished novice teachers, are said to promote higher gains in student learning over other teaching practices. In this review, we define and identify possible practices within specific teaching domains against the backdrop of the history of HLTP in the field of mathematics education, a pioneer in this area. We then extend and apply the work in mathematics to foreign language (FL) education. Examining HLTP from the perspective of mathematics education provides a useful initial framework to the FL education community to identify and establish its own set of practices and ground future research in this area.
Learner Attitudes, Perceptions, and Beliefs in Language Learning
Authors: Wesely Pamela M. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThis literature review examines recent research in the area of learner attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs about language learning and about themselves as language learners, together with the consequences of these perceptions on learning outcomes. After an overview of relevant definitions of these complex concepts, the review categorizes this research into three orientations: studies that have focused on how learner attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs relate to their traits and characteristics; studies that have examined how these notions relate to the learning environment; and studies that have looked at how these notions play out in the interaction between the learner and the environment. The review concludes with suggestions related to research design and research questions that would address current lacunae in the field.
Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Defining the Constructs and Researching Learner Outcomes
Authors: Troyan Francis J. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractIn an effort to articulate an agenda for learner outcomes research linked to the Standards for Foreign Language Learning in the 21st Century, this review examines the profession's current conceptualization of the National Standards in research on learner outcomes across various levels of instruction. The research literature reviewed reveals that, to date, empirical studies of learner outcomes have been conducted only on the Communication goal of the National Standards. Consequently, in the majority of the studies reviewed in the other goal areas have not conceptualized learner outcomes from a National Standards perspective, nor have they defined outcomes in the ways they are presented in the National Standards. Recommendations for future research are provided, which include the creation of design‐based research communities and partnerships in K–16 foreign language education. A primary goal for this research agenda is to expand the scope of the current research by (1) exploring the National Standards that have yet to be investigated in the research, (2) designing and investigating innovations related to those National Standards, and ultimately (3) deepening the understanding of learner processes, development, and outcomes related to the National Standards.
Substrate Spectrum Extension of PenA in Burkholderia thailandensis with a Single Amino Acid Deletion, Glu168del
Authors: Yi Hyojeong , Kim Karan , Cho Kwang-Hwi , Jung Oksung , Kim Heenam Stanley 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

We describe a deletion mutation in a class A β-lactamase, PenA, of
Burkholderia thailandensis
that extended the substrate spectrum of the enzyme to include ceftazidime. Glu168del was located in a functional domain called the omega loop causing expansion of the space in the loop, which in turn increased flexibility at the active site. This deletion mutation represents a rare but significant alternative mechanical path to substrate spectrum extension in PenA besides more common substitution mutations.
Activities of Moxifloxacin in Combination with Macrolides against Clinical Isolates of Mycobacterium abscessus and Mycobacterium massiliense
Authors: Choi Go-Eun , Min Ki-Nam , Won Choul-Jae , Jeon Kyeongman , Shin Sung Jae , Koh Won-Jung 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

Infections caused by
Mycobacterium abscessus
and
Mycobacterium massiliense
are on the rise among humans. Although macrolides, including clarithromycin (CLR) and azithromycin (AZM), are key antibiotics for the treatment of
M. abscessus
and
M. massiliense
infections, treatment regimens for these infections are still largely undefined. In this study, we evaluated the
in vitro
,
ex vivo
, and
in vivo
activities of moxifloxacin (MXF) in combination with macrolides against clinically isolated
M. abscessus
and
M. massiliense
strains. Overall, CLR, AZM, and MXF alone showed activity against both species
in vitro
,
ex vivo
, and
in vivo
. When MXF was combined with a macrolide against
M. abscessus
isolates, antagonism was observed in 65.4% (17/26) of the strains with CLR and 46.2% (12/26) of the strains with AZM
in vitro
as well as in 66.7% (10/15) of the strains with CLR and 40.0% (6/15) of the strains with AZM in macrophages as determined by the fractional inhibitory concentration index. In contrast, either indifferent or synergistic effects of the MXF-macrolide combinations were observed against only
M. massiliense
strains. Moreover, a murine infection model showed similar results. Antagonism between the MXF and macrolide combinations was observed in five out of seven
M. abscessus
strains, while indifferent and synergistic effects for these combinations were observed for three of the six
M. massiliense
strains tested, respectively. In conclusion, the activity of MXF in combination with a macrolide differed for
M. abscessus
and
M. massiliense
infections and the addition of MXF to macrolide therapy had no benefit for the treatment of
M. abscessus
infections.
Deciphering the Function of the Outer Membrane Protein OprD Homologue of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Catel-Ferreira Manuella , Nehmé Rony , Molle Virginie , Aranda Jesús , Bouffartigues Emeline , Chevalier Sylvie , Bou Germán , Jouenne Thierry , Dé Emmanuelle 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

The increasing number of carbapenem-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
isolates is a major cause for concern which restricts therapeutic options to treat severe infections caused by this emerging pathogen. To identify the molecular mechanisms involved in carbapenem resistance, we studied the contribution of an outer membrane protein homologue of the
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
OprD porin. Suspected to be the preferred pathway of carbapenems in
A. baumannii
, the
oprD
homologue gene was inactivated in strain ATCC 17978. Comparison of wild-type and mutant strains did not confirm the expected increased resistance to any antibiotic tested. OprD homologue sequence analysis revealed that this protein actually belongs to an OprD subgroup but is closer to the
P. aeruginosa
OprQ protein, with which it could share some functions, e.g., allowing bacterial survival under low-iron or -magnesium growth conditions or under poor oxygenation. We thus overexpressed and purified a recombinant OprD homologue protein to further examine its functional properties. As a specific channel, this porin presented rather low single-channel conductance, i.e., 28 pS in 1 M KCl, and was partially closed by micro- and millimolar concentrations of Fe
3+
and Mg
2+
, respectively, but not by imipenem and meropenem or basic amino acids. The
A. baumannii
OprD homologue is likely not involved in the carbapenem resistance mechanism, but as an OprQ-like protein, it could contribute to the adaptation of this bacterium to magnesium- and/or iron-depleted environments.
Complete Genome Sequence of Cronobacter sakazakii Bacteriophage CR3
Authors: Shin Hakdong , Lee Ju-Hoon , Kim Yeran , Ryu Sangryeol 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

Due to the high risk of
Cronobacter sakazakii
infection in infants fed powdered milk formula and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, an alternative biocontrol agent using bacteriophage is needed to control this pathogen. To further the development of such an agent, the
C. sakazakii
-targeting bacteriophage CR3 was isolated and its genome was completely sequenced. Here, we announce the genomic analysis results of the largest
C. sakazakii
phage known to date and report the major findings from the genome annotation.
Origin of leaf rust adult plant resistance gene Rph20 in barley
Authors: Hickey Lee T. , Lawson Wendy , Platz Greg J. , Dieters Mark , Franckowiak Jerome 
Published: May 2012

Rph20 is the only reported, simply inherited gene conferring moderate to high levels of adult plant resistance (APR) to leaf rust ( Puccinia hordei Otth) in barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.). Key parental genotypes were examined to determine the origin of Rph20 in two-rowed barley. The Dutch cultivar ‘Vada’ (released in the 1950s) and parents, ‘Hordeum laevigatum’ and ‘Gull’ (‘Gold’), along with the related cultivar ‘Emir’ (a derivative of ‘Delta’), were assessed for APR to P. hordei in a disease screening nursery. The marker bPb-0837-PCR, co-located with Rph20 on the short arm of chromosome 5H (5HS), was used to screen genotypes for the resistance allele, Rph20.ai. Results from phenotypic assessment and DNA analysis confirmed that Rph20 originated from the landrace ‘H. laevigatum’ (i.e., Hordeum vulgare subsp. vulgare). Tracing back this gene through the pedigrees of two-rowed barley cultivars, indicated that Rph20 has contributed APR to P. hordei for more than 60 years. Although there have been no reports of an Rph20-virulent pathotype, the search for alternative sources of APR should continue to avoid widespread reliance upon a single resistance factor.
Molecular cytogenetic characterization and stripe rust response of a trigeneric hybrid involvingTriticum,Psathyrostachys, andThinopyrum
Authors: Kang Houyang , Zeng Jian , Xie Quan , Tao Shan , Zhong Meiyu , Zhang Haiqin , Fan Xing , Sha Lina , Xu Lili , Zhou Yonghong 
Published: May 2012

Trigeneric hybrids offer opportunities to transfer alien traits into cultivated wheat. In this study, a new trigeneric hybrid involving species of Triticum , Psathyrostachys , and Thinopyrum was synthesized by crossing Triticum aestivum L. (wheat) – Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey amphiploid Zhong 3 with wheat – Psathyrostachys huashanica Keng ex Kuo amphiploid PHW-SA. Crossability of the two amphiploids was 19.74%, and the fertility of the hybrid was 16.20%. The mean meiotic configuration of the trigeneric hybrid (2n = 56) was 13.06 I + 17.24 IIring + 3.73 IIrod + 0.28 III + 0.04 IV. GISH analysis indicated that the trigeneric F1had seven P. huashanica chromosomes and seven Th. intermedium chromosomes. The mean chromosome numbers of F2, F3, and F4progenies were 2n = 49.24, 2n = 48.13, and 2n = 46.78, respectively, a gradual decrease. GISH analysis revealed that most F2and F3plants had 2–10 Th. intermedium chromosomes and 0–4 P. huashanica chromosomes. In the F4progenies, 1–7 Th. intermedium chromosomes were labeled, but no P. huashanica chromosomes were detected. It seems that Th. intermedium chromosomes are more likely than P. huashanica chromosomes to be transmitted to the progenies. The stripe rust response of PHW-SA was expressed in the F1and some F2and F3progenies. The trigeneric hybrid could be a useful bridge for transfering P. huashanica and Th. intermedium chromosomes to common wheat.
Fibroblast-Derived Dermal Matrix Drives Development of Aggressive Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Patients with Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa
Authors: Ng Yi-Zhen , Pourreyron Celine , Salas-Alanis Julio C. , Dayal Jasbani H.S. , Cepeda-Valdes Rodrigo , Yan Wenfei , Wright Sheila , Chen Mei , Fine Jo-David , Hogg Fiona J. , McGrath John A. , Murrell Dedee F. , Leigh Irene M. , Lane E. Birgit , South Andrew P. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractPatients with the genetic skin blistering disease recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) develop aggressive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Metastasis leading to mortality is greater in RDEB than in other patient groups with cSCC. Here we investigate the dermal component in RDEB using mRNA expression profiling to compare cultured fibroblasts isolated from individuals without cSCC and directly from tumor matrix in RDEB and non-RDEB samples. Although gene expression of RDEB normal skin fibroblasts resembled that of cancer-associated fibroblasts, RDEB cancer-associated fibroblasts exhibited a distinct and divergent gene expression profile, with a large proportion of the differentially expressed genes involved in matrix and cell adhesion. RDEB cancer-associated fibroblasts conferred increased adhesion and invasion to tumor and nontumor keratinocytes. Reduction of COL7A1, the defective gene in RDEB, in normal dermal fibroblasts led to increased type XII collagen, thrombospondin-1, and Wnt-5A, while reexpression of wild type COL7A1 in RDEB fibroblasts decreased type XII collagen, thrombospondin-1, and Wnt-5A expression, reduced tumor cell invasion in organotypic culture, and restricted tumor growth in vivo. Overall, our findings show that matrix composition in patients with RDEB is a permissive environment for tumor development, and type VII collagen directly regulates the composition of matrix proteins secreted by dermal and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Cancer Res; 72(14); 3522–34. ©2012 AACR.
Cyclin E2 Overexpression Is Associated with Endocrine Resistance but not Insensitivity to CDK2 Inhibition in Human Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Caldon C. Elizabeth , Sergio C. Marcelo , Kang Jian , Muthukaruppan Anita , Boersma Marijke N. , Stone Andrew , Barraclough Jane , Lee Christine S. , Black Michael A. , Miller Lance D. , Gee Julia M. , Nicholson Rob I. , Sutherland Robert L. , Print Cristin G. , Musgrove Elizabeth A. 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Cyclin E2, but not cyclin E1, is included in several gene signatures that predict disease progression in either tamoxifen-resistant or metastatic breast cancer. We therefore examined the role of cyclin E2 in antiestrogen resistance in vitro and its potential for therapeutic targeting through cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibition. High expression of CCNE2, but not CCNE1, was characteristic of the luminal B and HER2 subtypes of breast cancer and was strongly predictive of shorter distant metastasis-free survival following endocrine therapy. After antiestrogen treatment of MCF-7 breast cancer cells, cyclin E2 mRNA and protein were downregulated and cyclin E2–CDK2 activity decreased. However, this regulation was lost in tamoxifen-resistant (MCF-7 TAMR) cells, which overexpressed cyclin E2. Expression of either cyclin E1 or E2 in T-47D breast cancer cells conferred acute antiestrogen resistance, suggesting that cyclin E overexpression contributes to the antiestrogen resistance of tamoxifen-resistant cells. Ectopic expression of cyclin E1 or E2 also reduced sensitivity to CDK4, but not CDK2, inhibition. Proliferation of tamoxifen-resistant cells was inhibited by RNAi-mediated knockdown of cyclin E1, cyclin E2, or CDK2. Furthermore, CDK2 inhibition of E-cyclin overexpressing cells and tamoxifen-resistant cells restored sensitivity to tamoxifen or CDK4 inhibition. Cyclin E2 overexpression is therefore a potential mechanism of resistance to both endocrine therapy and CDK4 inhibition. CDK2 inhibitors hold promise as a component of combination therapies in endocrine-resistant disease as they effectively inhibit cyclin E1 and E2 overexpressing cells and enhance the efficacy of other therapeutics. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(7); 1488–99. ©2012 AACR.
Impact of Intrinsic Affinity on Functional Binding and Biological Activity of EGFR Antibodies
Authors: Zhou Yu , Goenaga Anne-Laure , Harms Brian D. , Zou Hao , Lou Jianlong , Conrad Fraser , Adams Gregory P. , Schoeberl Birgit , Nielsen Ulrik B. , Marks James D. 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Aberrant expression and activation of EGF receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in the development and progression of many human cancers. As such, targeted therapeutic inhibition of EGFR, for example by antibodies, is a promising anticancer strategy. The overall efficacy of antibody therapies results from the complex interplay between affinity, valence, tumor penetration and retention, and signaling inhibition. To gain better insight into this relationship, we studied a panel of EGFR single-chain Fv (scFv) antibodies that recognize an identical epitope on EGFR but bind with intrinsic monovalent affinities varying by 280-fold. The scFv were converted to Fab and IgG formats, and investigated for their ability to bind EGFR, compete with EGF binding, and inhibit EGF-mediated downstream signaling and proliferation. We observed that the apparent EGFR-binding affinity for bivalent IgG plateaus at intermediate values of intrinsic affinity of the cognate Fab, leading to a biphasic curve describing the ratio of IgG to Fab affinity. Mathematical modeling of antibody–receptor binding indicated that the biphasic effect results from nonequilibrium assay limitations. This was confirmed by further observation that the potency of EGF competition for antibody binding to EGFR improved with both intrinsic affinity and antibody valence. Similarly, both higher intrinsic affinity and bivalent binding improved the potency of antibodies in blocking cellular signaling and proliferation. Overall, our work indicates that higher intrinsic affinity combined with bivalent binding can achieve avidity that leads to greater in vitro potency of antibodies, which may translate into greater therapeutic efficacy. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(7); 1467–76. ©2012 AACR.
microRNA-9 Targets Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 to Inhibit Invasion, Metastasis, and Angiogenesis of Neuroblastoma Cells
Authors: Zhang Huanyu , Qi Meng , Li Shiwang , Qi Teng , Mei Hong , Huang Kai , Zheng Liduan , Tong Qiangsong 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-14 is the only membrane-anchored MMP that plays a critical role in tumor metastasis and angiogenesis. However, the mechanisms underlying MMP-14 expression in tumors still remain largely unknown. In this study, MMP-14 immunostaining was identified in 29/42 neuroblastoma tissues, which was correlated with clinicopathologic features and shorter patients' survival. In subtotal 20 neuroblastoma cases, microRNA 9 (miR-9) was downregulated and inversely correlated with MMP-14 expression. Bioinformatics analysis revealed a putative miR-9–binding site in the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of MMP-14 mRNA. Overexpression or knockdown of miR-9 responsively altered both the mRNA and protein levels of MMP-14 and its downstream gene, vascular endothelial growth factor, in cultured neuroblastoma cell lines SH-SY5Y and SK-N-SH. In an MMP-14 3′-UTR luciferase reporter system, miR-9 downregulated the luciferase activity, and these effects were abolished by a mutation in the putative miR-9–binding site. Overexpression of miR-9 suppressed the invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis of SH-SY5Y and SK-N-SH cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, the effects of miR-9 on MMP-14 expression, adhesion, migration, invasion, and angiogenesis were rescued by overexpression of MMP-14 in these cells. Furthermore, anti-miR-9 inhibitor or knockdown of MMP-14 respectively increased or inhibited the migration, invasion, and angiogenesis of neuroblastoma cells. These data indicate that miR-9 suppresses MMP-14 expression via the binding site in the 3′-UTR, thus inhibiting the invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis of neuroblastoma. Mol Cancer Ther; 11(7); 1454–66. ©2012 AACR.