bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genome‐wide supported psychosis risk variant in ZNF804A gene and impact on cortico–limbic WM integrity in schizophrenia
Authors: Kuswanto Carissa Nadia , Woon Puay‐San , Zheng Xue Bin , Qiu Anqi , Sitoh Yih‐Yian , Chan Yiong Huak , Liu Jianjun , Williams Hywel , Ong Wei Yi , Sim Kang 
Published: February 2012

AbstractGenome‐wide association, case association genetic and meta‐analytic studies have highlighted ZNF804A as a robust genome‐wide supported susceptibility gene for schizophrenia (SCZ). In view of the possible involvement of ZNF804A gene in early neurodevelopment and cellular processes including oligodendrocyte proliferation and differentiation, we examined the effect of ZNF804A on brain WM (WM) integrity in patients with SCZ. Based on extant data in healthy controls (HC), we hypothesized that ZNF804A risk variant rs1344706 is associated with lower fractional anisotropy (FA) in brain regions within cortico‐limbic circuits, namely frontal, parietal, medial temporal lobes, and cingulate gyri in SCZ. A total of 200 Chinese participants (125 patients with DSM‐IV diagnosis of SCZ and 75 controls) were genotyped using blood samples, a subset of 153 participants (89 patients with DSM‐IV diagnosis of SCZ and 64 controls) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). There are significant effects of diagnosis (left cingulate gyrus: Adjusted F1,149 = 9.36, P = 0.003) and diagnosis–genotype interactions (left parietal lobe: Adjusted F1,147 = 7.39, P = 0.007; right parietal lobe: Adjusted F1,147 = 6.95, P = 0.009; right medial temporal lobe: Adjusted F1,147 = 8.79, P = 0.004; left cingulate gyrus: Adjusted F1,147 = 8.02, P = 0.005). Specifically, we found that patients with SCZ who are risk T homozygotes have lower FA in bilateral parietal lobes, and left cingulate gyrus compared with G carriers. Compared with risk T homozygotes in HC, patients with SCZ who are risk T homozygotes have decreased FA in bilateral parietal lobes, and left cingulate gyrus as well as right medial temporal lobe. Our findings suggest that ZNF804A risk variant influence WM integrity involving cortico‐limbic brain regions in SCZ and highlight the importance of investigating the impact of genome‐wide supported risk factors on intermediate phenotypes with potential to shed light on the neurobiology of SCZ. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
How Different Are Robust and Gracile Capuchin Monkeys? An Argument for the Use ofSapajusandCebus
Authors: ALFARO JESSICA W. LYNCH , SILVA JOSÉ DE SOUSA E , RYLANDS ANTHONY B. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractCapuchin monkey behavior has been the focus of increasing numbers of captive and field studies in recent years, clarifying behavioral and ecological differences between the two morphological types: the gracile and the robust capuchins (also referred to as untufted and tufted). Studies have tended to focus on the gracile speciesCebus capucinus(fewer data are available forC. albifrons,C. olivaceus, andC. kaapori) and onCebus apella, a name that has encompassed all of the robust capuchins since the 1960s. As a result, it is difficult to ascertain the variation within either gracile or robust types. The phylogenetic relationships between gracile and robust capuchins have also, until now, remained obscure. Recent studies have suggested two independent Pliocene radiations of capuchins stemming from a common ancestor in the Late Miocene, about 6.2 millions of years ago (Ma). The present‐day gracile capuchins most likely originated in the Amazon, and the robust capuchins in the Atlantic Forest to the southeast. Sympatry between the two types is explained by a recent expansion of robust capuchins into the Amazon (ca. 400,000 years ago). Morphological data also support a division of capuchins into the same two distinct groups, and we propose the division of capuchin monkeys into two genera,SapajusKerr, 1792, for robust capuchins andCebusErxleben, 1777, for gracile capuchins, based on a review of extensive morphological, genetic, behavioral, ecological, and biogeographic evidence. Am. J. Primatol. 74:273–286, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Wnt/β‐catenin negative feedback loop inhibits interleukin‐1–induced matrix metalloproteinase expression in human articular chondrocytes
Authors: Ma Bin , van Blitterswijk Clemens A. , Karperien Marcel 
Published: February 2012

AbstractObjectiveThe results of recent animal studies suggest that activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in articular chondrocytes might be a driving factor in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA) by stimulating, for instance, the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β)–induced MMP expression in human chondrocytes.MethodsPrimary cultures of human, murine, and bovine articular chondrocytes as well as human mesenchymal stem cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts were used in the experiments. Multiple strategies for the activation and inhibition of signaling pathways were utilized. Reporter assays and coimmunoprecipitation were performed to study the interaction between β‐catenin and NF‐κB.ResultsIn contrast to the role of Wnt/β‐catenin in animal chondrocytes, in human chondrocytes it was a potent inhibitor of MMP‐1, MMP‐3, and MMP‐13 expression and generic MMP activity both in basal conditions and after IL‐1β stimulation. This effect was independent of the T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor family of transcription factors but rather was attributable to an inhibitory protein–protein interaction between β‐catenin and NF‐κB. IL‐1β indirectly activated β‐catenin signaling by inducing canonical Wnt‐7B expression and by inhibiting the expression of canonical Wnt antagonists.ConclusionWnt/β‐catenin signaling in human chondrocytes had an unexpected anticatabolic role by counteracting NF‐κB–mediated MMP expression induced by IL‐1β in a negative feedback loop.
Wie Bakterien ihre Umwelt wahrnehmen
Authors: Tetsch Larissa , Eitner Pascal 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBakterien passen sich an ein wechselndes Nährstoffangebot an und schützen sich erfolgreich vor ungünstigen Lebensbedingungen. Die Bakterienzelle erkennt Umweltreize über membranständige Sensoren und leitet die Signale ins Zellinnere weiter, wo sie eine Veränderung der Genexpression nach sich ziehen. Am Anfang steht meist eine Konformationsänderung des Sensors, die entweder eine veränderte DNA‐Bindung oder enzymatische Aktivität verursacht oder aber die Wechselwirkung mit anderen Proteinen beeinflusst. Neuere Untersuchungen zeigen, dass viele Transportproteine eine sensorische Rolle übernehmen, indem sie Effektormoleküle an ihren Wirkort transportieren oder sogar als Co‐Sensoren direkt mit Transkriptionsfaktoren interagieren. Ein Sonderfall sind Transporter, die externe abiotische Stressfaktoren wahrnehmen und durch ihre Transportfunktion dem Umweltstress entgegenwirken.
Gibt es einen vierten parasexuellen Vorgang bei Bakterien?
Authors: Schumann Wolfgang 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBakterien verfügen über drei verschiedene Mechanismen, um DNA aufzunehmen: Transformation, Transduktion und Konjugation. Nun wurde ein vierter Weg der Kommunikation festgestellt: Über Nanotubes, dünne Fortsätze aus Zellwandmaterial und anderen Bestandteilen, können Bakterien derselben oder verschiedener Spezies Kontakt aufnehmen.
Homogeneous and Disordered Assembly of Densely Packed Titanium Oxide Nanocrystals: An Approach to Coupled Synthesis and Assembly in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Oaki Yuya , Nakamura Keisuke , Imai Hiroaki 
Published: February 2012

AbstractA homogeneous and disordered assembly of densely packed nanocrystals 2–3 nm in size was synthesized at room temperature in an aqueous solution without the assistance of any organic molecules. The assembled nanocrystals of titanium oxides, such as anatase titanium dioxide, sodium titanate, and a solid solution with rutile tin dioxide, formed macroscopic transparent objects 2–5 mm in size. In general, it is not easy to obtain homogeneous and disordered assembly of nanocrystals without assistance of any organic molecules for the inhibition of inhomogeneous and disordered aggregation. In the present work, the formation of the hydrated layer on the surface of nanocrystals facilitated the homogeneous and disordered assembly. The crystal phases and the compositions of the nanocrystals were controlled by the tuning of the synthetic conditions, such as the initial pH and metal source concentration. Based on the formation processes and mechanisms, this approach for the coupled synthesis and assembly can be applied to a variety of nanomaterials for preparation of homogeneous but disordered assembly.
Myosin VI is required for maintenance of brush border structure, composition, and membrane trafficking functions in the intestinal epithelial cell
Authors: Hegan Peter S. , Giral Hector , Levi Moshe , Mooseker Mark S. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractCharacterization of the intestinal epithelium of the Snell's waltzer (sv/sv) mouse revealed that myosin VI (Myo6) is required for proper brush border (BB) ultrastructure, composition and membrane traffic. The defects observed were distinct from that observed in the myosin Ia KO, even though Myo6 is lost from the BB in this KO. Myo6 is expressed throughout the length of the small and large intestine; it is localized to the subapical inter‐microvillar (MV) domain and basolateral membrane. Defects in the BB include apparent lifting of the plasma membrane off of the actin cytoskeleton in the inter‐MV region, fusion of MV, and disorganized morphology of the terminal web. The molecular composition of the sv/sv BB is altered. This includes increased expression of myosin Va, myosin Ie and the MV actin binding proteins espin and phosphorylated‐ezrin; myosin Id is reduced. Changes in endocytic components include reduced clathrin and adaptin β, and increased disabled‐2. Endocytic uptake of lumenal lactoferrin is inhibited in adult, but not neonatal intestinal epithelial cells. There is increased BB membrane‐associated expression of both the Na+/H+ exchanger, NHE3 and the Na+/phosphate transporter, NaPi2b. These results suggest that Myo6 is involved in the regulated trafficking of NHE3 and NaPi2b between the BB membrane and endosome. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Towards Hyphenated Sensors Development: Design and Application of Porphyrin Electropolymer Materials
Authors: Lvova Larisa , Mastroianni Marco , Di Natale Corrado , Lundström Ingemar , Paolesse Roberto 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe peculiar properties of porphyrins allow their exploitation as sensing materials in chemical sensors having different transduction principles, or even the intriguing possibility to develop sensors where two different transduction mechanisms are hyphenated in the same substrate. This approach can allow a significant increase in the chemical information obtained from the device and it can boost the performances in terms of selectivity and sensitivity. Our recent achievements in the field of functionalized porphyrins application for the development of the hyphenated optoelectrochemical sensors will be discussed in this contribution.
Fast Determination of Ciclopirox in Pharmaceutical Products by Amperometry in Flow and Batch Injection Systems
Authors: Ferreira Luís M. C. , Felix Fabiana S. , Angnes Lúcio 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAmperometry coupled to flow injection analysis (FIA) and to batch injection analysis (BIA) was used for the rapid and precise quantification of ciclopirox olamine in pharmaceutical products. The favourable hydrodynamic conditions provided by both techniques allowed a very high throughput (more than 300 injections per hour) with good linear range (2.0–200 µmol L−1) and low limits of detection (below 1.0 µmol L−1). The results obtained were compared with titration recommended by the American Pharmacopoeia and also using capillary electrophoresis. Good agreement between all results were achieved, demonstrating the good performance of amperometry combined with FIA and BIA.
Astrocyte dysfunction in temporal lobe epilepsy: K+ channels and gap junction coupling
Authors: Steinhäuser Christian , Seifert Gerald , Bedner Peter 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAstrocytes are endowed with the machinery to sense and respond to neuronal activity. Recent work has demonstrated that astrocytes play important physiological roles in the CNS, e.g., they synchronize action potential firing, ensure ion homeostasis, transmitter clearance and glucose metabolism, and regulate the vascular tone. Astrocytes are abundantly coupled through gap junctions, which is a prerequisite to redistribute elevated K+ from sites of excessive neuronal activity to sites of lower extracellular K+ concentration. Recent studies identified dysfunctional astrocytes as crucial players in epilepsy. Investigation of specimens from patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy and epilepsy models revealed alterations in expression, localization, and function of astroglial inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir) channels, particularly Kir4.1, which is suspected to entail impaired K+ buffering. Gap junctions in astrocytes appear to play a dual role: on the one hand they counteract the generation of hyperactivity by facilitating clearance of elevated extracellular K+ levels while in contrast, they constitute a pathway for energetic substrate delivery to fuel neuronal (hyper)activity. Recent work suggests that astrocyte dysfunction is causative of the generation or spread of seizure activity. Thus, astrocytes should be considered as promising targets for alternative antiepileptic therapies. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transient receptor potential melastatin‐related 7 channel is overexpressed in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and regulates human pancreatic cancer cell migration
Authors: Rybarczyk Pierre , Gautier Mathieu , Hague Frédéric , Dhennin‐Duthille Isabelle , Chatelain Denis , Kerr‐Conte Julie , Pattou François , Regimbeau Jean‐Marc , Sevestre Henri , Ouadid‐Ahidouch Halima 
Published: February 2012

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer with a tendency to invade surrounding healthy tissues, leading to a largely incurable disease. Despite many advances in modern medicine, there is still a lack of early biomarkers as well as efficient therapeutical strategies. The melastatin‐related transient receptor potential 7 channel (TRPM7) is a nonselective cation channel that is involved in maintaining Ca2+ and Mg2+ homeostasis. It has been recently reported to regulate cell differentiation, proliferation and migration. However, the role of TRPM7 in PDAC progression is far to be understood. In our study, we show that TRPM7 is 13‐fold overexpressed in cancer tissues compared to the healthy ones. Furthermore, TRPM7 staining is stronger in tumors with high grade, suggesting a correlation between TRPM7 expression and PDAC progression. Importantly, TRPM7 expression is inversely related to patient survival. In BxPC‐3 cell line, dialyzing the cytoplasm during the patch‐clamp whole‐cell recording with a 0‐Mg2+ solution activated a nonselective current with a strong outward rectification. This cation current is inhibited by intracellular Mg2+ and by TRPM7 silencing. The downregulation of TRPM7 by small interference RNA dramatically inhibited intracellular Mg2+ fluorescence and cell migration without affecting cell proliferation, suggesting that TRPM7 contributes to Mg2+ entry and cell migration. Moreover, external Mg2+ following TRPM7 silencing fully restored the cell migration. In summary, our results indicate that TRPM7 is involved in the BxPC‐3 cell migration via a Mg2+‐dependent mechanism and may be a potential biomarker of poor prognosis of PDAC.
Focal adhesion kinase localizes to sites of cell‐to‐cell contact in vivo and increases apically in rat uterine luminal epithelium and the blastocyst at the time of implantation
Authors: Kaneko Yui , Lecce Laura , Day Margot L. , Murphy Christopher R. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractFocal adhesions play an important role in promoting embryo invasion; in particular, focal adhesions disassemble at the time of implantation in the rat, facilitating the detachment of the uterine luminal epithelium to allow the embryo to invade the endometrium. This study investigated focal adhesion protein, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in the rat uterine luminal, and glandular epithelial cells to understand the dynamics of focal adhesions during early pregnancy. FAK undergoes extensive distributional change during early pregnancy, and surprisingly, FAK was not localized at the site of focal adhesions, instead being localized to the site of cell‐to‐cell contact and colocalizing with ZO‐1 on day 1 of pregnancy. At the time of implantation, FAK increases in the apical region of the uterine luminal epithelial cells which was regulated by progesterone. Using an in vitro co‐culture model of rat blastocysts attached to Ishikawa cells, FAK was present apically both in the rat blastocyst and the Ishikawa cells, suggesting a role in attachment andin mediating signal transduction between these two genetically different cell types. J. Morphol., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Embryonic genome activation events in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) preimplantation embryos
Authors: Verma A. , Kumar P. , Rajput S. , Roy B. , De S. , Datta T.K. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractEmbryonic genome activation (EGA) is the first major step towards successful initiation of preimplantation development, which culminates in the formation of implantation‐competent embryos. EGA occurs at species‐specific embryonic cell stages. In the present work, EGA was identified for buffalo embryos by studying the development rate of embryos in normal as well as imposed transcription block conditions, analyzing bromo‐uridine triphosphate (BrUTP) incorporation rates as evidence of de novo transcription initiation, and studying the expression status of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1A (eIF1A), U2 auxiliary splicing factor (U2AF), and polyadenylate polymerase (PAP) genes at different embryonic cell stages. Under normal, in vitro fertilization and culture conditions, about 26% and 17% of oocytes could reach morula and blastocyst stages, respectively, but no embryos could progress beyond 8‐cell stages in presence of α‐amanitin. Culturing embryos in the presence of BrUTP revealed a marked increase in its incorporation between 4‐ and 8‐cell stages. All genes studied displayed an abrupt increase in expression between 4‐ and 8‐cell stages; PAP expression was upregulated earlier from 2‐ to 4‐cell stages. About 65% of PAP transcripts from the 4‐cell stage and more than 70% of eIF1A, U2AF, and PAP transcripts at 8‐cell stage embryos were found to be synthesized de novo. Together, these data suggest that a minor EGA in buffalo embryos happens from 2‐ to 4‐cell stages, while the major EGA takes place from 4‐ to 8‐cell stage transition. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 79: 321–328, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Differentiating the dementias: a neurological approach
Authors: Shaik Saiffuddin Sheriff , Varma Anoop Ranjan 
Published: February 2012

AbstractWith improving lifespan, primary degenerative and vascular dementias are increasingly being recognised as prominent health problems. The four commonest causes of primary dementia are Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies. An accurate diagnosis is critical for the proper management and treatment of these disorders. Here, Dr Shaik and Dr Varma describe the clinical and imaging characteristics of each of these types of dementia. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amphiphilic mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystalline polymers: Design, synthesis, and self‐assembly behaviors
Authors: Wu Hongliang , Zhang Lanying , Xu Yingrong , Ma Ziyue , Shen Zhihao , Fan Xinghe , Zhou Qifeng 
Published: February 2012

AbstractWe synthesized a series of amphiphilic mesogen‐jacketed liquid crystalline (LC) polymers with a biphenyl side‐chain mesogen containing a carboxylic acid group on one side and an octyloxy group on the other, and the number of methylene units between the biphenyl core and the exterior carboxylic acid group was varied to adjust the mesophases and the amphiphilic nature. The polymers were obtained through conventional radical polymerizations and characterized by a combination of different techniques such as thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, polarized light microscopy, and X‐ray scattering. The results revealed that the polymer without any methylene spacer, POBP‐0C, did not exhibit LC properties while POBP‐1C (n = 1) and POBP‐7C (n = 7) formed double layer smectic A (SA) phases. The hydrogen bonding among the carboxylic acid groups and the segregation between the carboxylic acid groups and the alky chains played important roles in forming the mesophases. In addition, the solution self‐assembly behaviors were also preliminarily investigated through the fluorescent probe technique and transmission electron microscopy, and vesicles with uniform sizes were observed. The weak hydrophilicity and large degree of freedom of the carboxylic acid group and the relative rigidity of the polymer chain due to the “jacketing” effect were responsible for the formation of the structures. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Respiratory mechanics in an infant with perinatal lethal hypophosphatasia treated with human recombinant enzyme replacement therapy
Authors: Rodriguez Elena , Bober Michael B. , Davey Lauren , Zamora Arlene , Li Puma Annelise B. , Chidekel Aaron , Shaffer Thomas H. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractHypophosphatasia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficient activity of tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) and characterized by defective bone mineralization. In the perinatal lethal form, respiratory complications due to rachitic deformities of the thoracic cage and associated hypoplastic lungs are present. ENB‐0040 is a bone‐targeted human recombinant TNSALP fusion protein that aims to restore skeletal mineralization. The goal of this study was to characterize pulmonary and thoracic cage mechanics in an infant with the perinatal lethal form of hypophosphatasia under enzyme replacement therapy. Pulmonary function testing was performed on a preterm, 8‐week‐old patient with hypophosphatasia who was mechanically ventilated since birth because of severe chest wall insufficiency. The measurements consisted of respiratory impulse oscillation measurements (resistance and reactance), ventilatory mechanics (compliance and resistance), and thoracoabdominal motion (TAM) analysis. At baseline, chest wall compliance was 50% of normal, and the TAM indicated predominantly abdominal displacement. After 12 weeks of treatment, a consistent decrease in ventilator requirements and improvement in lung function and chest wall mechanics were observed and correlated with thoracic cage radiologic findings. Measurable changes in chest wall dynamics and respiratory mechanics using noninvasive technology were useful for respiratory management and therapeutic guidance of ENB‐0040 treatment in this patient. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012. 47:917–922. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.