bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Augustine's Ethics of Belief and Avoiding Violence in Religious Disputes
Authors: Anderson Owen 
Published: December 2009

AbstractThis article is a study of how Augustine's ethics of belief shaped his arguments against unbelief and its legacy in using coercion to settle disputes. After considering the arguments for belief presented by Augustine, the article studies how these were shaped by his understanding of the problem of evil and how the Fall influenced free will. What is noted to be of benefit in Augustine is that he offers arguments in favor of belief, and is convinced that he has shown unbelief to be based on unsound reasoning. By way of contrast, a number of theologians (such as Tertullian, John Calvin, and those under the heading of Reformed Epistemology) are considered who do not believe that arguments are necessary to support belief or reject unbelief. These are contrasted with Augustine and it is argued that they have significant shortcomings in this respect. However, the article concludes that Augustine could have gone farther in supporting the claim that it is clear that God exists, and his own shortcomings have been used to justify coercion in religious belief. If common ground is to be achieved this problem must be corrected and an adequate foundation for clarity must be established.
Association of Capillary Density and Function Measures With Blood Pressure, Fasting Plasma Glucose, and Insulin Sensitivity
Authors: Cheng Cynthia , Daskalakis Constantine , Falkner Bonita 
Published: December 2009

J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2010;12:125–135. ©2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.The pathophysiology underlying the association between hypertension and insulin resistance remains unclear. The study purpose was to determine whether reduced capillary density and/or function underlie, and may therefore explain, this association. The study was conducted on 115 black and non‐black participants aged 18 to 55 years: 91 with normal blood pressure (systolic blood pressure [SBP] <130 mm Hg) and 24 with mild blood pressure elevation (SBP 130–159 mm Hg). Capillary density and function were quantified using direct capillaroscopy measures. Insulin sensitivity (IS) was estimated using the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI). Endothelial function (EF) was measured using strain‐gauge plethysmography. Data were analyzed by linear regression adjusted for age, sex, race, and body mass index (BMI). After adjustment for BMI, capillary density and function measures were significant predictors of SBP ( P<.01), fasting plasma glucose (P=.012, P=.03, and P=.004, respectively), and EF (P=.033, P=.001, and P=.009, respectively). However, none of the capillary measures were significant predictors of fasting insulin or IS. These capillaroscopy data demonstrated an association with SBP but not insulin resistance, suggesting that capillary measures are unlikely to explain the association between hypertension and insulin resistance, at least with modest degrees of blood pressure elevation.
Global congruence of carbon storage and biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems
Authors: Strassburg Bernardo B.N. , Kelly Annabel , Balmford Andrew , Davies Richard G. , Gibbs Holly K. , Lovett Andrew , Miles Lera , Orme C. David L. , Price Jeff , Turner R. Kerry , Rodrigues Ana S.L. 
Published: December 2009

AbstractDeforestation is a main driver of climate change and biodiversity loss. An incentive mechanism to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) is being negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Here we use the best available global data sets on terrestrial biodiversity and carbon storage to map and investigate potential synergies between carbon and biodiversity‐oriented conservation. A strong association (rS= 0.82) between carbon stocks and species richness suggests that such synergies would be high, but unevenly distributed. Many areas of high value for biodiversity could be protected by carbon‐based conservation, while others could benefit from complementary funding arising from their carbon content. Some high‐biodiversity regions, however, would not benefit from carbon‐focused conservation, and could become under increased pressure if REDD is implemented. Our results suggest that additional gains for biodiversity conservation are possible, without compromising the effectiveness for climate change mitigation, if REDD takes biodiversity distribution into account.
Carbapenem Susceptibility Patterns for Clinical Isolates ofMycobacterium abscessusDetermined by the Etest Method
Authors: Chihara Shingo , Smith Geremy , Petti Cathy A. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACTMycobacterium abscessusis resistant to multiple antibiotics, creating treatment challenges. Carbapenems are tested to increase therapeutic alternatives. We performedin vitrosusceptibility testing by Etest of four carbapenems forM. abscessusisolates. Imipenem demonstrated the mostin vitroactivity, and testing of other carbapenems provided no additional value.
A Systemic Neutrophil Response Precedes Robust CD8+T-Cell Activation during Natural Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Infants
Authors: Lukens Michaël V. , van de Pol Alma C. , Coenjaerts Frank E. J. , Jansen Nicolaas J. G. , Kamp Vera M. , Kimpen Jan L. L. , Rossen John W. A. , Ulfman Laurien H. , Tacke Carline E. A. , Viveen Marco C. , Koenderman Leo , Wolfs Tom F. W. , van Bleek Grada M. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACTSevere primary respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections are characterized by bronchiolitis accompanied by wheezing. Controversy exists as to whether infants suffer from virus-induced lung pathology or from excessive immune responses. Furthermore, detailed knowledge about the development of primary T-cell responses to viral infections in infants is lacking. We studied the dynamics of innate neutrophil and adaptive T-cell responses in peripheral blood in relation to theviral load and parameters of disease in infants admitted to the intensive care unit with severe RSV infection. Analysis of primary T-cell responses showed substantial CD8+T-cell activation, which peaked during convalescence. A strong neutrophil response, characterized by mobilization of bone marrow-derived neutrophil precursors, preceded the peak in T-cell activation. The kinetics of this neutrophil response followed the peak of clinical symptoms and the viral load with a 2- to 3-day delay. From the sequence of events, we conclude that CD8+T-cell responses, initiated during primary RSV infections, are unlikely to contribute to disease when it is most severe. The mobilization of precursor neutrophils might reflect the strong neutrophil influx into the airways, which is a characteristic feature during RSV infections and might be an integral pathogenic process in the disease.
Combined Administration with DNA Encoding Vesicular Stomatitis Virus G Protein Enhances DNA Vaccine Potency
Authors: Mao Chih-Ping , Hung Chien-Fu , Kang Tae Heung , He Liangmei , Tsai Ya-Chea , Wu Chao-Yi , Wu T.-C. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACTDNA vaccines have recently emerged at the forefront of approaches to harness the immune system in the prevention and treatment of viral infections, as well as the prevention and treatment of cancers. However, these vaccines suffer from limited efficacy since they often fail to produce significant antigen-specific CD8+T-cell responses. We report here a novel concept for DNA vaccine design that exploits the unique and powerful ability of viral fusogenic membrane glycoproteins (FMGs) to couple concentrated antigen transfer to dendritic cells (DCs) with local induction of the acute inflammatory response. Intramuscular administration into mice by electroporation technology of a plasmid containing the FMG gene from vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV-G)—together with DNA encoding the E7 protein of human papillomavirus type 16, a model cervical cancer antigen—elicited robust E7-specific CD8+T-cell responses, as well as therapeutic control of E7-expressing tumors. This effect could potentially be mediated through the immunogenic form of cellular fusion and necrosis induced by VSV-G, which in a concerted fashion provokes leukocyte infiltration into the inoculation site, enhances cross-presentation of antigen to DCs, and stimulates them to mature efficiently. Thus, the incorporation of FMGs into DNA vaccines holds promise for the successful control of viral infections and cancers in the clinic.
Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Virus Establishes an Efficient Spreading Infection and Exhibits Enhanced Transcriptional Activity in Prostate Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Rodriguez Jason J. , Goff Stephen P. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) is a novel human gammaretrovirus discovered in association with human prostate tumors. XMRV was first identified in prostate stromal cells surrounding the tumors of patients carrying a mutation in the
HPC1
gene locus. To determine the tropism of XMRV in cell culture, we tested the ability of XMRV to spread and replicate in various prostate and nonprostate cell lines. We found that although the expression of XMRV viral proteins and the spread of infectious virus were minimal in a variety of cell lines, XMRV displayed robust expression and infection in LNCaP prostate tumor cells. The transcriptional activity of the XMRV long terminal repeat (LTR) was found to be higher than the Moloney murine leukemia virus LTRs in both LNCaP and WPMY-1 (simian virus 40-transformed prostate stromal cells). The U3 promoter of XMRV and a glucocorticoid response element (GRE) within the U3 were required for the transcriptional activity in LNCaP cells. Coexpression of the androgen receptor and stimulation with dihydrotestosterone stimulated XMRV-LTR-dependent transcription in 293T cells, and the GRE was required for this activity. These data suggest that XMRV may replicate more efficiently in LNCaP cells in part due to the transcriptional environment in LNCaP cells.
RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase 6 Delays Accumulation and Precludes Meristem Invasion of a Viroid That Replicates in the Nucleus
Authors: Di Serio Francesco , Martínez de Alba Angel-Emilio , Navarro Beatriz , Gisel Andreas , Flores Ricardo 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

The detection of viroid-derived small RNAs (vd-sRNAs) similar to the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs, 21 to 24 nucleotides [nt]) in plants infected by nuclear-replicating members of the family
Pospiviroidae
(type species,
Potato spindle tuber viroid
[PSTVd]) indicates that they are inducers and targets of the RNA-silencing machinery of their hosts. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 6 (RDR6) catalyzes an amplification circuit producing the double-stranded precursors of secondary siRNAs. Recently, the role of RDR6 in restricting systemic spread of certain RNA viruses and precluding their invasion of the apical growing tip has been documented using RDR6-silenced
Nicotiana benthamiana
(NbRDR6i) plants. Here we show that RDR6 is also engaged in regulating PSTVd levels: accumulation of PSTVd genomic RNA was increased in NbRDR6i plants with respect to the wild-type controls (Nbwt) early in infection, whereas this difference decreased or disappeared in later infection stages. Moreover,
in situ
hybridization revealed that RDR6 is involved in restricting PSTVd access in floral and vegetative meristems, thus providing firm genetic evidence for an antiviroid RNA silencing mechanism. RNA gel blot hybridization and deep sequencing showed in wt and RDR6i backgrounds that PSTVd sRNAs (i) accumulate to levels paralleling their genomic RNA, (ii) display similar patterns with prevailing 22- or 21-nt plus-strand species, and (iii) adopt strand-specific hot spot profiles along the genomic RNA. Therefore, the surveillance mechanism restraining entry of some RNA viruses into meristems likely also controls PSTVd access in
N. benthamiana
. Unexpectedly, deep sequencing also disclosed in NbRDR6i plants a profile of RDR6-derived siRNA dominated by 21-nt plus-strand species mapping within a narrow window of the hairpin RNA stem expressed transgenically for silencing RDR6, indicating that minus-strand siRNAs silencing the NbRDR6 mRNA represent a minor fraction of the total siRNA population.
Mechanical Properties of PP Composites Reinforced with BCTMP Aspen Fiber
Authors: Ruijun Gu  , Kokta B.V. 
Published: December 2009

In this work we investigated the effect of incorporating wood fibers (bleached chemi-thermo-mechanical pulp of aspen, BCTMP) on the properties of a hybrid composite material made from maleated polypropylene (MAPP) and Nanoclay (NC) or not. The effects of morphological structure of polypropylene (PP) and the molecular weight (Mw) and maleic anhydride graft level (MA%) of MAPP were also performed to evaluate the improvements of each independent factor (MAPP, Dicumyl peroxide-DCP and NC). In our case, the size of wood fiber had little effect on the impact and tensile strength. High Mw and low MA% MAPP contributes homo-PP hybrids with better performance, either impact or tensile. In addition, wood fiber gives the hybrids, based on both homo-polypropylene (homo-PP) and co-polypropylene (co-PP), without the presence of coupling agent, similar behaviors of impact and tensile strengths. However, the impact and tensile strength of the hybrids mentioned above are improved in the presence of coupling agent. NC weakens the impact strength of composites with/without the reinforcement of wood fiber, coupling agent, and DCP. It shows different behaviors of tensile with improvement of tensile for hybrids with wood fiber, coupling agent, and DCP but impartation for nanocomposites without additives. Moreover, the behavior of tensile is in concordance to the changes of elongation as well as toughness. Furthermore, DCP leads to negative effects on the impact and tensile, as well as toughness of the hybrids when fiber is present, but exhibits better resistance deformation extension which is in concordance with the increase of modulus. In addition, there is a little increase in plasticity.
Chemotherapy dose intensity reductions due to adverse drug reactions in an oncology outpatient setting
Authors: Llopis-Salvia Pilar , Sarrio-Montes Gema , Garcia-Llopis Paula , Bargues-Ruiz Adria 
Published: December 2009

Objective. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that prevent administration of planned dose intensity antineoplastic chemotherapy in clinical practice. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was made of adult oncology patients who received intravenous chemotherapy in an outpatient ward during 2005. Dose delays, dose reductions, dose omissions, or treatment discontinuations with respect to the planned chemotherapy regimen were obtained, and causes were evaluated to identify ADRs. Results. A total of 532 patients were included, involving the administration of 631 chemotherapy regimens. The total number of cycles evaluated was 3553. The incidence of nonadherence to planned treatment due to ADRs was 12.9% cycles (95% CI: 11.8—14.0). Differences according to patient’s age were found, patients younger than 65 years showed higher rates of nonadherence due to ADRs. Myelosuppression was the main cause of dose delays, and gastrointestinal and neurological toxicity were reported as the main causes of dose reductions. Conclusions. The incidence of ADRs preventing planned dose intensity administration has been estimated. Follow-up of nonadherence to antineoplastic chemotherapy prescriptions can be used to evaluate tolerance in the clinical setting. Continuous evaluation of security in clinical practice provides information on benefits outweighing the deleterious effects in specific patient populations where the available data are limited.
Mutations of p53 gene in breast cancer in the Egyptian Province of Dakahliya
Authors: El-Ghannam Doaa M , Arafa Mohammad , Badrawy Tarek 
Published: December 2009

Background. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among females worldwide. Molecular analysis of p53 is likely to have value in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of breast cancer. Objective. To study the frequency and spectrum of p53 gene mutations in breast cancer patients residing Al Dakahliya district in the north of Egypt. Materials and Methods. Thirty patients with cancer breast as well as 10 controls were evaluated for p53 status by flow-cytometry, PCR-SSCP, and sequencing analysis. Results. P53 mutations were evident in five breast cancer patients (17%) including two missense mutations (A218 T and R279 G) in exon 6, 8; nonsense mutations (S297stop and Y159stop) in exon 8, 5, respectively, and frame shift mutation (M133 fs) in exon 5. p53 mutations were associated with invasive ductal carcinoma, large tumor size, and advanced disease stage Conclusion. p53 gene mutations is potentially responsible for pathogenesis and clinical aggressiveness of breast cancer in our locality.
Crossfit analysis: a novel method to characterize the dynamics of induced plant responses
Authors: Jansen Jeroen J , van Dam Nicole M , Hoefsloot Huub CJ , Smilde Age K 
Published: December 2009

Abstract

Background
Many plant species show induced responses that protect them against exogenous attacks. These responses involve the production of many different bioactive compounds. Plant species belonging to the Brassicaceae family produce defensive glucosinolates, which may greatly influence their favorable nutritional properties for humans. Each responding compound may have its own dynamic profile and metabolic relationships with other compounds. The chemical background of the induced response is therefore highly complex and may therefore not reveal all the properties of the response in any single model.

Results
This study therefore aims to describe the dynamics of the glucosinolate response, measured at three time points after induction in a feral Brassica, by a three-faceted approach, based on Principal Component Analysis. First the large-scale aspects of the response are described in a 'global model' and then each time-point in the experiment is individually described in 'local models' that focus on phenomena that occur at specific moments in time. Although each local model describes the variation among the plants at one time-point as well as possible, the response dynamics are lost. Therefore a novel method called the 'Crossfit' is described that links the local models of different time-points to each other.

Conclusions
Each element of the described analysis approach reveals different aspects of the response. The crossfit shows that smaller dynamic changes may occur in the response that are overlooked by global models, as illustrated by the analysis of a metabolic profiling dataset of the same samples.
Dissecting the dynamics of dysregulation of cellular processes in mouse mammary gland tumor
Authors: Mentzen Wieslawa I , Floris Matteo , de la Fuente Alberto 
Published: December 2009

AbstractBackgroundElucidating the sequence of molecular events underlying breast cancer formation is of enormous value for understanding this disease and for design of an effective treatment. Gene expression measurements have enabled the study of transcriptome-wide changes involved in tumorigenesis. This usually occurs through identification of differentially expressed genes or pathways.ResultsWe propose a novel approach that is able to delineate new cancer-related cellular processes and the nature of their involvement in tumorigenesis. First, we define modules as densely interconnected and functionally enriched areas of a Protein Interaction Network. Second, 'differential expression' and 'differential co-expression' analyses are applied to the genes in these network modules, allowing for identification of processes that are up- or down-regulated, as well as processes disrupted (low co-expression) or invoked (high co-expression) in different tumor stages. Finally, we propose a strategy to identify regulatory miRNAs potentially responsible for the observed changes in module activities. We demonstrate the potential of this analysis on expression data from a mouse model of mammary gland tumor, monitored over three stages of tumorigenesis. Network modules enriched in adhesion and metabolic processes were found to be inactivated in tumor cells through the combination of dysregulation and down-regulation, whereas the activation of the integrin complex and immune system response modules is achieved through increased co-regulation and up-regulation. Additionally, we confirmed a known miRNA involved in mammary gland tumorigenesis, and present several new candidates for this function.ConclusionsUnderstanding complex diseases requires studying them by integrative approaches that combine data sources and different analysis methods. The integration of methods and data sources proposed here yields a sensitive tool, able to pinpoint new processes with a role in cancer, dissect modulation of their activity and detect the varying assignments of genes to functional modules over the course of a disease.
Variable expression of cysteinyl leukotriene type I receptor splice variants in asthmatic females with different promoter haplotypes
Authors: Sokolowska Milena , Wodz-Naskiewicz Karolina , Cieslak Malgorzata , Seta Karolina , Bednarek Andrzej K , Pawliczak Rafal 
Published: December 2009

AbstractBackgroundCysteinyl leukotrienes are potent inflammatory mediators implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma. Human cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CYSLTR1) gene contains five exons that are variably spliced. Within its promoter few polymorphisms were described. To date, there has been no evidence about the expression of different splice variants of CysLT1in asthma and their association withCYSLTR1promoter polymorphisms.The goal of our study was to investigate CysLT1alternative transcripts expression in asthmatic patients with differentCYSLTR1promoter haplotypes.The study groups consisted of 44 patients with asthma, diagnosed according to GINA 2008 criteria and 18 healthy subjects. Genomic DNA and total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Real-time PCR was performed with specific primers for transcript I [GenBank:DQ131799] and II [GenBank:DQ131800]. Fragments of theCYSLTR1promoter were amplified by PCR and sequenced directly to identify four single nucleotide polymorphisms: C/T [SNP:rs321029], A/C [SNP:rs2637204], A/G [SNP:rs2806489] and C/T [SNP:rs7066737].ResultsThe expression of CysLT1transcript I and II in asthma did not differ from its expression in healthy control group. However, in major alleles homozygotic CAAC/CAAC women with asthma we found significantly higher expression of transcript I as compared to heterozygous CAAC/TCGC women in that loci. CysLT1transcript I expression tended to negative correlation with episodes of acute respiratory infection in our asthmatic population. Moreover, expression of CysLT1transcript II in CAAC/CAAC homozygotic women with asthma was significantly lower than in CAAC/CAAC healthy control females.ConclusionsGenetic variants ofCYSLTR1promoter might be associated with gender specific expression of CysLT1alternative transcripts in patients with asthma. CysLT1splice variants expression might also correlate with the susceptibility to infection in asthmatic population.