bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
C5a/CD88 signaling alters blood–brain barrier integrity in lupus through nuclear factor‐κB
Authors: Jacob Alexander , Hack Bradley , Chen Peili , Quigg Richard J. , Alexander Jessy J. 
Published: September 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 119, 1041–1051.AbstractInflammation is a key factor in a number of neurodegenerative diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus. The complement system is an important mechanism in initiating and amplifying inflammation. Our recent studies demonstrate that C5a, a protein fragment generated during complement activation could alter the blood–brain barrier integrity, and thereby disturb the brain microenvironment. To understand the mechanism by which this occurs, we examined the effects of C5a on apoptosis, translocation of nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κb) and the expression of Iκbα, MAPK, CREB and TJ protein, zona occludens (ZO‐1) in mouse brain endothelial cells. Apoptosis was examined by DNA laddering and caspase 3 activity and the distribution of the ZO‐1 and the p65 subunit of NF‐κB were determined by immunofluorescence. Inhibition of CD88 reduced translocation of NF‐κb into the nucleus, altered ZO‐1 at the interfaces of neighboring cells, decreased caspase 3 activity and prevented apoptosis in these cells. Our results indicate that signaling through CD88 regulates the blood–brain barrier in a NF‐κb‐dependent manner. These studies suggest that the C5a receptor, CD88 is a promising therapeutic target that will reduce NF‐κb‐signaling cascades in inflammatory settings.
Alterations in intrinsic mitochondrial function with aging are fiber type‐specific and do not explain differential atrophy between muscles
Authors: Picard Martin , Ritchie Darmyn , Thomas Melissa M. , Wright Kathryn J. , Hepple Russell T. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryTo determine whether mitochondrial dysfunction is causally related to muscle atrophy with aging, we examined respiratory capacity, H2O2 emission, and function of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) in permeabilized myofibers prepared from four rat muscles that span a range of fiber type and degree of age‐related atrophy. Muscle atrophy with aging was greatest in fast‐twitch gastrocnemius (Gas) muscle (−38%), intermediate in both the fast‐twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and slow‐twitch soleus (Sol) muscles (−21%), and non‐existent in adductor longus (AL) muscle (+47%). In contrast, indices of mitochondrial dysfunction did not correspond to this differential degree of atrophy. Specifically, despite higher protein expression for oxidative phosphorylation (oxphos) system in fast Gas and EDL, state III respiratory capacity per myofiber wet weight was unchanged with aging, whereas the slow Sol showed proportional decreases in oxphos protein, citrate synthase activity, and state III respiration. Free radical leak (H2O2 emission per O2 flux) under state III respiration was higher with aging in the fast Gas, whereas state II free radical leak was higher in the slow AL. Only the fast muscles had impaired mPTP function with aging, with lower mitochondrial calcium retention capacity in EDL and shorter time to mPTP opening in Gas and EDL. Collectively, our results underscore that the age‐related changes in muscle mitochondrial function depend largely upon fiber type and are unrelated to the severity of muscle atrophy, suggesting that intrinsic changes in mitochondrial function are unlikely to be causally involved in aging muscle atrophy.
Metastable Radicals and Intrinsic Chemiluminescence from Soy Proteins
Authors: Liebold Christopher M. , Lei Qingxin , Boatright William L. , Jahan M. Shah 
Published: September 2011

Abstract:  Chemiluminescence from various powdered food proteins were examined without the addition of any external source of free radicals or luminescent agents. In the solid‐state, soy and whey proteins produced more intrinsic chemiluminescence than casein, sodium caseinate, or egg albumin. However, when these same food proteins were hydrated, intrinsic chemiluminescence from soy proteins was about 4‐ to 8‐times greater than other source proteins. Quenching the alkyl‐radicals in the powdered soy proteins with hydrogen sulfide reduced the typical electron paramagnetic resonance spectra from soy proteins below detectable levels, and reduced the chemiluminescence from the hydrated soy proteins by about 65%. Antioxidants also reduced chemiluminescence in hydrated soy proteins by about 50% to 92%, with ellagic acid being the most effective. The reduction in chemiluminescence from both quenching radicals in the solid state, and by the addition of antioxidants to aqueous mixtures, indicate that the chemiluminescence produced when soy proteins are hydrated is a free radical catalyzed event. Based on the production of chemiluminescence, the radicals from soy protein were largely released within 30 min of hydration at 23 °C. Elevating the hydration temperatures increased chemiluminescence by as much as 280% at 70 °C, and decreased the half‐life of the light‐emitting reaction by about 9‐fold.Practical Applications:  Levels of metastable radicals in powdered soy proteins typically range from to 10 to 100 times greater than free radicals from other food protein sources. This research focuses on the types of reactions these radicals catalyze when soy proteins are hydrated, and the radicals suddenly become reactive. The findings suggest that a portion of the energy released from metastable radicals when powdered soy proteins are hydrated is involved in the generation of chemically‐induced light.
Pitfall trapping bias and arthropod body mass
Authors: HANCOCK MARK H. , LEGG COLIN J. 
Published: September 2011

Abstract. 1. Pitfall trapping is one of the most widely used arthropod sampling techniques. However, relative species abundance in pitfall trap catches differs from that found using quadrat samples. This difference, here termed bias, reflects the fact that pitfall trap catch is influenced not only by abundance but also by other factors, including activity, which may be linked to body size. Here, we investigate whether the bias affecting pitfall trap catches of a particular species is related to the typical body mass of individuals of that species.2. Data were extracted from five studies where pitfall trapping bias was quantified and covered 32 species of spiders and carabid beetles. Bias was expressed as the ratio of biomass captured by pitfall traps to that measured by quadrat counts (four field studies), or as the product of mean speed of movement and probability of capture per trap encounter, at standard density (one laboratory study).3. Pitfall trapping bias and body mass were strongly related on a log–log scale, with log(body mass) explaining 78% of the variation in log(bias) (P < 0.0001). There was no significant effect of arthropod group (spiders, carabids) or study location (field, laboratory).4. A method is proposed to correct pitfall catches of each of a group of species, based on the typical body mass of an individual of each species. This approach may remove much of the bias in pitfall trap data and so improve the value of this type of data in studies of arthropod communities.
Using meteorological and lunar information to explain catch variability of Orthoptera and Lepidoptera from 250 W Farrow light traps
Authors: STEINBAUER MARTIN J. , HASLEM ANGIE , EDWARDS EDWARD D. 
Published: September 2011

Abstract.  1. Farrow light traps have been used in Australia since the 1970s to monitor locusts only, but catch variability has not been explained. Four light traps were operated at North Bourke, northern New South Wales, to study catch variability.2. Habitat did not influence catch composition (non‐metric multidimensional scaling/analyses of similarity) or similarity. Assemblages of Orthoptera differed only modestly between December and March, whereas assemblages of macrolepidoptera differed strongly between December, March and April.3. Twenty‐two species of Orthoptera were caught and seven analysed. Kruskal–Wallis ranking tests showed that the largest catches of a species of cricket were obtained when the dominant wind direction was from the SE, whereas the largest catches of three acridid species were obtained when the wind was from the NW. Catch variability of two acridids could be explained by temperature (Generalised linear models); the smallest acridid by wind speed and of the cricket and two acridids by moon surface illumination (K).4. Eighty‐two species of macrolepidoptera were identified and 17 analysed. The largest catches of a noctuid were obtained when the wind was from the SW; an oenosandrid was only caught when the wind was from the SE or NE. Catch variability of two noctuids, an arctiid and an oenosandrid could be explained by temperature; three noctuids, an arctiid, a cossid and a psychid by relative humidity; a noctuid by wind speed; and two noctuids and two oenosandrids by K.5. To facilitate comparisons of catches and interpret long‐term population trends, catch variability should be standardised for meteorological/lunar conditions.
Alginate graft copolymers and alginate–co-excipient physical mixture in oral drug delivery
Authors: Wong Tin Wui 
Published: September 2011

Abstract

Objectives
Use of alginate graft copolymers in oral drug delivery reduces dosage form manufacture complexity with reference to mixing or coating processes. It is deemed to give constant or approximately steady weight ratio of alginate to covalently attached co-excipient in copolymers, thereby leading to controllable matrix processing and drug release. This review describes various grafting approaches and their outcome on oral drug release behaviour of alginate graft copolymeric matrices. It examines drug release modulation mechanism of alginate graft copolymers against that of co-excipients in non-grafted formulations.

Key findings
Drug release from alginate matrices can be modulated through using either co-excipients or graft copolymers via changing their swelling, erosion, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, porosity and/or drug adsorption capacity. However, it is not known if the drug delivery performance of formulations prepared using alginate graft copolymers is superior to those incorporating graft-equivalent co-excipient physically in a dosage form without grafting but at the corresponding graft weight, owing to limited studies being available.

Conclusions
The value of alginate graft copolymers as the potential alternative to alginate–co-excipient physical mixture in oral drug delivery cannot be entirely defined by past and present research. Such an issue is complicated by the lack of green chemistry graft copolymer synthesis approach, high grafting process cost, complications and hazards, and the formed graft copolymers having unknown toxicity. Future research will need to address these matters to achieve a widespread commercialization and industrial application of alginate graft copolymers in oral drug delivery
Human epithelial carcinoma cytotoxicity and inhibition of DMBA/TPA induced squamous cell carcinoma in Balb/c mice by Acacia catechu heartwood
Authors: Monga Jitender , Chauhan Chetan Singh , Sharma Manu 
Published: September 2011

Abstract

Objectives
Acacia catechu heartwood contains significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds that exhibit powerful antioxidant activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of A. catechu heartwood extracts in a human epithelial carcinoma cell line (A431) and antitumour activity against DMBA/TPA induced squamous cell carcinoma in Balb/c mice.

Methods
Various extracts, including aqueous, ethyl acetate, chloroform and n-hexane, were tested for cytotoxic properties on a human epithelial carcinoma cell line (A431) by using MTT, sulforhodamine B and lactate dehydrogenase leakage assays. The standardized A. catechu heartwood aqueous extract (AQCE) was further evaluated for antitumour activity against 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced skin carcinoma in Balb/c mice.

Key findings
The results showed that administration of AQCE showed a dose-dependent growth inhibition response, with an IC50 value of 78.56 µg/ml. Tumour incidence was significantly decreased (P &lt; 0.001) to 30% with AQCE compared with 100% in the DMBA/TPA group. The AQCE was also found to significantly upregulate different antioxidant enzymes in skin and liver tissue.

Conclusions
The results suggest that AQCE may exert its chemopreventive activity by acting as an antioxidant.
A Novel Variant, NDM-5, of the New Delhi Metallo-β-Lactamase in a Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli ST648 Isolate Recovered from a Patient in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hornsey Michael , Phee Lynette , Wareham David W. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT

A new variant of the New Delhi metallo-enzyme (NDM) carbapenemase was identified in a multidrug-resistant
Escherichia coli
ST648 isolate recovered from the perineum and throat of a patient in the United Kingdom with a recent history of hospitalization in India. NDM-5 differed from existing enzymes due to substitutions at positions 88 (Val→Leu) and 154 (Met→Leu) and reduced the susceptibility of
E. coli
TOP10 transformants to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins and carbapenems when expressed under its native promoter.
In Vitro
Activities of Daptomycin-, Vancomycin-, and Teicoplanin-Loaded Polymethylmethacrylate against Methicillin-Susceptible, Methicillin-Resistant, and Vancomycin-Intermediate Strains of Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Chang Yuhan , Chen Wen-Chien , Hsieh Pang-Hsin , Chen Dave W. , Lee Mel S. , Shih Hsin-Nung , Ueng Steve W. N. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cements loaded with daptomycin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin against methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA), methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), and vancomycin-intermediate
Staphylococcus aureus
(VISA) strains. Standardized cement specimens made from 40 g PMMA loaded with 1 g (low-dose), 4 g (middle-dose) or 8 g (high-dose) antibiotics were tested for elution characteristics and antibacterial activities. The patterns of release of antibiotics from the cement specimens were evaluated using
in vitro
broth elution assay with high-performance liquid chromatography. The activities of broth elution fluid against different
Staphylococcus aureus
strains (MSSA, MRSA, and VISA) were then determined. The antibacterial activities of all the tested antibiotics were maintained after being mixed with PMMA. The cements loaded with higher dosages of antibiotics showed longer elution periods. Regardless of the antibiotic loading dose, the teicoplanin-loaded cements showed better elution efficacy and provided longer inhibitory periods against MSSA, MRSA, and VISA than cements loaded with the same dose of vancomycin or daptomycin. Regarding the choice of antibiotics for cement loading in the treatment of
Staphylococcus aureus
infection, teicoplanin was superior in terms of antibacterial effects.
Palmitoylation State Impacts Induction of Innate and Acquired Immunity by the Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium
msbB
Mutant
Authors: Kong Qingke , Six David A. , Liu Qing , Gu Lillian , Roland Kenneth L. , Raetz Christian R. H. , Curtiss Roy 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), composed of lipid A, core, and O-antigen, is a major virulence factor of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium, with lipid A being a major stimulator to induce the proinflammatory response via the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-MD2-CD14 pathway. While
Salmonella msbB
mutants lacking the myristate chain in lipid A were investigated widely as an anticancer vaccine, inclusion of the
msbB
mutation in a
Salmonella
vaccine to deliver heterologous antigens has not yet been investigated. We introduced the
msbB
mutation alone or in combination with mutations in other lipid A acyl chain modification genes encoding PagL, PagP, and LpxR into wild-type
S. enterica
serovar Typhimurium. The
msbB
mutation reduced virulence, while the
pagL
,
pagP
, and
lpxR
mutations did not affect virulence in the
msbB
mutant background when administered orally to BALB/c mice. Also, all mutants exhibited sensitivity to polymyxin B but did not display sensitivity to deoxycholate. LPS derived from
msbB
mutants induced less inflammatory responses in human Mono Mac 6 and murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells
in vitro
. However, an
msbB
mutant did not decrease the induction of inflammatory responses in mice compared to the levels induced by the wild-type strain, whereas an
msbB pagP
mutant induced less inflammatory responses
in vivo
. The mutations were moved to an attenuated
Salmonella
vaccine strain to evaluate their effects on immunogenicity. Lipid A modification caused by the
msbB
mutation alone and in combination with
pagL
,
pagP
, and
lpxR
mutations led to higher IgA production in the vaginal tract but still retained the same IgG titer level in serum to PspA, a test antigen from
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, and to outer membrane proteins (OMPs) from
Salmonella
.
Apple Flavonoid Phloretin Inhibits Escherichia coli O157:H7 Biofilm Formation and Ameliorates Colon Inflammation in Rats
Authors: Lee Jin-Hyung , Regmi Sushil Chandra , Kim Jung-Ae , Cho Moo Hwan , Yun Hyungdon , Lee Chang-Soo , Lee Jintae 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT

Pathogenic biofilms have been associated with persistent infections due to their high resistance to antimicrobial agents, while commensal biofilms often fortify the host's immune system. Hence, controlling biofilm formation of both pathogenic bacteria and commensal bacteria is important in bacterium-related diseases. We investigated the effect of plant flavonoids on biofilm formation of enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
O157:H7. The antioxidant phloretin, which is abundant in apples, markedly reduced
E. coli
O157:H7 biofilm formation without affecting the growth of planktonic cells, while phloretin did not harm commensal
E. coli
K-12 biofilms. Also, phloretin reduced
E. coli
O157:H7 attachment to human colon epithelial cells. Global transcriptome analyses revealed that phloretin repressed toxin genes (
hlyE
and
stx
2
), autoinducer-2 importer genes (
lsrACDBF
), curli genes (
csgA
and
csgB
), and dozens of prophage genes in
E. coli
O157:H7 biofilm cells. Electron microscopy confirmed that phloretin reduced fimbria production in
E. coli
O157:H7. Also, phloretin suppressed the tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced inflammatory response
in vitro
using human colonic epithelial cells. Moreover, in the rat model of colitis induced by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS), phloretin significantly ameliorated colon inflammation and body weight loss. Taken together, our results suggest that the antioxidant phloretin also acts as an inhibitor of
E. coli
O157:H7 biofilm formation as well as an anti-inflammatory agent in inflammatory bowel diseases without harming beneficial commensal
E. coli
biofilms.
A semantic model for graphical user interfaces
Authors: Krishnaswami Neelakantan R. , Benton Nick 
Published: September 2011

We give a denotational model for graphical user interface (GUI) programming using the Cartesian closed category of ultrametric spaces. The ultrametric structure enforces causality restrictions on reactive systems and allows well-founded recursive definitions by a generalization of guardedness. We capture the arbitrariness of user input (e.g., a user gets to decide the stream of clicks she sends to a program) by making use of the fact that the closed subsets of an ultrametric space themselves form an ultrametric space, allowing us to interpret nondeterminism with a "powerspace" monad.
Algebras for the powerspace monad yield a model of intuitionistic linear logic, which we exploit in the definition of a mixed linear/non-linear domain-specific language for writing GUI programs. The non-linear part of the language is used for writing reactive stream-processing functions whilst the linear sublanguage naturally captures the generativity and usage constraints on the various linear objects in GUIs, such as the elements of a DOM or scene graph.
We have implemented this DSL as an extension to OCaml, and give examples demonstrating that programs in this style can be short and readable.
Binders unbound
Authors: Weirich Stephanie , Yorgey Brent A. , Sheard Tim 
Published: September 2011

Implementors of compilers, program refactorers, theorem provers, proof checkers, and other systems that manipulate syntax know that dealing with name binding is difficult to do well. Operations such as α-equivalence and capture-avoiding substitution seem simple, yet subtle bugs often go undetected. Furthermore, their implementations are tedious, requiring "boilerplate" code that must be updated whenever the object language definition changes.
Many researchers have therefore sought to specify binding syntax declaratively, so that tools can correctly handle the details behind the scenes. This idea has been the inspiration for many new systems (such as Beluga, Delphin, FreshML, FreshOCaml, Cαml, FreshLib, and Ott) but there is still room for improvement in expressivity, simplicity and convenience.

In this paper, we present a new domain-specific language,
Unbound
, for specifying binding structure. Our language is particularly expressive - it supports multiple atom types, pattern binders, type annotations, recursive binders, and nested binding (necessary for telescopes, a feature found in dependently-typed languages). However, our specification language is also simple, consisting of just five basic combinators. We provide a formal semantics for this language derived from a locally nameless representation and prove that it satisfies a number of desirable properties.

We also present an implementation of our binding specification language as a GHC Haskell library implementing an embedded domain specific language (EDSL). By using Haskell type constructors to represent binding combinators, we implement the EDSL succinctly using datatype-generic programming. Our implementation supports a number of features necessary for practical programming, including flexibility in the treatment of user-defined types, best-effort name preservation (for error messages), and integration with Haskell's monad transformer library.