bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development and Validation of a Real‐Time TaqMan Assay for the Detection and Enumeration of Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525 Used as a Challenge Organism in Testing of Food Equipments
Authors: Saha Ratul , Bestervelt Lorelle L. , Donofrio Robert S. 
Published: January 2012

Abstract:  Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525 is used as the challenge organism to evaluate the efficacy of the clean‐in‐place (CIP) process of food equipment (automatic ice‐maker) as per NSF/ANSI Standard 12. Traditional culturing methodology is presently used to determine the concentration of the challenge organism, which takes 48 h to confirm the cell density. Storage of the challenge preparation in the refrigerator might alter the cell density as P. fluorescens is capable of growing at 4 °C. Also, background organism can grow on the Pseudomonas F agar (PFA) used for the recovery of P. fluorescens thus affecting the results of the test. Real‐time TaqMan assay targeting the cpn60 gene was developed for the enumeration and the identification of P. fluorescens because of its specificity, accuracy, and shorter turnaround time. The TaqMan primer‐probe pair developed using the Allele ID® 7.0 probe design software was highly specific and sensitive for the target organism. The sensitivity of the assay was 10 colony forming units (CFU)/mL. The assay was also successful in determining the concentration of the challenge preparation within 2 h. Based on these observations, TaqMan assay targeting the cpn60 gene can be efficiently used for strain level identification and enumeration of bacteria.Practical Application:  Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525 is used as a challenge organism in the efficacy testing of clean‐in‐place process of food equipments. Currently, culturing technique is used for its identification and estimation, which is not only time‐consuming but also prone to error. Real‐time TaqMan assay is more specific, sensitive, and accurate along with a shorter turnaround time compared to culturing techniques, thereby increasing the overall quality of the testing methodology to evaluate the clean‐in‐place process critical for the food industry to protect public health and safety.
Pragmatic Choice in Conversation
Authors: Gibbs Raymond W. , Van Orden Guy 
Published: January 2012

AbstractHow do people decide what to say in context? Many theories of pragmatics assume that people have specialized knowledge that drives them to utter certain words in different situations. But these theories are mostly unable to explain both the regularity and variability in people’s speech behaviors. Our purpose in this article is to advance a view of pragmatics based on complexity theory, which specifically explains the pragmatic choices speakers make in conversations. The concept of self‐organized criticality sheds light on how a history of utterances and subtle details of a situation surrounding a conversation may directly specify language behavior. Under this view, pragmatic choice in discourse does not reflect the output of any dedicated pragmatic module but arises from a complex coordination or coupling between speakers and their varying communicative tasks.
Self‐Organization Takes Time Too
Authors: van Rooij Iris 
Published: January 2012

AbstractFour articles in this issue of topiCS (volume 4, issue 1) argue against a computational approach in cognitive science in favor of a dynamical approach. I concur that the computational approach faces some considerable explanatory challenges. Yet the dynamicists’ proposal that cognition is self‐organized seems to only go so far in addressing these challenges. Take, for instance, the hypothesis that cognitive behavior emerges when brain and body (re‐)configure to satisfy task and environmental constraints. It is known that for certain systems of constraints, no procedure can exist (whether modular, local, centralized, or self‐organized) that reliably finds the right configuration in a realistic amount of time. Hence, the dynamical approach still faces the challenge of explaining how self‐organized constraint satisfaction can be achieved by human brains and bodies in real time. In this commentary, I propose a methodology that dynamicists can use to try to address this challenge.
Precise temporal association between cortical potentials evoked by motor imagination and afference induces cortical plasticity
Authors: Mrachacz‐Kersting Natalie , Kristensen Signe Rom , Niazi Imran Khan , Farina Dario 
Published: January 2012

Key points
Here we use the naturally generated brain activation when a person imagines a simple movement and combine this with the afferent inflow that would be generated had the movement been performed rather than imagined.
We show that the excitability of the neural projections connecting the relevant brain areas to the target muscle is increased only when the afferent inflow arrives during the highest activation phase.
Furthermore, the changes are specific to the task and the neural connections between the brain and muscle involved in the task.
This novel intervention will open up the possibilities to alter afferent‐generated feedback depending on the demands of the movement to be performed.
Does hormone replacement therapy cause breast cancer? An application of causal principles to three studies: Table 1
Authors: Shapiro Samuel , Farmer Richard D T , Stevenson John C , Burger Henry G , Mueck Alfred O 
Published: January 2012

BackgroundBased principally on findings in three studies, the collaborative reanalysis (CR), the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and the Million Women Study (MWS), it is claimed that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen plus progestogen (E+P) is now an established cause of breast cancer; the CR and MWS investigators claim that unopposed estrogen therapy (ET) also increases the risk, but to a lesser degree than does E+P. The authors have previously reviewed the findings in the CR and WHI (Parts 1–3).ObjectiveTo evaluate the evidence for causality in the MWS.MethodsUsing generally accepted causal criteria, in this article (Part 4) the authors evaluate the findings in the MWS for E+P and for ET.ResultsDespite the massive size of the MWS the findings for E+P and for ET did not adequately satisfy the criteria of time order, information bias, detection bias, confounding, statistical stability and strength of association, duration-response, internal consistency, external consistency or biological plausibility. Had detection bias resulted in the identification in women aged 50–55 years of 0.3 additional cases of breast cancer in ET users per 1000 per year, or 1.2 in E+P users, it would have nullified the apparent risks reported.ConclusionHRT may or may not increase the risk of breast cancer, but the MWS did not establish that it does.
The case for ethernet in automotive communications
Authors: Bello Lucia Lo 
Published: January 2012

Several factors seem to favor the introduction of Ethernet technology in automotive communications. The spreading of Ethernet as an in-vehicle network for today's cars or for those in the near future is being broadly announced by spokespersons for major carmakers and automotive electronics companies. Even in the scientific community there is a growing interest in the topic, shown by the increasing number of studies on the performance of Ethernet-based technologies such as Switched Ethernet or Time-Triggered Ethernet in automotive embedded systems.
This position paper provides an overview on facts and trends towards the introduction of Ethernet in automotive communications and discusses how and to what extent Ethernet technology is likely to step in and provide benefits to the different automotive functional domains. The paper will also discuss which Ethernet technologies would be the possible candidates for the automotive industry.
The decreasing marginal value of evaluation network size
Authors: Dong Zheng , Camp L. Jean 
Published: January 2012

The best way to protect information is never to release it. Yet even the earliest definition of security recognizes availability as a necessary quality. In this work, we seek to quantify the value of information disclosure for web resource evaluation and discovery. Communal evaluation tools help users share ratings on websites, music, and other online resources. This approach assumes that experiences are self-similar, so that a site one person visits is likely to have been evaluated and thus visited by others. Collaborative search tools aim for discovery as opposed to evaluation. Therefore, they assume participants in a collaborative network have large sets of non-overlapping sites so that an increase in network size corresponds to an increase in web coverage. We quantify the value of information sharing for these closely related but sometimes distinct functions.
In this paper, we analyzed a dataset that includes eight weeks of browsing history of 1084 college students that live in the same dormitory. Our experiments showed that for discovery, more sharing monotonically improves results; for evaluation, however, there are decreasing marginal returns for each participant added to the network. The subject population was selected for its homogeneity in order to mimic a collaborative network.
JNK-Induced Apoptosis, Compensatory Growth, and Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Chen Fei 
Published: January 2012

AbstractOverwhelming) are a set of key stress-responsive kinases that mediate cell apoptosis, which is an important process for tumor suppression. However, JNKs have also been implicated in the malignant transformation and tumorigenesis of cells. This review attempts to reconcile these 2 contradictory functions of JNKs with recent discoveries on the role of JNKs in compensatory growth of neighboring cells and stem cells, which may provide new mechanistic understanding about the role of JNKs in the regulation of cancer stem cells and the pathogenesis of cancers. Cancer Res; 72(2); 379–86. ©2012 AACR.
Genetic Variations in Epigenetic Genes Are Predictors of Recurrence in Stage I or II Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients
Authors: Wagner Klaus W. , Ye Yuanqing , Lin Jie , Vaporciyan Ara A. , Roth Jack A. , Wu Xifeng 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
Purpose: Early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is potentially curable, however, many patients develop recurrent disease. Therefore, identification of biomarkers that can be used to predict patient's risk of recurrence and survival is critical. Genetic polymorphisms or single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of DNA- and histone-modifying genes, particularly those of O6-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), have been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer as well as treatment outcomes in other tumors.
Experimental Design: We assessed the association of 165 SNPs in selected epigenetic enzyme genes, DNA methyltransferases, and methyl-CpG–binding proteins with cancer recurrence in 467 patients with stage I or II NSCLC treated with either surgery alone (N = 340) or surgery plus (neo)-adjuvant chemotherapy (N = 127).
Results: We found several SNPs to be strongly correlated with tumor recurrence. We identified 10 SNPs that correlated with the outcome in patients treated with surgery alone but not in patients treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, which suggested that the addition of platinum-based chemotherapy could reverse the high genetic risk of recurrence. We also identified 10 SNPs that predicted the risk of recurrence in patients treated with surgery plus adjuvant chemotherapy but not in patients treated with surgery alone. The cumulative effect of these SNPs significantly predicted outcomes with P-values of 10−9 and 10−6, respectively.
Conclusions: The first set of genotypes may be used as novel predictive biomarkers to identify patients with stage I NSCLC, who could benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy, and the second set of SNPs might predict response to adjuvant chemotherapy. Clin Cancer Res; 18(2); 585–92. ©2012 AACR.
The prevalence and correlates of psychological distress in Australian tertiary students compared to their community peers
Authors: Cvetkovski Stefan , Reavley Nicola J , Jorm Anthony F 
Published: January 2012

Objective: To examine differences between university students, vocational education and training (VET) students, tertiary students combined and non-students in the prevalence of psychological distress and the socio-demographic and economic characteristics associated with psychological distress. Method: The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was used to estimate the prevalence of moderate (16–21) and high (22–50) distress with data from three national surveys: the 2007 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey, the 2007–08 National Health Survey (NHS), and the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB). Multinomial logistic regression models were also estimated using the HILDA survey to examine any differences in the characteristics associated with moderate and high distress between the groups. Results: There was evidence of a higher prevalence of moderate distress in tertiary students than non-students in the HILDA survey (27.1% vs 21.2%, p < 0.05) and the NSMHWB (27.4% vs 19.5%, p < 0.05), but not the NHS (26.1% vs 22.5%, p > 0.05). However, standardized rates for age and gender attenuated the difference in moderate distress in the HILDA survey and the NSMHWB. The prevalence of high distress was similar between the groups in all three surveys. The multinomial regression analyses using the HILDA survey showed the following subgroups of students to be at a greater risk of high distress relative to those with low distress: younger university students, and university and VET students with financial problems. Compared to VET students and non-students, younger university students and those who worked 1–39 hours per week in paid employment were at a greater risk of high distress. Conclusions: There is evidence that tertiary students have a greater prevalence of moderate, but not high distress than non-students. Financial factors increase the risk of high distress and are likely to take on more importance as the participation rate of socio-economically disadvantaged students increases.
Education and employment levels among Jamaican patients newly diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
Authors: Burgess Bertilee , Curtis-Downes Desdemona , Gibson Roger C. 
Published: January 2012

Background: Comparisons between persons with bipolar disorder and those with schizophrenia are not well researched in the Caribbean. Aims: To compare the educational and occupational attainments in Jamaicans diagnosed with these two disorders. Methods: Data on diagnosis, educational level, type of employment and other basic socio-demographic variables were collected from Jamaican hospital patients who were newly diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Fisher’s exact and χ2 tests, as well as binary logistic regression, were used to explore how these characteristics varied according to diagnosis. Statistical significance was taken at p < .05. Results: Schizophrenia was associated with significantly lower educational attainment than bipolar disorder ( p = .022 for educational level attained; p = .026 for completion of secondary school). The majority (87.1%) of the 93 patients included in the analysis had no specific marketable job skills. However, the proportion of persons with bipolar disorder who had such skills was three times the corresponding proportion of persons with schizophrenia. Conclusions: The low educational achievement among persons with schizophrenia makes education a potentially important area for interventions targeted at this group. Because gross deficiencies in job skills were common to both patient groups, improvement in job skill levels is an important goal for persons with either of these disorders.
Self-reported muscle pain in adolescents with migraine and tension-type headache
Authors: Blaschek Astrid , Milde-Busch Astrid , Straube Andreas , Schankin Christoph , Langhagen Thyra , Jahn Klaus , Schröder Sebastian Andreas , Reiter Karl , von Kries Rüdiger , Heinen Florian 
Published: January 2012

Aim: To identify possible associations between muscular pain and headache in adolescents in a large population-based sample. Methods: Grammar school students were invited to fill in a questionnaire on headache and associated lifestyle factors. Headache was classified according to the German version of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (2nd edition). Muscular pain was assessed via denoting affected areas in schematic drawings of a body and via provoked muscular pain on controlled movements of head, neck and shoulder regions. Results: Prevalence of any headache within the previous 6 months exceeded 80%. In all subjects muscular pain or pain on movement was most prominent in the neck and shoulder region, ranging from 9% to 27% in the non-headache population to up to 63% for individuals with migraine or mixed migraine and tension-type headache (TTH). Frequency of muscular pain increased significantly with growing chronicity of TTH. Interpretation: A strong association between muscle pain in the neck/shoulder region and headache was observed, pointing to the importance of muscular pain for headache in adolescents. Also, in this age group muscular pain appears to be of particular importance in chronic TTH and – unexpectedly – in migraine, which is the most important new finding in our study.
A systematic review of training programs for parents of children with autism spectrum disorders: Single subject contributions
Authors: Patterson Stephanie Y. , Smith Veronica , Mirenda Pat 
Published: January 2012

Aim: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine research utilizing single subject research designs (SSRD) to explore the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase parents’ ability to support communication and social development in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Method: Included studies were systematically assessed for methodological quality (Logan et al., 2008; Smith et al., 2007) and intervention effects. Data examining participant characteristics, study methodology, outcomes, and analysis were systematically extracted. Results: Eleven SSRD parent-training intervention studies examining 44 participants with ASD were included. Overall, the studies were of moderate quality and reported increases in parent skills and child language and communication outcomes. Interpretation: The results supported by improvement rate difference (IRD) analysis indicated several interventions demonstrated positive effects for both parent and child outcomes. However, limited generalization and follow-up data suggested only one intervention demonstrated parents’ accurate and ongoing intervention implementation beyond training.
Characterization of 3'-untranslated region of the mouse GDNF gene
Authors: Oh-hashi Kentaro , Hirata Yoko , Kiuchi Kazutoshi 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a potent survival factor for many cell types, and its expression is widespread both within and outside of the nervous system. The regulation of GDNF expression has been extensively investigated but is not fully understood.

Results
Using a luciferase reporter assay, we identified the role of the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the mouse GDNF gene in the regulation of gene expression. We focused on a well-conserved A- and T-rich region (approximately 200 bp in length), which is located approximately 1000 bp downstream of the stop codon in exon 4 of the gene and contains three typical AU-rich elements (AREs), AUUUA. Interestingly, these AREs are well conserved in several GDNF genes. By testing reporter constructs containing various regions and lengths of the 3'-UTR fused to the end of the luciferase gene, we demonstrated that the ARE-induced decrease in luciferase activity correlates with the attenuation of the mRNA stability. Furthermore, we found that several regions around the AREs in the 3'-UTR suppressed the luciferase activity. Moreover, the expression level of the GDNF protein was negligible in C6 glioma cells transfected with the ARE-containing GDNF expression vector.

Conclusions
Our study is the first characterization of the possible role of AREs and other suppressive regions in the 3'-UTR in regulating the amounts of GDNF mRNA in C6 cells.
Platelet hyperaggregability in high-fat fed rats: A role for intraplatelet reactive-oxygen species production
Authors: Monteiro Priscila F , Morganti Rafael P , Delbin Maria A , Calixto Marina C , Lopes-Pires Maria E , Marcondes Sisi , Zanesco Angelina , Antunes Edson 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
Adiposity greatly increases the risk of atherothrombotic events, a pathological condition where a chronic state of oxidative stress is reported to play a major role. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of (NO)-soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) signaling pathway in the platelet dysfunction from high fat-fed (HFF) rats.

Methods
Male Wistar rats were fed for 10 weeks with standard chow (SCD) or high-fat diet (HFD). ADP (10 μM)- and thrombin (100 mU/ml)-induced washed platelet aggregation were evaluated. Measurement of intracellular levels of ROS levels was carried out using flow cytometry. Cyclic GMP levels were evaluated using ELISA kits.

Results
High-fat fed rats exhibited significant increases in body weight, epididymal fat, fasting glucose levels and glucose intolerance compared with SCD group. Platelet aggregation induced by ADP (n = 8) and thrombin from HFD rats (n = 8) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) compared with SCD group. Platelet activation with ADP increased by 54% the intraplatelet ROS production in HFD group, as measured by flow cytometry (n = 6). N-acetylcysteine (NAC; 1 mM) and PEG-catalase (1000 U/ml) fully prevented the increased ROS production and platelet hyperaggregability in HFD group. The NO donors sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 10 μM) and SNAP (10 μM), as well as the NO-independent soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulator BAY 41-2272 (10 μM) inhibited the platelet aggregation in HFD group with lower efficacy (P < 0.05) compared with SCD group. The cGMP levels in response to these agents were also markedly lower in HFD group (P < 0.05). The prostacyclin analogue iloprost (1 μM) reduced platelet aggregation in HFD and SCD rats in a similar fashion (n = 4).

Conclusions
Metabolic abnormalities as consequence of HFD cause platelet hyperaggregability involving enhanced intraplatelet ROS production and decreased NO bioavailability that appear to be accompanied by potential defects in the prosthetic haem group of soluble guanylyl cyclase.
Eosinophils in glioblastoma biology
Authors: Curran Colleen S , Bertics Paul J 
Published: January 2012

AbstractGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults. The development of this malignant glial lesion involves a multi-faceted process that results in a loss of genetic or epigenetic gene control, un-regulated cell growth, and immune tolerance. Of interest, atopic diseases are characterized by a lack of immune tolerance and are inversely associated with glioma risk. One cell type that is an established effector cell in the pathobiology of atopic disease is the eosinophil. In response to various stimuli, the eosinophil is able to produce cytotoxic granules, neuromediators, and pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as pro-fibrotic and angiogenic factors involved in pathogen clearance and tissue remodeling and repair. These various biological properties reveal that the eosinophil is a key immunoregulatory cell capable of influencing the activity of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Of central importance to this report is the observation that eosinophil migration to the brain occurs in response to traumatic brain injury and following certain immunotherapeutic treatments for GBM. Although eosinophils have been identified in various central nervous system pathologies, and are known to operate in wound/repair and tumorstatic models, the potential roles of eosinophils in GBM development and the tumor immunological response are only beginning to be recognized and are therefore the subject of the present review.