bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The domestic divide: Access to the Internet in New Zealand
Authors: Greenbrook‐Held Jeremy , Morrison Philip S. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractWe use unit records of the 2006 census to show that access to the Internet in the home varies geographically in New Zealand primarily as a result of demographic and socio‐economic differences among individuals. Of particular significance is the much lower rates of domestic access experienced by Māori and Pacific Island individuals even after controlling for differences in their age, gender, education, income, occupation and settlement type. While differences in Internet access by ethnicity has been noted before, it is the magnitude and persistence of this difference in New Zealand after controlling for correlated factors that renders this study unique. Our results have important implications in an education environment increasingly reliant on Web access, but they also raise questions about the extent of access to the Internet outside the home.
Putting together the pieces of the puzzle: Traces of New Zealand in international school geography textbooks
Authors: Bagoly‐Simó Péter 
Published: April 2011

AbstractHow does a fairly remote space (the islands of New Zealand) contribute to the development of geographical literacy in the geography textbooks of post‐socialist (Romania), Western (Germany) and post‐colonial (Mexico) countries? A four‐step analysis of three textbooks of international selection revealed different regionalisation cultures combined with traditional and recently implemented educational paradigms of geography education and led to a similar result. Despite the many ways in which New Zealand's geographical distinctiveness could be used to enhance geographical literacy, there are few operationalisations of educational targets that might contribute to sustainable long‐term learning. Further, these results also offer a possible explanation for the absence of the ‘southern lands’ on students' cognitive maps of the world.
Integrating In Silico and In vitro Approaches to Dissect the Stereoselectivity of Bacillus subtilis Lipase A toward Ketoprofen Vinyl Ester
Authors: Ni Zhong , Zhou Peng , Jin Xin , Lin Xian‐Fu 
Published: April 2011

The asymmetric catalysis, as the character of enzyme, attracts increasing attention from the scientific and industrial communities. In this study, the Bacillus subtilis lipase A, as a model enzyme, is studied systematically to dissect its stereoselectivity toward (rac)‐ketoprofen vinyl ester using a combination scheme of molecular docking and quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) analysis. In this procedure, the rational orientation of the two enantiomers of ketoprofen vinyl ester is obtained with the AutoDock performing, and then, the steric contacts between the enzyme and substrate in the docking outputs are examined visually at the atomic level with a small‐probe technique. Subsequently, the binding energies of the enzyme–substrate complexes are calculated using an ONIOM (Our own N‐layered Integrated Molecular Orbital + Molecular mechanics)‐based QM/MM protocol. The results obtained from the theoretical studies show that the B. subtilis lipase A prefer to hydrolyze the (R )‐ketoprofen vinyl ester when compared to its (S )‐enantiomer, with a relatively high E (stereoselectivity) value of 31.28 charactering its enantioselectivity. Furthermore, to verify the conclusions from the computational analysis, the B. subtilis lipase A gene is cloned to overexpress the recombinant B. subtilis lipase A, and its stereoselectivity was determined. Satisfactorily, the experimental results are in well agreement with the theoretical predictions because the (R )‐ketoprofen vinyl ester is found as the preferring enantiomer of the B. subtilis lipase A, with experimentally measured E value of 36.7. We therefore expect that this in silico–in vitro hybrid approach can provide a new and effective avenue to predict the catalytic activity of and to investigate the molecular mechanism of enzyme‐mediated asymmetric catalysis and help in understanding the enzymatic process and in rational enzyme design.
Non‐invasive in vivo imaging of pancreatic β‐cell function and survival – a perspective
Authors: Leibiger I. B. , Caicedo A. , Berggren P.‐O. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractA major problem in medical research is to translate in vitro observations into the living organism. In this perspective, we discuss ongoing efforts to non‐invasively image pancreatic islets/β‐cells by techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, and present an experimental platform, which allows in vivo imaging of pancreatic β‐cell mass and function longitudinally and at the single‐cell level. Following transplantation of pancreatic islets into the anterior chamber of the eye of mice and rats, these islets are studied by functional microscopic imaging. This imaging platform can be utilized to address fundamental aspects of pancreatic islet cell biology in vivo in health and disease. These include the dynamics of pancreatic islet vascularization, islet cell innervation, signal‐transduction, change in functional β‐cell mass and immune responses. Moreover, we discuss the feasibility of studying human islet cell physiology and pathology in vivo as well as the potential of using the anterior chamber of the eye as a site for therapeutic transplantation in type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Constitutive Smad linker phosphorylation in melanoma: a mechanism of resistance to transforming growth factor‐β‐mediated growth inhibition
Authors: Cohen‐Solal Karine A. , Merrigan Kim T. , Chan Joseph L.‐K. , Goydos James S. , Chen Wenjin , Foran David J. , Liu Fang , Lasfar Ahmed , Reiss Michael 
Published: April 2011

SummaryMelanoma cells are resistant to transforming growth factor‐β (TGFβ)‐induced cell‐cycle arrest. In this study, we investigated a mechanism of resistance involving a regulatory domain, called linker region, in Smad2 and Smad3, main downstream effectors of TGFβ. Melanoma cells in culture and tumor samples exhibited constitutive Smad2 and Smad3 linker phosphorylation. Treatment of melanoma cells with the MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126, or the two pan‐CDK and GSK3 inhibitors, Flavopiridol and R547, resulted in decreased linker phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3. Overexpression of the linker phosphorylation‐resistant Smad3 EPSM mutant in melanoma cells resulted in an increase in expression of p15INK4B and p21WAF1, as compared with cells transfected with wild‐type (WT) Smad3. In addition, the cell numbers of EPSM Smad3‐expressing melanoma cells were significantly reduced compared with WT Smad3‐expressing cells. These results suggest that the linker phosphorylation of Smad3 contributes to the resistance of melanoma cells to TGFβ‐mediated growth inhibition.
Dynamic contrast enhanced‐magnetic resonance imaging study of the nutrition pathway for lumbar intervertebral disk cartilage of normal goats
Authors: Du Heng , Ma Shao‐hui , Guan Min , Han Bo , Yang Guang‐fu , Zhang Ming , Liu Miao 
Published: April 2011

Objective:  Study of the nutrition pathway for lumbar intervertebral disk cartilage of normal goats.Methods:  Four lumbar intervertebral disks from each of eight 24‐month‐old goats (32 disks) were studied. After the goats had been anesthetized, signal intensity changes in the regions of interest (ROI) were observed by dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance scanning. Before and after enhancement at the time points of 0, 5, 10, and 30 mins, and 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 hs, the ROI signal intensity was measured, and the time‐signal intensity curve and peak times analyzed.Results:  Signal intensity in the vertebral bodies reached a peak at 0 min and decreased quickly thereafter. Signal intensity in the cartilage endplate zones reached the first peak at 30 mins and then went down slightly before increasing to a second peak at 2 hs. Signal intensity in the nuclei pulposus was negative within 5 mins, increased slowly to a peak at 2 hs, and declined thereafter.Conclusion:  Nutrient metabolism of the lumbar intervertebral disks of normal goats occurs mainly through the cartilage end‐plate pathway.
Management of femoral diaphyseal nonunion after nailing with augmentative locked plating and bone graft
Authors: Gao Kan‐da , Huang Jian‐hua , Tao Jie , Li Fan , Gao Wei , Li Hao‐qing , Wang Qiu‐gen 
Published: April 2011

Objectives:  Exchange nailing (EN) for aseptic femoral shaft nonunion is currently a standard orthopaedic treatment modality. However, according to recent studies there is occasionally a high failure rate when EN is used. In the present study, augmentative locked plating and bone graft was used as an alternative method for treating such cases. The purpose of this study was to report the treatment outcomes of selected femoral diaphyseal nonunions that had initially been treated by nailing.Methods:  Thirteen patients with femoral diaphyseal nonunions underwent revision surgery with locked plate and bone graft. The inclusion criteria were: (a) nonisthmic nonunion; (b) atrophic/oligotrophic nonunion. All patients were managed by augmentative locked plating and bone graft.Results:  All patients were followed up for a mean of 1.2 years (range, 1–2 years). After revision surgery all nonunions achieved bony union, the average union time being 7.5 months (range, 6–12 months). No major complications were observed in this case series.Conclusion:  Augmentative locked plating is an effective and simple technique for treatment of femoral diaphyseal nonunion after nailing in selected cases.
Civilian gunshot extremity fractures with neurologic injury
Authors: Beidas Omar E , Rehman Saqib 
Published: April 2011

Objective:  To verify the hypothesis that neurologic injuries are less prevalent in civilian gunshot injuries than that reported in the military literature, and are more likely to occur with concomitant fracture.Methods:  In order to investigate the incidence and patient variables of gunshot injury with neurologic injury, a retrospective chart review was performed at a single urban trauma center over a five‐year period.Results:  One thousand eight hundred and fifty‐one patients with gunshot injuries were treated at our center over the five year study period. Of these, 895 patients (48%) had involvement of at least one extremity and 382 (21%) had concomitant fractures. Seventy‐four had concomitant neurologic injury. There was a statistically significant difference of 14% (53/382) and 4% (21/513) (P < 0.0001) between the group with fracture (53 patients) and the group without fracture (21 patients), respectively, in the occurrence of neurologic insult.Conclusion:  This incidence of neurologic injuries in civilian gunshot injuries is lower than that previously reported in the military population and the presence of a fracture is clearly an additional risk factor for neurologic injury.
Effective in-vivo utilization of lipid-based nanoparticles as drug carrier for carvedilol phosphate
Authors: Chakraborty Subhashis , Shukla Dali , Vuddanda Parameswara Rao , Mishra Brahmeshwar , Singh Sanjay 
Published: April 2011

Abstract

Objectives
Lipid nanoparticles as carrier for oral drug administration improve gastrointestinal solubility of poorly soluble drugs and thus enhance bioavailability. However, basic drugs may undergo rapid dissolution from such solid dispersions in the stomach and precipitate in the intestine due to their higher solubility in acidic medium. Therefore, the objective of this work was to study the enhancement in bioavailability of carvedilol phosphate (basic drug) by providing an alkaline gastric environment to drug-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles.

Methods
An alkaline gastric environment in rats was created and maintained with oral administration of an antacid suspension 5 min before and 30 min post dosing.

Key findings
The formulation administered orally exhibited enhanced bioavailability (∼27%) when compared with drug suspension and sustained release behaviour when compared with formulation under ideal gastric conditions. The enhanced bioavailability is due to the presence of lipid nanoparticles as drug carrier while the sustained-release characteristic may be attributed to the presence of antacid, which resulted in elevation of gastric pH and reduced the drug's solubility.

Conclusions
It may be concluded that although lipid nanoparticles can be instrumental in improving bioavailability, additional sustained release may be achieved by targeting intestinal release of basic drugs from lipid vehicles, which is possible by incorporating them into suitable enteric-coated formulations.
Inhibitory effect of phytoglycoprotein (24 kDa) on hepatocarcinogenesis in N-nitrosodiethylamine-treated ICR mice
Authors: Lee Jin , Lim Kye-Taek 
Published: April 2011

Abstract

Objectives
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is becoming one of the most prominent types of cancer in the world. For a long time in Korea Zanthoxylum piperitum DC (ZPDC) has been used in folk medicine to cure several cancers and inflammation. This study was designed to investigate whether ZPDC glycoprotein protected liver tissues against hepatocarcinogenic compounds such as N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN).

Methods
To study the chemopreventive effect of ZPDC glycoprotein on hepatocarcinogenesis, ICR mice were injected intraperitoneally with DEN (50 mg/kg) for four weeks. We evaluated the indicators of liver tissue damage (the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS)), antioxidative enzymes (activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)), hepatocarcinogenic indicator (heat shock protein (HSP) 70) and hepatocarcinogenic signals (activity of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9) using biochemical methods and immunoblot analysis.

Key findings
The results obtained from this study revealed that ZPDC glycoprotein (20 mg/kg) decreased the levels of LDH, ALT, and TBARS, whereas the activity of SOD and GPx increased in the DEN-treated ICR mice. With respect to the hepatocarcinogenic indicator and hepatocarcinogenic signals, HSP70, NF-κB, COX-2, and MMP-9 activity decreased.

Conclusion
The findings suggested that ZPDC glycoprotein prevented damage to liver tissue caused by DEN in the experimental mouse model.
Relief from Zmp1-Mediated Arrest of Phagosome Maturation Is Associated with Facilitated Presentation and Enhanced Immunogenicity of Mycobacterial Antigens
Authors: Johansen Pål , Fettelschoss Antonia , Amstutz Beat , Selchow Petra , Waeckerle-Men Ying , Keller Peter , Deretic Vojo , Held Leonhard , Kündig Thomas M. , Böttger Erik C. , Sander Peter 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACTPathogenic mycobacteria escape host innate immune responses by blocking phagosome-lysosome fusion. Avoiding lysosomal delivery may also be involved in the capacity of mycobacteria to evade major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I- or II-dependent T-cell responses. In this study, we used a genetic mutant ofMycobacterium bovisBCG that is unable to escape lysosomal transfer and show that presentation of mycobacterial antigens is affected by the site of intracellular residence. Compared to infection with wild-type BCG, infection of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells with a mycobacterial mutant deficient in zinc metalloprotease 1 (Zmp1) resulted in increased presentation of MHC class II-restricted antigens, as assessed by activation of mycobacterial Ag85A-specific T-cell hybridomas. Thezmp1deletion mutant was more immunogenicin vivo, as measured by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation, and the frequency of antigen-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing lymphocytes of both CD4 and CD8 subsets. In conclusion, our results suggest that phagosome maturation and lysosomal delivery of BCG facilitate mycobacterial antigen presentation and enhance immunogenicity.
Genetic Diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. from Bangladeshi Children
Authors: Hira Kirthi G. , Mackay Melanie R. , Hempstead Andrew D. , Ahmed Sabeena , Karim Mohammad M. , O'Connor Roberta M. , Hibberd Patricia L. , Calderwood Stephen B. , Ryan Edward T. , Khan Wasif A. , Ward Honorine D. 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACT

The genetic diversity of
Cryptosporidium
spp. from infected children was characterized for the first time in Bangladesh. Seven
C. hominis
and
C. parvum
subtype families (including a new family, IIm) and 15 subtypes (including 2 new subtypes) were identified. The dominance of specific families and subtypes was different from that in other countries.
Multilocus Sequence Typing of Bartonella henselae in the United Kingdom Indicates that Only a Few, Uncommon Sequence Types Are Associated with Zoonotic Disease
Authors: Chaloner Gemma L. , Harrison Timothy G. , Coyne Karen P. , Aanensen David M. , Birtles Richard J. 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACT

Bartonella henselae
is one of the most common zoonotic agents acquired from companion animals (cats) in industrialized countries. Nonetheless, although the prevalence of infections in cats is high, the number of human cases reported is relatively low. One hypothesis for this discrepancy is that
B. henselae
strains vary in their zoonotic potential. To test this hypothesis, we employed structured sampling to explore the population structure of
B. henselae
in the United Kingdom and to determine the distribution of strains associated with zoonotic disease within this structure. A total of 118
B. henselae
strains were delineated into 12 sequence types (STs) using multilocus sequence typing. We observed that most (85%) of the zoonosis-associated strains belonged to only three genotypes, i.e., ST2, ST5, and ST8. Conversely, most (74%) of the feline isolates belonged to ST4, ST6, and ST7. The difference in host association of ST2, ST5, and ST8 (zoonosis associated) and ST6 (feline) was statistically significant (
P
< 0.05), indicating that a few, uncommon STs were responsible for the majority of symptomatic human infections.
Multiplex PCR Allows Rapid and Accurate Diagnosis of Bloodstream Infections in Newborns and Children with Suspected Sepsis
Authors: Lucignano Barbara , Ranno Stefania , Liesenfeld Oliver , Pizzorno Beatrice , Putignani Lorenza , Bernaschi Paola , Menichella Donato 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACT

Sepsis is a major health problem in newborns and children. Early detection of pathogens allows initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy that strongly correlates with positive outcomes. Multiplex PCR has the potential to rapidly identify bloodstream infections, compensating for the loss of blood culture sensitivity. In an Italian pediatric hospital, multiplex PCR (the LightCycler SeptiFast test) was compared to routine blood culture with 1,673 samples obtained from 803 children with suspected sepsis; clinical and laboratory information was used to determine the patient infection status. Excluding results attributable to contaminants, SeptiFast showed a sensitivity of 85.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 78.7 to 89.7%) and a specificity of 93.5% (95% CI = 92.1 to 94.7%) compared to blood culture. The rate of positive results was significantly higher with SeptiFast (14.6%) than blood culture (10.3%) (
P
< 0.0001), and the overall positivity rate was 16.1% when the results of both tests were combined.
Staphylococcus aureus
(11.6%), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) (29.6%),
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(16.5%), and
Klebsiella
spp. (10.1%) were the most frequently detected. SeptiFast identified 97 additional isolates that blood culture failed to detect (24.7%
P. aeruginosa
, 23.7% CoNS, 14.4%
Klebsiella
spp., 14.4%
Candida
spp.). Among specimens taken from patients receiving antibiotic therapy, we also observed a significantly higher rate of positivity of SeptiFast than blood culture (14.1% versus 6.5%, respectively;
P
< 0.0001). On the contrary, contaminants were significantly more frequent among blood cultures than SeptiFast (
n
= 97 [5.8%] versus
n
= 26 [1.6%]), respectively;
P
< 0.0001). SeptiFast served as a highly valuable adjunct to conventional blood culture in children, adding diagnostic value and shortening the time to result (TTR) to 6 h.
Development and Evaluation of a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of Anaplasma ovis
Authors: Ma Miling , Liu Zhijie , Sun Ming , Yang Jifei , Guan Guiquan , Li Youquan , Luo Jianxun , Yin Hong 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACT

Anaplasma ovis
is an intraerythrocytic rickettsial pathogen of small ruminants. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a nucleic acid detection method in which the target DNA can be efficiently amplified with high specificity and sensitivity under isothermal conditions. In this study, a LAMP method was developed for the specific detection of
A. ovis
, using LAMP primers designed on the basis of the major surface protein 4 gene. LAMP was performed at 65°C for 30 min. Its specificity was confirmed by successful amplification of several
A. ovis
isolates and through EcoRI restriction analysis of LAMP products. No cross-reactivity with the
A. marginale
Lushi isolate,
Mycoplasma mycoides
subsp.
capri
,
Chlamydophila psittaci
,
Theileria ovis
,
T. luwenshuni
,
T. uilenbergi
, or the
Babesia
sp. Xinjiang isolate was observed. Detection using the LAMP method was compared with that using conventional PCR in 227 field samples; LAMP demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.45%. In summary, LAMP is a specific, sensitive, and rapid test for the diagnosis of
A. ovis
infection, with the potential to be standardized as a detection method for
A. ovis
in areas of endemicity.
Rapid Differentiation of Mixed Influenza A/H1N1 Virus Infections with Seasonal and Pandemic Variants by Multitemperature Single-Stranded Conformational Polymorphism Analysis
Authors: Pajak Beata , Stefanska Ilona , Lepek Krzysztof , Donevski Stefan , Romanowska Magdalena , Szeliga Magdalena , Brydak Lidia B. , Szewczyk Boguslaw , Kucharczyk Krzysztof 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACT
Mixed infections of a single host with different variants of influenza A virus are the main source of reassortants which may have unpredictable properties when they establish themselves in the human population. In this report we describe a method for rapid detection of mixed influenza virus infections with the seasonal A/H1N1 human strain and the pandemic A/H1N1/v strain which emerged in 2009 in Mexico and the United States. The influenza virus A/H1N1 variants were characterized by the multitemperature single-stranded conformational polymorphism (MSSCP) method. The MSSCP gel patterns of hemagglutinin gene fragments of pandemic A/H1N1/v and different seasonal A/H1N1 strains were easily distinguishable 2 h after completion of reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Using the MSSCP-based genotyping approach, coinfections with seasonal and pandemic variants of the A/H1N1 subtype were identified in 4 out of 23 primary samples obtained from patients that presented with influenza-like symptoms to hospitals across Poland during the 2009-2010 epidemic season. Pandemic influenza virus strain presence was confirmed in all these primary samples by real-time RT-PCR. The sensitivity level of the MSSCP-based minor genetic variant detection was 0.1%, as determined on a mixture of DNA fragments obtained from amplification of the hemagglutinin gene of seasonal and pandemic strains. The high sensitivity of the method suggests its applicability for characterization of new viral variants long before they become dominant.