bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impacts of fast food and the food retail environment on overweight and obesity in China: a multilevel latent class cluster approach
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyong , van der Lans Ivo , Dagevos Hans 
Published: September 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo simultaneously identify consumer segments based on individual-level consumption and community-level food retail environment data and to investigate whether the segments are associated with BMI and dietary knowledge in China.DesignA multilevel latent class cluster model was applied to identify consumer segments based not only on their individual preferences for fast food, salty snack foods, and soft drinks and sugared fruit drinks, but also on the food retail environment at the community level.SettingThe data came from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) conducted in 2006 and two questionnaires for adults and communities were used.SubjectsA total sample of 9788 adults living in 218 communities participated in the CHNS.ResultsWe successfully identified four consumer segments. These four segments were embedded in two types of food retail environment: the saturated food retail environment and the deprived food retail environment. A three-factor solution was found for consumers’ dietary knowledge. The four consumer segments were highly associated with consumers’ dietary knowledge and a number of sociodemographic variables.ConclusionsThe widespread discussion about the relationships between fast-food consumption and overweight/obesity is irrelevant for Chinese segments that do not have access to fast food. Factors that are most associated with segments with a higher BMI are consumers’ (incorrect) dietary knowledge, the food retail environment and sociodemographics. The results provide valuable insight for policy interventions on reducing overweight/obesity in China. This study also indicates that despite the breathtaking changes in modern China, the impact of ‘obesogenic’ environments should not be assessed too strictly from a ‘Western’ perspective.
SED-ML Web Tools
Authors: Bergmann Frank 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThis presentation gives a brief update of the current state of the libSedML library and its new capabilities (like the simulation of CellML models) and the SED-ML Script Editor.Following I introduce the SED-ML Web Tools, an online application for creating, editing, simulating and validating SED-ML documents. The web application also provides a W3C Web Service, exposing all functionality.
Conceptual model of E. coli transcriptional machinery
Authors: Sorokin Anatoly , Dzhelyadin Timur , Kamzolova Svetlana 
Published: September 2011

AbstractAt the moment one type of analysis of transcription regulatory networks (TRNs) in prokaryotes is topological analysis of graph structure of possible regulatory interaction links (see for example [1]). That type of analysis takes into account possibility links that designate the fact that one gene product in some conditions can modulate transcription of the other. The benefit of such approach is that it is allow analyzing TRN at the whole cell level. At the same type it is known that at least some responses are regulated by abundance of elements of transcription machinery [2-3]. We have developed conceptual model of whole cell E. coli TRN with SBGN ER, SBGN PD and SBGN AF languages [4]. That model is the first step towards incorporation of some quantitative information into whole cell TRN modeling.1.	Freyre-González et al. Functional architecture of Escherichia coli: new insights provided by a natural decomposition approach. Genome Biol (2008) vol. 9 (10) pp. R1542.	Klumpp and Hwa. Growth-rate-dependent partitioning of RNA polymerases in bacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (2008) vol. 105 (51) pp. 20245-503.	Barker et al. Mechanism of regulation of transcription initiation by ppGpp. II. Models for positive control based on properties of RNAP mutants and competition for RNAP. J Mol Biol (2001) vol. 305 (4) pp. 689-7024.	Le Novère et al. The systems biology graphical notation. Nature biotechnology (2009) vol. 27 (8) pp. 735-41
Efficiency of PowerCore in core set development using amplified fragment length polymorphic markers in mungbean
Authors: Moe Kyaw Thu , Gwag Jae‐Gyun , Park Yong‐Jin 
Published: September 2011

With 2 figures and 5 tablesAbstractThe mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] is a member of the Fabaceae, consists of around 20 000 species. With the rapid increase in the number of germplasm collections, many gene banks face problems of redundant resources. To cope with this problem, the development of an allele‐mining set is especially important. Our present study supports the efficiency of PowerCore in the development of core set from 705 collected accessions using AFLP markers. The result demonstrated the higher allele (fragment) capturing efficiency of PowerCore than other strategies (distance‐based, stratified random and random) tested at any level of sample size (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% of total accessions) selected. Highly significant correlation (r = 0.96) was observed between allele frequency distribution of entire collections and that of core set developed by PowerCore. The resulted core set was confirmed with 15 SSR data. The result will be useful, especially for reducing the redundant resources in the gene bank and allele mining from a large germplasm collection.
Comparison of Alcoholism Subtypes as Moderators of the Response to Sertraline Treatment
Authors: Kranzler Henry R. , Feinn Richard , Armeli Stephen , Tennen Howard 
Published: September 2011

Background:  A variety of typologies have been used to categorize alcoholism’s diverse manifestations. Although the most widely studied typologies are dichotomous ones based on genetic epidemiologic findings or using cluster analytic methods, recent efforts have utilized a single item or the onset of a diagnosis of alcohol dependence to subtype individuals based on the age of alcoholism onset. We compared 3 different methods to subtype alcoholics.
Methods:  This secondary analysis used data from 134 alcohol‐dependent participants in a placebo‐controlled trial of sertraline (Kranzler et al., 2011). We compared cluster analysis to distinguish 2 risk/severity subtypes (Babor et al., 1992) with 2 age‐of‐onset subtypes (i.e., based on the age of onset of problem drinking or the age at which alcohol dependence criteria were first met).
Results:  Each method yielded subgroups that differed significantly from one another on demographic and clinical measures. Although concordance was high between the 2 age‐of‐onset methods, it was poor between the age‐of‐onset methods and the cluster analysis–derived approach. All 3 subtyping approaches significantly moderated the effects of sertraline or placebo, but only in the L’L’ genotype group, as originally reported (Kranzler et al., 2011). In all cases, sertraline treatment was superior to placebo in later‐onset individuals and inferior to placebo in the earlier‐onset groups.
Conclusions:  Because age‐of‐onset subtypes can be defined retrospectively on an individual basis, they may be more clinically useful than cluster‐derived subtypes, which require group data. Because the 2 age‐of‐onset measures we examined appear to have comparable validity, a single item is easier to use as a measure of the age of onset of problem drinking.
An Optimized Method for the Measurement of Acetaldehyde by High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Guan Xiangying , Rubin Emanuel , Anni Helen 
Published: September 2011

Background:  Acetaldehyde is produced during ethanol metabolism predominantly in the liver by alcohol dehydrogenase and rapidly eliminated by oxidation to acetate via aldehyde dehydrogenase. Assessment of circulating acetaldehyde levels in biological matrices is performed by headspace gas chromatography and reverse phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC).
Methods:  We have developed an optimized method for the measurement of acetaldehyde by RP‐HPLC in hepatoma cell culture medium, blood, and plasma. After sample deproteinization, acetaldehyde was derivatized with 2,4‐dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH). The reaction was optimized for pH, amount of derivatization reagent, time, and temperature. Extraction methods of the acetaldehyde‐hydrazone (AcH‐DNP) stable derivative and product stability studies were carried out. Acetaldehyde was identified by its retention time in comparison with AcH‐DNP standard, using a new chromatography gradient program, and quantitated based on external reference standards and standard addition calibration curves in the presence and absence of ethanol.
Results:  Derivatization of acetaldehyde was performed at pH 4.0 with an 80‐fold molar excess of DNPH. The reaction was completed in 40 minutes at ambient temperature, and the product was stable for 2 days. A clear separation of AcH‐DNP from DNPH was obtained with a new 11‐minute chromatography program. Acetaldehyde detection was linear up to 80 μM. The recovery of acetaldehyde was >88% in culture media and >78% in plasma. We quantitatively determined the ethanol‐derived acetaldehyde in hepatoma cells, rat blood and plasma with a detection limit around 3 μM. The accuracy of the method was <9% for intraday and <15% for interday measurements, in small volume (70 μl) plasma sampling.
Conclusions:  An optimized method for the quantitative determination of acetaldehyde in biological systems was developed using derivatization with DNPH, followed by a short RP‐HPLC separation of AcH‐DNP. The method has an extended linear range, is reproducible and applicable to small‐volume sampling of culture media and biological fluids.
Acamprosate for Alcohol Dependence: A Sex‐Specific Meta‐Analysis Based on Individual Patient Data
Authors: Mason Barbara J , Lehert Philippe 
Published: September 2011

Background:  It is unknown whether women derive comparable benefits and have a similar safety and tolerability profile as men from acamprosate, a widely prescribed drug for the maintenance of abstinence in alcohol dependence. The objective of this study was to assess sex‐specific differences in the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of acamprosate in the treatment of women and men with alcohol dependence.
Methods:  A sex‐specific meta‐analysis was conducted based on individual patient data (IPD). Data were obtained from double‐blind, randomized controlled trials with quantitative drinking measures in patients with alcohol dependence receiving oral acamprosate or placebo. Sources included PubMed, PsychInfo, and Cochrane electronic databases; reference lists from retrieved articles and presentations at professional meetings; and direct access to authors and companies who provided IPD.
Results:  Individual records were obtained from 1,317 women and 4,794 men who participated in 22 eligible studies conducted in 18 countries. IPD meta‐analyses found a significant beneficial effect of acamprosate relative to placebo across all 4 efficacy end points: an incremental gain of 10.4% (95% CI 7.1 to 13.7, p < 0.001) in percentage of abstinent days, an incremental gain of 11.0% (7.4 to 14.6, p < 0.001) in percentage of no heavy drinking days, an odds ratio of 1.9 (1.6 to 2.2, p < 0.001) for rate of complete abstinence, and an odds ratio of 1.9 (1.6 to 2.3, p < 0.001) for rate of no heavy drinking, over the study duration. Acamprosate was also associated with significantly higher rates of treatment completion (p = 0.004) and medication compliance (p < 0.001) than placebo. Men and women did not differ on any measure of acamprosate efficacy, safety, or tolerability.
Conclusions:  This sex‐specific IPD meta‐analysis provides evidence that acamprosate has a significant effect compared with placebo in improving rates of abstinence and no heavy drinking in both women and men with alcohol dependence. Further, acamprosate was associated with significantly higher rates of treatment completion and medication compliance than placebo among both women and men and had a comparable safety and tolerability profile.
Henry George and the Intellectual Foundations of the Open Source Movement
Authors: NIMAN NEIL B. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe emergence of a common development platform (either in the form of open source projects or proprietary products) and the corresponding economic communities that emerge to support those platforms is similar in scale and scope to the concept of the city found in Henry George's economics of time and place. A modern counterpart to the 19th‐century focus on land can be found in the 20th‐century concern with the establishment of intellectual property rights that fence off a portion of the creative commons in order to construct temporary monopolies. Captured in the open source movement where licenses that specify property rights are adopted in order to provide a great deal of flexibility in terms of how ideas are used and shared, a strong connection can be drawn between this modern movement and the work of Henry George. Building a connection between the two provides greater clarity in terms of understanding how in a modern technology‐based economy, progress can be achieved without poverty.
Human Pregnancy Serum Suppresses the Proliferative Response of Lymphocytes to Autologous PHA‐Activated T Lymphoblasts
Authors: Wolf‐Levin Ronit , Aoki Koji , Azuma Takachika , Yagami Yoshiaki , Okada Hidechika 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: We have previously demonstrated that human serum can suppress the proliferative response in autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) in which phytohemagglutinin (PHA)‐activated T lymphoblasts act as stimulators (T‐TPHAAMLR). The aim of the present work was to determine whether pregnancy serum (PS) possesses an inhibitory capacity similar or different in magnitude.METHODS: Sixteen PS were added to T‐TPHAAMLR cultures and the proliferative response was compared with that in the presence of human serum. The effect of PS on the IL‐2 dependent proliferation of PHA‐activated T Lymphoblasts was examined as well.RESULTS: PS induced a significantly more pronounced suppression of T‐TPHAAMLR than human serum (P< 0.05). One PS tested was not inhibitory but rather stimulatory. This PS was obtained from a woman who subsequently had IUGR. The inhibition is related to the existence of a serum inhibitory factor and not to the lack of a serum supporting factor. PS inhibited not only T‐TPHAAMLR of the same woman but also T‐TPHAAMLR of other individuals as well, implying that the inhibitor is a non‐MHC restricted factor. IL‐2 dependent cell proliferation was not inhibited by PS, implying that the inhibitor detected in T‐TPHAAMLR is not a general cell proliferation inhibitor.CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a non‐MHC restricted inhibitory factor present in PS may play an important biological role in regulating local immune responses in the fetal‐placental unit mediated by autoreactive T cells restricted to autologous activated T lymphocytes.
Aspirin‐Interleukin‐3 Interrelationships in Patients With Anti‐Phospholipid Syndrome
Authors: Fishman Pnina , Falach‐Vaknin Emily , Sredni Benjamin , Meroni Piere Luigi , Tincani Angela , Dicker Dror , Shoenfeld Yehuda 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Previously we reported on the generation of experimental anti‐phospholipid syndrome (APS) in mice. These models were employed to evaluate the efficacy of various novel therapeutic modalities including interleukin‐3 (IL‐3) and low dose aspirin. The efficacy of the latter was found to be interrelated. Low dose aspirin is capable of inhibiting the activity of the enzyme cyclooxygenase which is responsible for the metabolism of arachidonic acid towards the production of prostaglandins. This shifts the metabolism of arachidonic acid to the other pathway and leads to an overproduction of leukotrienes. The leukotrienes act as stimulators of IL‐3 production, a positive cytokine in pregnancy which enhances placental and fetal development. In the current study we evaluated the IL‐3 levels in pregnant women with APS and expanded our knowledge on the interrelationships between aspirin, arachidonic acid metabolites and IL‐3 in the human system.METHODS: IL‐3 levels were recorded in the serum of pregnant women with APS and compared to a control pregnant group. In addition peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy subjects were incubated with different concentrations of aspirin or with arachidonic acid metabolites (Leukotriene B4, C4 or PGE2), and IL‐3 production in the culture fluids was evaluated.RESULTS: Serum level of IL‐3 in pregnant patients with primary APS, APS secondary to SLE and SLE was lower in comparison to the control group. The in vitro studies revealed that only low dose aspirin (10 mg/μl) stimulated IL‐3 production while higher doses of the drug failed to induce the cytokine generation. Leukotriene B4 and C4 were stimulatory whereas PGE2 acted as inhibitor of IL‐3 production.CONCLUSIONS: The serum level of IL‐3 is decreased to pregnant women with primary or secondary APS. Low dose aspirin is capable of stimulating EL‐3 production in vitro most probably through an elevation of leukotriene production, which may explain its beneficial activity in preventing the manifestations of APS.
Role of the Major Histocompatibility Complex Region in Reproduction, Cancer, and Autoimmunity
Authors: Gill ThomasJ. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: A diverse body of evidence indicates that there is an association among reproductive failure, development, cancer, and autoimmunity. The evidence for the relationship of genes linked to the major histocompatibility complex to these diseases will be evaluated.METHODS: The published results of both experimental studies in animals and of clinical observations in humans will be summarized and analyzed.RESULTS: Experimental studies in the rat have demonstrated a relationship between the MHC‐linked region and growth, development, and susceptibility to chemical carcinogens. Data from other species support these observations. Clinical studies in humans have demonstrated an association between the MHC region and recurrent spontaneous abortions and a variety of other diseases; between recurrent spontaneous abortion and several autoimmune diseases; and between isolated populations and deficiencies of HLA homozygotes.CONCLUSIONS: Genes in the MHC‐linked region play an important role in the control of reproduction, growth and development, and susceptibility to a variety of diseases.
Effects of Sperm Immobilizing Antibodies on Pregnancy Outcome in Infertile Women Treated With IVF‐ET
Authors: Shibahara Hiroaki , Mitsuo Mizumi , Ikeda Yoshikazu , Shigeta Minoru , Koyama Koji 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Since it was found that anti‐sperm antibodies could impair in vitro development of fertilized eggs in the presence of complement in rats, the effects of sperm immobilizing antibodies on human pregnancy were examined in infertile women treated with IVF‐ET.METHOD: The pregnancy outcomes of 143 ET cycles in 58 infertile women with sperm immobilizing antibodies and 363 ET cycles in patients with tubal infertility as control were compared. Diagnosis of chemical pregnancy was done when the urinary hCG level had risen over 50 IU/L but a gestational sac could not be demonstrated later. Antibody titers of sperm immobilizing antibodies (SI50 units) were measured by a quantitative sperm immobilization test.RESULTS: 33 (23.1%) of 143 cycles in the patients with sperm immobilizing antibodies and 56 (15.4%) of 363 cycles in the control patients were diagnosed as pregnancy. The pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the former than in the latter (P<0.05). In the patients with sperm immobilizing antibodies, 12 (36.4%) were chemical pregnancies, 5 (15.2%) were clinical abortions, and 16 (48.5%) had deliveries. In the control group, 18 (32.1%) were chemical pregnancies, 10 (17.9%) were clinical abortions including ectopic pregnancies and 28 (50.0%) had deliveries. There was no significant differences in each category. When the SI50 titers at the time of conception were considered, chemical pregnancy rates were 22.2% (4/18) in patients with SI50 titers below 10 units, but those in patients with SI50 titers above 10 were 50.0% (5/10) and above 100 were 60.0% (3/5), respectively, (P > 0.05). In four of five patients who had both chemical and clinical pregnancies, the SI50 titers at the time of conception were higher in the chemical pregnancy cycles than in the clinical pregnancy cycles.CONCLUSIONS: Though the pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the patients with sperm immobilizing antibodies as compared to those with tubal infertility, chemical pregnancy rates were also higher in the patients with higher sperm immobilizing antibody titers. These results suggest that sperm immobilizing antibodies may cause the damage of early development of human embryos in vivo in the small number of patients with a high titer of the antibodies.
Globulin‐Enriched Protein Supplements Shorten the Pre‐Compaction Mitotic Interval and Promote Hatching of Murine Embryos
Authors: Schneider E. Gayle , Hayslip C. Calvin 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: To determine whether Synthetic Serum Substitute (SSS), which contains human globulins in addition to Human Serum Albumin (HSA), is superior to HSA alone as a protein supplement for embryo culture.METHOD: Development of mouse zygotes to eight‐cell/compacting morulae and to hatching/hatched blastocysts was assessed in Human Tubal Fluid (HTF) medium containing either SSS or HSA.RESULTS: Although there was no difference in the overall blastocyst rate at 120 h in HTF+SSS versus HTF+HSA, significantly more embryos at 54 h were at the eight‐cell/compacting morula stage in HTF+SSS. At 120 h, there were more hatching/hatched blastocysts in HTF+SSS, and hatching correlated with SSS concentration. Addition of isolated globulins to HSA significantly stimulated the number of hatching/hatched blastocysts. Hatching could be “rescued” by transfer of embryos grown in HTF+HSA to globulin‐containing media and prevented by removal of globulins as late as the compacted morula stage (54 h).CONCLUSIONS: SSS is superior to HSA alone for embryo culture. The stimulatory effects on mitosis and hatching may be mediated directly by globulins or by other components in the globulin‐enriched fraction.
Susceptibility to Murine Experimental Autoimmune Oophoritis Is Associated With Genes Outside the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)
Authors: Nair Sharmila , Caspi Rachel R. , Nelson Lawrence M. 
Published: September 2011

PROBLEM: Neonatal thymectomy induces experimental autoimmune oophoritis in certain strains of mice, and this serves as a model for human autoimmune oophoritis. Because strong MHC associations have been noted in human autoimmune conditions, we investigated the role of MHC in determining susceptibility to murine experimental autoimmune oophoritis. Strain A mice are highly susceptible to post‐thymectomy autoimmunity, whereas strain B10 mice are relatively resistant. The availability of congenic strains of mice makes it possible to separate the effects of genetic background and specific H‐2 haplotype.METHODS: We neonatally thymectomized A and B10 background female mice, and their H‐2 congenic counterparts, and then evaluated the resulting ovarian disease at age 6 weeks. RESULTS: A. By mice, which have the A background and the H‐2b haplotype, developed severe disease equivalent to strain A mice. Similarly, B10.A mice, which have the B background and the H‐2a haplotype, failed to develop disease. Thus, H‐2a haplotype did not convey disease susceptibility.CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that immune‐regulatory regions outside the H‐2 locus play an important role in determining susceptibility to murine post‐thymectomy autoimmune oophoritis. This is in accord with our previous findings in women that showed no association between MHC and premature ovarian failure. Thus, in this respect this model is similar to human autoimmune ovarian failure. This suggests that the non‐MHC genes conveying susceptibility to autoimmune oophoritis in mice might represent similar predisposing genes for premature ovarian failure in women.