bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Prediction Model for Atlantic Named Storm Frequency Using a Year-by-Year Increment Approach
Authors: Fan Ke 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThis paper presents a year-by-year incremental approach to forecasting the Atlantic named storm frequency (ATSF) for the hurricane season (1 June–30 November). The year-by-year increase or decrease in the ATSF is first forecasted to yield a net ATSF prediction. Six key predictors for the year-by-year increment in the number of Atlantic named tropical storms have been identified that are available before 1 May. The forecast model for the year-by-year increment of the ATSF is first established using a multilinear regression method based on data taken from the years 1965–99, and the forecast model of the ATSF is then derived. The prediction model for the ATSF shows good prediction skill. Compared to the climatological average mean absolute error (MAE) of 4.1, the percentage improvement in the MAE is 29% for the hindcast period of 2004–09 and 46% for the cross-validation test from 1985 to 2009 (26 yr). This work demonstrates that the year-by-year incremental approach has the potential to improve the operational forecasting skill for the ATSF.
Influence of Location, Population, and Climate on Building Damage and Fatalities due to Australian Bushfire: 1925–2009
Authors: Crompton Ryan P. , McAneney K. John , Chen Keping , Pielke Roger A. , Haynes Katharine 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
This study reevaluates the history of building damage and loss of life due to bushfire (wildfire) in Australia since 1925 in light of the 2009 Black Saturday fires in Victoria in which 173 people lost their lives and 2298 homes were destroyed along with many other structures. Historical records are normalized to estimate building damage and fatalities had events occurred under the societal conditions of 2008/09. There are relationships between normalized building damage and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean dipole phenomena, but there is no discernable evidence that the normalized data are being influenced by climatic change due to the emission of greenhouse gases. The 2009 Black Saturday fires rank second in terms of normalized fatalities and fourth in terms of normalized building damage. The public safety concern is that, of the 10 years with the highest normalized building damage, the 2008/09 bushfire season ranks third, behind the 1925/26 and 1938/39 seasons, in terms of the ratio of normalized fatalities to building damage. A feature of the building damage in the 2009 Black Saturday fires in some of the most affected towns—Marysville and Kinglake—is the large proportion of buildings destroyed either within bushland or at very small distances from it (&lt;10 m). Land use planning policies in bushfire-prone parts of this country that allow such development increase the risk that bushfires pose to the public and the built environment.
Orthostatic and non-orthostatic headache in postural tachycardia syndrome
Authors: Khurana Ramesh K , Eisenberg Lindsay 
Published: September 2010

Objective Orthostatic and non-orthostatic headache spectrum was prospectively studied in 24 consecutive patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Methods Patients were interviewed about clinical aspects of headache and its precipitation during head-up tilt (HUT). Autonomic functions were assessed using a standard battery of tests. The relationship of orthostatic headache to cardiovascular variables was examined using unpaired two-tailed t-test. Results Orthostatic headache occurred during daily activity in 14 patients (58.3%) and during HUT in 15 patients (62.5%). Age under 30 years and increasing duration of tilt were predictive for orthostatic headache. Of the 24 patients, 23 (95.8%) had non-orthostatic headache fitting the criteria of migraine or probable migraine. Conclusions Orthostatic headache affected two-thirds of POTS patients, especially those under age 30. Patients with orthostatic headache should be clinically assessed for POTS and informed of this association to reduce short-term morbidity. Migraine afflicted almost all POTS patients. This co-morbidity should be considered in management of POTS.
Filtering, FDR and power
Authors: van Iterson Maarten , Boer Judith M , Menezes Renée X 
Published: September 2010

AbstractBackgroundIn high-dimensional data analysis such as differential gene expression analysis, people often use filtering methods like fold-change or variance filters in an attempt to reduce the multiple testing penalty and improve power. However, filtering may introduce a bias on the multiple testing correction. The precise amount of bias depends on many quantities, such as fraction of probes filtered out, filter statistic and test statistic used.ResultsWe show that a biased multiple testing correction results if non-differentially expressed probes are not filtered out with equal probability from the entire range of p-values. We illustrate our results using both a simulation study and an experimental dataset, where the FDR is shown to be biased mostly by filters that are associated with the hypothesis being tested, such as the fold change. Filters that induce little bias on the FDR yield less additional power of detecting differentially expressed genes. Finally, we propose a statistical test that can be used in practice to determine whether any chosen filter introduces bias on the FDR estimate used, given a general experimental setup.ConclusionsFiltering out of probes must be used with care as it may bias the multiple testing correction. Researchers can use our test for FDR bias to guide their choice of filter and amount of filtering in practice.
Functional characterization of the protein C A267T mutation: evidence for impaired secretion due to defective intracellular transport
Authors: Tjeldhorn Lena , Iversen Nina , Sandvig Kirsten , Bergan Jonas , Sandset Per Morten , Skretting Grethe 
Published: September 2010

Abstract

Background
Activated protein C (PC) is a serine protease that regulates blood coagulation by inactivating coagulation factors Va and VIIIa. PC deficiency is an autosomally inherited disorder associated with a high risk of recurrent venous thrombosis. The aim of the study was to explore the mechanisms responsible for severe PC deficiency in a patient with the protein C A267T mutation by in-vitro expression studies.

Results
Huh7 and CHO-K1 cells were transiently transfected with expression vectors containing wild-type (WT PC) and mutated PC (A267T PC) cDNAs. PC mRNA levels were assessed by qRT-PCR and the PC protein levels were measured by ELISA. The mRNA levels of WT PC and A267T PC were similar, while the intracellular protein level of A267T PC was moderately decreased compared to WT PC. The secretion of A267T PC into the medium was severely impaired. No differences in molecular weights were observed between WT and A267T PC before and after treatment with endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. Proteasomal and lysosomal degradations were examined using lactacystin and bafilomycin, respectively, and revealed that A267T PC was slightly more susceptible for proteasomal degradation than WT PC. Intracellular co-localization analysis indicated that A267T PC was mainly located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), whereas WT PC was observed in both ER and Golgi.

Conclusions
In contrast to what has been reported for other PC mutants, intracellular degradation of A267T PC was not the main/dominant mechanism underlying the reduced intracellular and secretion levels of PC. Our results indicate that the A267T mutation most likely caused misfolding of PC, which might lead to increased retention of the mutated PC in ER.
Mtmr8 is essential for vasculature development in zebrafish embryos
Authors: Mei Jie , Liu Sha , Li Zhi , Gui Jian-Fang 
Published: September 2010

Abstract

Background
Embryonic morphogenesis of vascular and muscular systems is tightly coordinated, and a functional cooperation of Mtmr8 with PI3K in actin filament modeling and muscle development has been revealed in zebrafish. Here, we attempt to explore the function of Mtmr8 in vasculature development parallel to its function in muscle development.

Results
During early stage of somitogenesis, mtmr8 expression was detected in both somitic mesodem and ventral mesoderm. Knockdown of mtmr8 by morpholino impairs arterial endothelial marker expression, and results in endothelial cell reduction and vasculogenesis defects, such as retardation in intersegmental vessel development and interruption of trunk dorsal aorta. Moreover, mtmr8 morphants show loss of arterial endothelial cell identity in dorsal aorta, which is effectively rescued by low concentration of PI3K inhibitor, and by over-expression of dnPKA mRNA or vegf mRNA. Interestingly, mtmr8 expression is up-regulated when zebrafish embryos are treated with specific inhibitor of Hedgehog pathway that abolishes arterial marker expression.

Conclusion
These data indicate that Mtmr8 is essential for vasculature development in zebrafish embryos, and may play a role in arterial specification through repressing PI3K activity. It is suggested that Mtmr8 should represent a novel element of the Hedgehog/PI3K/VEGF signaling cascade that controls arterial specification.
Identification and analysis of candidate fungal tRNA 3'-end processing endonucleases tRNase Zs, homologs of the putative prostate cancer susceptibility protein ELAC2
Authors: Zhao Wei , Yu Haiyan , Li Shuzhen , Huang Ying 
Published: September 2010

AbstractBackgroundtRNase Z is the endonuclease that is responsible for the 3'-end processing of tRNA precursors, a process essential for tRNA 3'-CCA addition and subsequent tRNA aminoacylation. Based on their sizes, tRNase Zs can be divided into the long (tRNase ZL) and short (tRNase ZS) forms. tRNase ZLis thought to have arisen from a tandem gene duplication of tRNase ZSwith further sequence divergence. The species distribution of tRNase Z is complex. Fungi represent an evolutionarily diverse group of eukaryotes. The recent proliferation of fungal genome sequences provides an opportunity to explore the structural and functional diversity of eukaryotic tRNase Zs.ResultsWe report a survey and analysis of candidate tRNase Zs in 84 completed fungal genomes, spanning a broad diversity of fungi. We find that tRNase ZLis present in all fungi we have examined, whereas tRNase ZSexists only in the fungal phyla Basidiomycota, Chytridiomycota and Zygomycota. Furthermore, we find that unlike the Pezizomycotina and Saccharomycotina, which contain a single tRNase ZL,Schizosaccharomycesfission yeasts (Taphrinomycotina) contain two tRNase ZLs encoded by two different tRNase ZLgenes. These two tRNase ZLs are most likely localized to the nucleus and mitochondria, respectively, suggesting partitioning of tRNase Z function between two different tRNase ZLs in fission yeasts. The fungal tRNase Z phylogeny suggests that tRNase ZSs are ancestral to tRNase ZLs. Additionally, the evolutionary relationship of fungal tRNase ZLs is generally consistent with known phylogenetic relationships among the fungal species and supports tRNase ZLgene duplication in certain fungal taxa, includingSchizosaccharomycesfission yeasts. Analysis of tRNase Z protein sequences reveals putative atypical substrate binding domains in most fungal tRNase ZSs and in a subset of fungal tRNase ZLs. Finally, we demonstrate the presence of pseudo-substrate recognition and catalytic motifs at the N-terminal halves of tRNase ZLs.ConclusionsThis study describes the first comprehensive identification and sequence analysis of candidate fungal tRNase Zs. Our results support the proposal that tRNase ZLhas evolved as a result of duplication and diversification of the tRNase ZSgene.
Beneficial effect of agmatine on brain apoptosis, astrogliosis, and edema after rat transient cerebral ischemia
Authors: Wang Che-Chuan , Chio Chung-Ching , Chang Ching-Hong , Kuo Jinn-Rung , Chang Ching-Ping 
Published: September 2010

Abstract

Background
Although agmatine therapy in a mouse model of transient focal cerebral ischemia is highly protective against neurological injury, the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of agmatine are not fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of agmatine on brain apoptosis, astrogliosis and edema in the rats with transient cerebral ischemia.

Methods
Following surgical induction of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) for 90 min, agmatine (100 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected 5 min after beginning of reperfusion and again once daily for the next 3 post-operative days. Four days after reperfusion, both motor and proprioception functions were assessed and then all rats were sacrificed for determination of brain infarct volume (2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining), apoptosis (TUNEL staining), edema (both cerebral water content and amounts of aquaporin-4 positive cells), gliosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP]-positive cells), and neurotoxicity (inducible nitric oxide synthase [iNOS] expression).

Results
The results showed that agmatine treatment was found to accelerate recovery of motor (from 55 degrees to 62 degrees) and proprioception (from 54% maximal possible effect to 10% maximal possible effect) deficits and to prevent brain infarction (from 370 mm3 to 50 mm3), gliosis (from 80 GFAP-positive cells to 30 GFAP-positive cells), edema (cerebral water contents decreased from 82.5% to 79.4%; AQP4 positive cells decreased from 140 to 84 per section), apoptosis (neuronal apoptotic cells decreased from 100 to 20 per section), and neurotoxicity (iNOS expression cells decreased from 64 to 7 per section) during MCAO ischemic injury in rats.

Conclusions
The data suggest that agmatine may improve outcomes of transient cerebral ischemia in rats by reducing brain apoptosis, astrogliosis and edema.
ω-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids prevent pressure overload-induced ventricular dilation and decrease in mitochondrial enzymes despite no change in adiponectin
Authors: O'Shea Karen M , Chess David J , Khairallah Ramzi J , Hecker Peter A , Lei Biao , Walsh Kenneth , Des Rosiers Christine , Stanley William C 
Published: September 2010

Abstract

Background
Pathological left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy frequently progresses to dilated heart failure with suppressed mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Dietary marine ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) up-regulate adiponectin and prevent LV dilation in rats subjected to pressure overload. This study 1) assessed the effects of ω-3 PUFA on LV dilation and down-regulation of mitochondrial enzymes in response to pressure overload; and 2) evaluated the role of adiponectin in mediating the effects of ω-3 PUFA in heart.

Methods
Wild type (WT) and adiponectin-/- mice underwent transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and were fed standard chow ± ω-3 PUFA for 6 weeks. At 6 weeks, echocardiography was performed to assess LV function, mice were terminated, and mitochondrial enzyme activities were evaluated.

Results
TAC induced similar pathological LV hypertrophy compared to sham mice in both strains on both diets. In WT mice TAC increased LV systolic and diastolic volumes and reduced mitochondrial enzyme activities, which were attenuated by ω-3 PUFA without increasing adiponectin. In contrast, adiponectin-/- mice displayed no increase in LV end diastolic and systolic volumes or decrease in mitochondrial enzymes with TAC, and did not respond to ω-3 PUFA.

Conclusion
These findings suggest ω-3 PUFA attenuates cardiac pathology in response to pressure overload independent of an elevation in adiponectin.
Upregulation of a novel eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) in dengue 2 virus-infected mosquito cells
Authors: Shih Yu-Tzu , Yang Chao-Fu , Chen Wei-June 
Published: September 2010

Abstract

Background
Dengue virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus, is the etiological agent of dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome. It generally induces apoptosis in mammalian cells, but frequently results in persistent infection in mosquito cells. That mechanism remains to be explored. In turn, a genomic survey through subtractive hybridization (PCR-select cDNA subtraction) was conducted in order to find gene(s) that may play a role in interactions between the virus and its host cells.

Results
Through this technique, we identified a novel eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) which is upregulated in Aedes albopictus-derived C6/36 cells infected by the type 2 dengue (Den-2) virus. The full-length of the identified eIF5A gene consisted of 1498 bp of nucleotides with a 41.39% G+C content, and it possessed a higher similarity and shorter evolutionary distance with insects than with other organisms. Upregulation of eIF5A in response to Den-2 virus infection was validated at both the RNA and protein levels. This phenomenon was also observed by confocal microscopy. In addition, cell death obviously occurred when eIF5A activity was inhibited in C6/36 cells even when they were infected by the virus. However, viral multiplication was not obviously affected in infected C6/36 cells when eIF5A activity was reduced.

Conclusions
Taken together, we postulated that eIF5A plays a role in preventing mosquito cells from death in response to Den-2 viral infection, thus facilitating continued viral growth and potential persistent infection in mosquito cells. It would be worthwhile to further investigate how its downstream factors or cofactors contribute to this phenomenon of dengue infection.
Expression of tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase in mature granule cells of the adult mouse dentate gyrus
Authors: Ohira, Koji , Hagihara, Hideo , Toyama, Keiko , Takao Keizo , Kanai Masaaki , Funakoshi Hiroshi , Nakamura Toshikazu , Miyakawa Tsuyoshi 
Published: September 2010

AbstractNew granule cells are continuously generated in the dentate gyrus of the adult hippocampus. During granule cell maturation, the mechanisms that differentiate new cells not only describe the degree of cell differentiation, but also crucially regulate the progression of cell differentiation. Here, we describe a gene, tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO), whose expression distinguishes stem cells from more differentiated cells among the granule cells of the adult mouse dentate gyrus. The use of markers for proliferation, neural progenitors, and immature and mature granule cells indicated that TDO was expressed in mature cells and in some immature cells. In mice heterozygous for the alpha-isoform of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, in which dentate gyrus granule cells fail to mature normally, TDO immunoreactivity was substantially downregulated in the dentate gyrus granule cells. Moreover, a 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labeling experiment revealed that new neurons began to express TDO between 2 and 4 wk after the neurons were generated, when the axons and dendrites of the granule cells developed and synaptogenesis occurred. These findings indicate that TDO might be required at a late-stage of granule cell development, such as during axonal and dendritic growth, synaptogenesis and its maturation.
Association between HIV replication and serum leptin levels: an observational study of a cohort of HIV‐1‐infected South African women
Authors: Azzoni Livio , Crowther Nigel J , Firnhaber Cynthia , Foulkes Andrea S , Yin Xiangfan , Glencross Deborah , Gross Robert , Kaplan Mitch D , Papasavvas Emmanouil , Schulze Doreen , Stevens Wendy , van der Merwe Tessa , Waisberg Rita , Sanne Ian , Montaner Luis J 
Published: September 2010

BackgroundAdvanced HIV infection can result in lipoatrophy and wasting, even in the absence of ongoing opportunistic infections, suggesting that HIV may directly affect adipose tissue amount and distribution.MethodsWe assessed the relationship of fat (measured using anthropometry, DEXA, MRI scans) or markers related to glucose and lipid metabolism with viral load in a cross‐sectional sample of 83 antiretroviral‐naïve HIV‐1‐infected South African women. A multivariable linear model was fitted to log10VL to assess the combined effect of these variables.ResultsIn addition to higher T cell activation, women with viral load greater than the population median had lower waist circumference, body mass index and subcutaneous abdominal fat, as well as lower serum leptin. We demonstrate that leptin serum levels are inversely associated with viral replication, independent of the amount of adipose tissue. This association is maintained after adjusting for multiple variables associated with disease progression (i.e., cellular activation and innate immunity effector levels).ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that serum leptin levels are inversely associated with viral replication, independent of disease progression: we postulate that leptin may affect viral replication.
Validation of extravascular lung water measurement by single transpulmonary thermodilution: human autopsy study
Authors: Tagami Takashi , Kushimoto Shigeki , Yamamoto Yasuhiro , Atsumi Takahiro , Tosa Ryoichi , Matsuda Kiyoshi , Oyama Renpei , Kawaguchi Takanori , Masuno Tomohiko , Hirama Hisao , Yokota Hiroyuki 
Published: September 2010

AbstractIntroductionGravimetric validation of single-indicator extravascular lung water (EVLW) and normal EVLW values has not been well studied in humans thus far. The aims of this study were (1) to validate the accuracy of EVLW measurement by single transpulmonary thermodilution with postmortem lung weight measurement in humans and (2) to define the statistically normal EVLW values.MethodsWe evaluated the correlation between pre-mortem EVLW value by single transpulmonary thermodilution and post-mortem lung weight from 30 consecutive autopsies completed within 48 hours following the final thermodilution measurement. A linear regression equation for the correlation was calculated. In order to clarify the normal lung weight value by statistical analysis, we conducted a literature search and obtained the normal reference ranges for post-mortem lung weight. These values were substituted into the equation for the correlation between EVLW and lung weight to estimate the normal EVLW values.ResultsEVLW determined using transpulmonary single thermodilution correlated closely with post-mortem lung weight (r= 0.904,P< 0.001). A linear regression equation was calculated: EVLW (mL) = 0.56 × lung weight (g) - 58.0. The normal EVLW values indexed by predicted body weight were approximately 7.4 ± 3.3 mL/kg (7.5 ± 3.3 mL/kg for males and 7.3 ± 3.3 mL/kg for females).ConclusionsA definite correlation exists between EVLW measured by the single-indicator transpulmonary thermodilution technique and post-mortem lung weight in humans. The normal EVLW value is approximately 7.4 ± 3.3 mL/kg.Trial registrationUMIN000002780.