bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Involvement of Caspase-9 in the Inhibition of Necrosis of RAW 264 Cells Infected withMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Uchiyama Ryosuke , Kawamura Ikuo , Fujimura Takao , Kawanishi Michiko , Tsuchiya Kohsuke , Tominaga Takanari , Kaku Taijin , Fukasawa Yutaka , Sakai Shunsuke , Nomura Takamasa , Mitsuyama Masao 
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACTIn order to know how caspases contribute to the intracellular fate ofMycobacterium tuberculosisand host cell death in the infected macrophages, we examined the effect of benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp(OMe)-fluoromethane (z-VAD-fmk), a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, on the growth ofM. tuberculosisH37Rv in RAW 264 cells. In the cells treated with z-VAD-fmk, activation of caspase-8, caspase-3/7, and caspase-9 was clearly suppressed, and DNA fragmentation of the infected cells was also reduced. Under this experimental condition, it was found that the treatment markedly inhibited bacterial growth inside macrophages. The infected cells appeared to undergo cell death of the necrosis type in the presence of z-VAD-fmk. We further found that z-VAD-fmk treatment resulted in the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the infected cells. By addition of a scavenger of ROS, the host cell necrosis was inhibited and the intracellular growth of H37Rv was significantly restored. Among inhibitors specific for each caspase, only the caspase-9-specific inhibitor enhanced the generation of ROS and induced necrosis of the infected cells. Furthermore, we found that severe necrosis was induced by infection with H37Rv but not H37Ra in the presence of z-VAD-fmk. Caspase-9 activation was also detected in H37Rv-infected cells, but H37Ra never induced such caspase-9 activation. These results indicated that caspase-9, which was activated by infection with virulentM. tuberculosis, contributed to the inhibition of necrosis of the infected host cells, presumably through suppression of intracellular ROS generation.
Modulation of Adherence, Invasion, and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Secretion during the Early Stages of Infection by
Streptococcus pneumoniae
ClpL
Authors: Tu Le Nhat , Jeong Hye-Yoon , Kwon Hyog-Young , Ogunniyi Abiodun D. , Paton James C. , Pyo Suhk-Neung , Rhee Dong-Kwon 
Published: April 2007

ABSTRACT

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a pivotal role as chaperones in the folding of native and denatured proteins and can help pathogens penetrate host defenses. However, the underlying mechanism(s) of modulation of virulence by HSPs has not been fully determined. In this study, the role of the chaperone ClpL in the pathogenicity of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
was assessed. A
clpL
mutant adhered to and invaded nasopharyngeal or lung cells much more efficiently than the wild type adhered to and invaded these cells in vitro, as well as in vivo, although it produced the same amount of capsular polysaccharide. However, the level of secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) from macrophages infected with the
clpL
mutant was significantly lower than the level of secretion elicited by the wild type during the early stages of infection. Interestingly, treatment of the human lung epithelial carcinoma A549 and murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell lines with cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, increased adherence of the mutant to the host cells. In contrast, cytochalasin D treatment of RAW 264.7 cells decreased TNF-α secretion after infection with either the wild type or the mutant. However, pretreatment of cell lines with the actin polymerization activator jasplakinolide reversed these phenotypes. These findings indicate, for the first time, that the ClpL chaperone represses adherence of
S. pneumoniae
to host cells and induces secretion of TNF-α via a mechanism dependent upon actin polymerization during the initial infection stage.
The 'Law' of Uneven and Combined Development: Some Underdeveloped Thoughts
Authors: van der Linden Marcel 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThis paper presents a critical reconstruction of the main Marxist debates about the idea of 'leaps forward' in historical development. There have been two important approaches: the so-called 'law of uneven and combined development', as developed by Leon Trotsky, George Novack and Ernest Mandel, and Jan Romein's 'handicap of a head start'. Although Romein's approach is Stalinist in origin, elements of it are compatible with Trotsky's interpretation. But, even an expanded version of the 'law' of uneven and combined development lacks predictive value, although one can say with certainty in hindsight whether a combined development has taken place. It is argued that the 'law' is, in fact, an underspecified social mechanism and that its explanatory power can be increased by identifying a number of recurrent patterns.
Genetic Testing of Language Replacement Hypothesis in Southwest Asia
Authors: Yepiskoposian Levon , Khudoyan Armine , Harutyunian Ashot 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe regions of the Caucasus, Anatolia, and the Near East represent an extremely important area with respect to ancient population migration and expansion, and the spread of the Caucasian, Indo-European, Afro-Asiatic, and Altaic languages. We examined genetic variation within and between 12 ethno-territorial populations belonging to four major language families by using six microsatellites, or short tandem repeats (STR) and 12 Unique Event Polymorphism (UEP) loci mapped to the non-recombining portion of the human Y-chromosome. The applied set of markers did not unconditionally support the language replacement hypothesis for the populations under consideration. Moreover, regarding the South Caucasus and Anatolia, our results showed greater genetic distances between the populations from different language families, and close genetic affinity for the populations from the same language group—in this case, for the Turkophone ethnic units. The results point to the importance of appropriate Y-chromosome sampling procedures in geographically structured populations and to the necessity of using a relevant set of markers that provides best discrimination of populations with different genetic histories.
A Comparative Overview of the Iranian Constitutions of 1906-07 and 1979
Authors: Borbor Dariush 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe history and the essential and important articles of the constitutional laws of Iran and its immediate neighbours are elucidated and compared. The article includes an analytical comparison of the 1906-07 and 1979 Constitutions of Iran. A brief analytical synoptic overview of world constitutions is also presented in order to obtain a balanced view of the process of constitutionalism and popular suffrage for men and women.In 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran became the first country in the world to include a declaration for the preservation of the environment in its Constitution.Having compared the 1906-7 Constitution of Iran with a good number of others, it is very evident that the transformation of an autocratic monarchy into a constitutional one was in itself a great leap forward, at a time, when most of the world still lived under dictatorship.In Iran, a number of civil institutions have played their role for a whole century thanks to the 1906-07 Constitution, though far from perfect, nevertheless more or less accepted and functioning. These include a hundred years of direct parliamentary elections, and several years of presidential, municipal and other popular suffrage.The propagation of the 1906-07 Constitutional Movement of Iran has been paramount; it had greatly influenced the awakening of many other peoples of the neighbouring and regional countries. The 1908 re-institution of parliament in the Ottoman Empire, the 1911 Chinese Revolution, and the 1917 Revolution in Tzarist Russia were undoubtedly influenced by the Constitutional Movement of Iran.
Kurdish Lō-Lō
Authors: Asatrian Garnik 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThis paper is an attempt to trace the origin of an interesting Kurdish lexeme with a high occurrence frequency, which is usually perceived by the neighbouring Armenians as sort of a shibboleth for characterising the Kurds. The author rejects the possible connections of this lexeme with the Oriental Caucasian *läg-"man, slave".
On the History of Slave-Trade in Dagestan
Authors: Inozemtseva Elena 
Published: April 2007

AbstractSlave-trade was one of the main factors in the system of complicated and contradictory interactions between the peoples of the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia, and Russia. Everlasting inter-ethnic clashes and wars, political instability, great demand and high prices for 'human commodities' strongly promoted the growth of this business in Dagestan and in the North Caucasus in general. The feudal lords used to organise "commercial" campaigns, aimed at capturing people and getting ransom. For centuries, this cruel industry had remained one of the dominating elements in the economy of this multi-ethnic region. The paper, based mainly on the archive documents, offers a short history of slave-trade in Dagestan up to its final abolishment in the 60-s of the 19th century.
Sāhib-dīvān Šams ad-dīn Muhammad Juvaninī and Armenia
Authors: Margarian Hayrapet 
Published: April 2007

AbstractFollowing the Seljuk invasion of the 11th century, the Armenians and Iranians found themselves under one rule, and the ancient historical and cultural ties between these two neighbouring nations became once again close and versatile. The similarity of their historical destinies appears to be more evident in the 13th-14th centuries, when Armenia and Iran were incorporated in the Mongol Empire.Among the Sāhīb Dīvāns, the highest ranking officials in the hierarchical system of the Īl-khānid state, a special place belongs to Šams ad-dīn Muhammad Juvainī, famous for his civilised personality and attainments. The present article tries to elucidate those details of the biography of Javainī, which concern Armenia and Armenian-Iranian relations of his time. Along with the Armenian and Persian sources, the author has made extensive use of the data obtained from the Georgian chronicles, which considerably improve the picture of the historical reality.
Intensive Dose-Dense Compared With High-Dose Adjuvant Chemotherapy for High-Risk Operable Breast Cancer: Southwest Oncology Group/Intergroup Study 9623
Authors: Moore Halle C.F. , Green Stephanie J. , Gralow Julie R. , Bearman Scott I. , Lew Danika , Barlow William E. , Hudis Clifford , Wolff Antonio C. , Ingle James N. , Chew Helen K. , Elias Anthony D. , Livingston Robert B. , Martino Silvana 
Published: April 2007

Purpose Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG)/Intergroup study 9623 was undertaken to compare treatment with an anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy regimen followed by high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) with autologous hematopoietic progenitor cell support (AHPCS) with a modern dose-dense dose-escalated (nonstandard) regimen including both an anthracycline and a taxane. Patients and Methods Participants in this phase III randomized study had operable breast cancer involving four or more axillary lymph nodes and had completed mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery. Patients were randomly assigned to receive four cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by HDC with AHPCS or to receive sequential dose-dense and dose-escalated chemotherapy with doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and cyclophosphamide. The primary end point of this study was disease-free survival (DFS). Results Among 536 eligible patients, there was no significant difference between the two arms for DFS or overall survival (OS). Estimated five-year DFS was 80% (95% CI, 76% to 85%) for dose-dense therapy and 75% (95% CI, 69% to 80%) for transplantation. Estimated 5-year OS was 88% (95% CI, 84% to 92%) for dose-dense therapy and 84% (95% CI, 79% to 88%) for transplantation. Conclusion There is no evidence that transplantation was superior to dose-dense dose-escalated therapy. Transplantation was associated with an increase in toxicity and a possibly inferior outcome, although the hazard ratios were not significantly different from 1.
Reversibility of pregnancy-induced changes in the superficial veins of the lower extremities
Authors: Pemble L 
Published: April 2007

Objectives: To determine the change in long saphenous vein (LSV) area in early pregnancy and the reversal postpartum in comparison with non-pregnant control values. Methods: Ultrasonography was used to determine the LSV areas at four different levels in the right and left legs of women in an erect position. The measurements from 69 nulliparous women were used to determine the non-pregnant baseline measurements for vein area. The vein areas were similarly measured from 39 primigravida women in early pregnancy and postpartum. Results: There was no significant difference found between measurements obtained from the right and the left legs. Non-pregnant baseline measurements were less than either the early pregnancy, or postpartum measurements obtained from the primigravida women. Conclusions: Physiological changes associated with early pregnancy induce dilation of the LSV, and the reversal postpartum is not complete with vein areas statistically larger than in the non-pregnant state.
Morphological lattice models for the simulation of softwood failure and fracture
Authors: Fournier Christopher R. , Davids William G. , Nagy Edwin , Landis Eric N. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThis paper details the development of morphological lattice models to simulate fracture and failure in softwood. The lattice models rationally incorporate growth-ring geometry, differences in strength and stiffness between earlywood and latewood, and variations observed in the grain direction of clear wood (grain perturbation). Details regarding the implementation of these features are presented. Grain perturbation is shown to be a significant contributor to strength and stiffness variability. Simulations demonstrate that the inclusion of growth-ring geometry and incorporation of differences in the mechanical properties of earlywood and latewood are necessary for the lattice models to predict realistic fracture paths. Results are presented for laboratory tests on small red spruce specimens loaded in parallel-to-grain tension and shear. The lattice models give good predictions of mean specimen stiffness and strength, and reasonable predictions of strength variability. The fracture paths predicted by the lattice models are in excellent agreement with the experimental observations.
Characterization and strength modeling of parallel-strand lumber
Authors: Clouston Peggi 
Published: April 2007

Abstract
The current work expands on a three-dimensional, non-linear, stochastic finite-element model previously developed by the author. The model predicts a materially non-linear stress-strain curve for tension, compression and bending scenarios. It is based on the non-linear constitutive properties of the individual strands, which are characterized within the framework of orthotropic elasto-plasticity. The constitutive model employs the Tsai-Wu yield criterion and an associated flow rule. Failure is marked by an upper bound surface whereupon either perfect plasticity or an abrupt loss of strength and stiffness ensues. The finite element code has also extended the capacity to perform Monte Carlo simulations. The model was further developed to predict the mechanical behavior of parallel-strand lumber (PSL) made from Douglas fir. The physical features of PSL were measured and incorporated into the finite element model and the mechanical behavior of PSL was simulated. Statistical distributions for macroporosity and grain angle variation in PSL were created and included in the model as individual random variables in a stochastic and probabilistic manner. Constitutive curves for PSL were numerically generated under tensile, compressive and three-point bending conditions. Comparison of the computed and experimental data sets demonstrates the validity of the proposed modeling technique.
Experimental and numerical investigation of wood fracture mechanisms at different humidity levels
Authors: Vasic Svetlana , Stanzl-Tschegg Stefanie 
Published: April 2007

Abstract
Differences in fracture patterns and properties at various moisture levels are experimentally and numerically evaluated and discussed. Experiments were performed on spruce, pine, oak and beech. The influence of moisture at 98%, 80%, 65% and 30% RH and the mechanisms involved were investigated for softwoods and hardwoods subjected to opening mode I fracture using in situ and ex situ real-time environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). The wedge-splitting technique was employed. To quantify the effect of humidity, fracture toughness values were obtained from ex situ tests and finite element analysis of the contact problem in wedge-splitting. In addition, lattice fracture model simulations were performed for numerical investigation of the fracture mechanisms. Distinct changes in wood fracture behaviour were observed as a function of moisture content. Fracture toughness was highest at 30% RH for all species except for oak, and showed higher values in the radial-longitudinal than in the tangential-radial direction. In green wood, water droplets moved away from the cell lumens around the crack tip. Drying of wood promotes microcracking and crack bridging as toughening mechanisms. The findings reported may be useful for further research into the interaction between moisture transfer and stress gradients in wood accompanied by moisture-crack phenomena.
Le peuplement estival de cétacés dans le Sanctuaire Marin Pelagos (Méditerranée nord-occidentale): distribution et abondance / Summer cetacean popoulation in the Pelagos Marine Sanctuary (northwest Mediterranean): distribution and abundance
Authors: Gannier Alexandre 
Published: April 2007

RésuméUne campagne à la mer de 10 jours a été menée durant l'été 2001 pour déterminer la population de cétacés dans le Sanctuaire Marin Pelagos de Méditerranée occidentale, grâce à la méthode du transect linéaire combinée à un échantillonnage acoustique. Un total de 1613 km d'effort effectif de prospection a permis d'obtenir 93 observations de cétacés de huit espèces différentes: le Dauphin bleu et blanc (55 observations), le Rorqual commun (25 observations), le Cachalot, le Dauphin de Risso, le Dauphin commun, le Ziphius de Cuvier, le Globicéphale noir et le Grand dauphin. Ces espèces ont été observées en fonction de leur habitat préferentiel dans quatre régions du Sanctuaire: les secteurs nord-est, central, sud-ouest et tyrrhénien. C'est dans le secteur central que les abondances maximales de Dauphin bleu et blanc et de Rorqual commun ont été rencontrées, mais une diversité plus forte a été trouvée dans le secteur tyrrhénien. L'estimation de densité pour ces deux espèces s'établit à 0,52 individus/km
Year-long stability and individual differences of male long calls in Japanese pikas Ochotona hyperborea yesoensis (Lagomorpha) / Stabilité annuelle et differences individuelles des cris d'appels longs des mâles de pikas du Japon Ochotona hyperborea yesoensis (Lagomorpha)
Authors: Kojima Nozomu , Onoyama Keiichi , Kawamichi Takeo 
Published: April 2007

Abstract
Long calls of three adult male Japanese pikas were tape-recorded in the Taisetsuzan National Park, Hokkaido, Japan, from July 1996 to July 1998. A long call consisted of 3–13 elements, each with a characteristic W-shaped wave. There was apparent individual variation in sonographic patterns and the fundamental frequencies. Such individual variation did not differ with animal age, or through the reproductive and non-reproductive seasons. The complicated structure of W-shaped waves may involve much information concerning individual difference, and the repetition of elements in the long call may advertise sexual activity, location, and territorial ownership to opponents and mates, based on individual identification only by hearing calls.
Distribution and relative abundance of giant squirrels and flying squirrels in Karnataka, India / Distribution et abondance relative des espèces d'écureuils géants et volants à Karnataka, Inde
Authors: Kumara Honnavalli N. , Singh Mewa 
Published: April 2007

AbstractWe assessed the distribution and relative abundance of giant squirrels and flying squirrels in the state of Karnataka, India. Two species of giant squirrels, the Indian giant squirrel and the grizzled giant squirrel, and two species of flying squirrel, the large brown flying squirrel and the small Travancore flying squirrel, were found to occur in Karnataka. Indian giant squirrels and large brown flying squirrels were more widely distributed than the other two species. The distributional range included the forests of the Western and Eastern Ghats. However, their distribution was confined only to forests with tall trees. Indian giant squirrels and large brown flying squirrels occur in both deciduous and evergreen forests. Small Travancore flying squirrels occupied high-rainfall evergreen forests on western slopes in the Western Ghats, and the grizzled giant squirrels occupy riverine forests. This report of the small Travancore flying squirrel is the first of this species from Karnataka, and this population is the most northern population of its distributional range. Hunting was found to be a major threat, and influenced the abundance of all species except the grizzled giant squirrel. Hunting was primarily for domestic consumption.
Systematic relationships of the Guianan brush-tailed rat (Isothrix sinnamariensis ) and its first occurrence in Guyana / Systématique du rat à queue en brosse de Guyane ( Isothrix sinnamariensis ) et première découverte en Guyane
Authors: Lim Burton K. , Engstrom Mark D. , Patton John C. , Bickham John W. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractIsothrix sinnamariensis was originally described and known only from French Guiana. We document the first occurence of this species from Guyana. A single sub-adult male was collected in lowland tropical rainforest near the headwaters of the Essequibo River. Although smaller in external and cranial size than the two adult females of the type description, our third known specimen represents the basal lineage to the type-series clade, with an average sequence difference of 1.72% based on cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA sequences. However, the degree of morphological and genetic divergence (2.67%) between I. sinnamariensis and its sister taxon I. pagurus is substantially less than the chromosomal differences originally used to distinguish them as two separate species. In contrast, distinctive karyotypes, morphological differences, and higher levels of mtDNA divergence (13.48%) between the other two species recognized, I. negrensis that was recently separated from I. bistriata , suggest an earlier and deeper diversification for these taxa.