bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Transcriptional Corepressor CtBP: A Foe of Multiple Tumor Suppressors
Authors: Chinnadurai G. 
Published: January 2009

Abstract
CtBP1 and CtBP2 are closely related and evolutionarily conserved transcriptional corepressors. There is strong evidence linking CtBPs to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. CtBPs promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition and function as apoptosis antagonists. Also, CtBPs mediate repression of several tumor suppressor genes. Certain tumor suppressors also target CtBPs to restrain their tumor-promoting activity. Down-regulation of CtBPs mediated by some tumor suppressors results in p53-independent apoptosis and reduced tumor cell migration and invasion. The role of CtBPs in modulating the activities of different tumor suppressors is reviewed here. The results discussed here suggest that CtBPs may constitute a novel p53-independent anticancer target. [Cancer Res 2009;69(3):731–4]
Human Postmeiotic Segregation 2 Exhibits Biased Repair at Tetranucleotide Microsatellite Sequences
Authors: Shah Sandeep N. , Eckert Kristin A. 
Published: January 2009

Abstract
The mismatch repair (MMR) system plays a major role in removing DNA polymerization errors, and loss of this pathway results in hereditary cancers characterized by microsatellite instability. We investigated microsatellite stability during DNA replication within human postmeiotic segregation 2 (hPMS2)–deficient and proficient human lymphoblastoid cell lines. Using a shuttle vector assay, we measured mutation rates at reporter cassettes containing defined mononucleotide, dinucleotide, and tetranucleotide microsatellite sequences. A mutator phenotype was observed in the hPMS2-deficient cell line. The mutation rate of vectors containing [G/C]10 or [GT/CA]10 alleles was elevated 20-fold to 40-fold in hPMS2-deficient cells, relative to an hPMS2-expressing cell line. We observed a 6-fold and 12-fold relative increase in mutation rate of [TTTC/AAAG]9 and [TTCC/AAGG]9 sequences, respectively, in hPMS2-deficient cells. Mutational specificity analyses suggested that repair by hPMS2 is biased. In the absence of hPMS2, a greater number of microsatellite expansion versus deletion mutations was observed, and expansion rates of the tetranucleotide alleles were similar. In the presence of hPMS2, we observed a 29-fold decrease in the [TTCC/AAGG]9 expansion rate but only a 6-fold decrease for the [TTTC/AAAG]9 allele. Our data indicate that hPMS2 is more protective of tetranucleotide expansions than deletions and that hPMS2 displays a sequence bias, wherein [TTCC/AAGG] sequences are stabilized to a greater extent than [TTTC/AAAG]. Our results allow for greater accuracy during identification of MMR defects by providing a mutational signature characteristic of hPMS2 defect. This study also provides clues to possible mechanisms of repair by hPMS2 in the context of the MMR system. [Cancer Res 2009;69(3):1143–9]
Emerging Paradigms in Cancer Genetics: Some Important Findings from High-Density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array Studies
Authors: Bacolod Manny D. , Schemmann Gunter S. , Giardina Sarah F. , Paty Philip , Notterman Daniel A. , Barany Francis 
Published: January 2009

Abstract
High-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mapping arrays have identified chromosomal features whose importance to cancer predisposition and progression is not yet clearly defined. Of interest is that the genomes of normal somatic cells (reflecting the combined parental germ-line contributions) often contain long homozygous stretches. These chromosomal segments may be explained by the common ancestry of the individual's parents and thus may also be called autozygous. Several studies link consanguinity to higher rates of cancer, suggesting that autozygosity (a genomic consequence of consanguinity) may be a factor in cancer predisposition. SNP array analysis has also identified chromosomal regions of somatic uniparental disomy (UPD) in cancer genomes. These are chromosomal segments characterized by loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and a normal copy number (two) but which are not autozygous in the germ-line or normal somatic cell genome. In this review, we will also discuss a model [cancer gene activity model (CGAM)] that may explain how autozygosity influences cancer predisposition. CGAM can also explain how the occurrence of certain chromosomal aberrations (copy number gain, LOH, and somatic UPDs) during carcinogenesis may be dependent on the germ-line genotypes of important cancer-related genes (oncogenes and tumor suppressors) found in those chromosomal regions. [Cancer Res 2009;69(3):723–7]
Rational Miracles, Cultural Rituals and the Fear of Syncretism: Defending Contentious Muslim Practice among Tamil-speaking Muslims
Authors: Tschacher Torsten 
Published: January 2009

AbstractDiscussions of everyday Islamic religiosity commonly distinguish two distinct forms of Muslim religiosity, one 'normative' and 'formal,' the other 'accommodative' and 'informal.' It is invariably the latter form that is identified as the site of engagement with other religious traditions. This paper sets out to question the common association of 'popular' Islamic religiosity with 'syncretism' by analysing the methods by which Muslims defend contentious practices in everyday life. Drawing on fieldwork among Tamil-speaking Muslims in India and Southeast Asia, various strategies for defending contentious practices will be analysed, most important among which are references to Islamic scripture and scholarly tradition. Concomitantly, the discourse surrounding the defence of contentious practices and beliefs shows a heightened concern with authenticity, resulting in an often stridently anti-syncretic rhetoric. Finally, the paper will deal with an alternative way of defending contentious practices particularly salient in Southeast Asia, which tries to remove contentious practices from the sphere of 'religion' to that of 'culture.' In all cases, the respective defensive strategies clearly inhabit the same discursive space as the criticism levelled at contentious practice, revealing the problematic nature of the assumed binaries of Muslim religiosity.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the European Union and the Rule of Law: What is going on in the Adriatic Sea?
Authors: Vidas Davor 
Published: January 2009

AbstractIn October 2003, Croatia declared an “Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone” in the Adriatic Sea. However, in June 2004 Croatia decided to delay the implementation of that Zone for the European Union (EU) Member States. Then, in December 2006 it decided to implement the Zone fully from 1 January 2008—only to discontinue its application to EU countries from 15 March 2008. The developments and underlying reasons for the changing jurisdictional picture in the Adriatic Sea are the subject of this article. Key Adriatic Sea features, trends in uses of its living resources and maritime space, and resource conservation and marine pollution concerns are presented. Developments leading to recent national legislation and positions on maritime jurisdiction by Croatia as well as Italy and Slovenia are discussed. These regulations, positions and developments are assessed from the perspective of the law of the sea. Relevant policy perspectives, including aspects of EU membership, are included.
Analysis of IUU Fishing in Indonesia and the Indonesian Legal Framework Reform for Monitoring, Control and Surveillance of Fishing Vessels
Authors: Sodik Dikdik Mohamad 
Published: January 2009

AbstractIllegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is considered as a major threat to Indonesian fish stocks. The battle against IUU fishing activities has recently become a high priority in the national fisheries management agenda. Indonesia has implemented a series of laws and regulations concerning monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS). This article analyses the adequacy of the Indonesian legislation relating to MCS. After a discussion of the relevant IUU fishing, the adequacy of the national instruments is measured against the international fisheries instruments. The article will seek to demonstrate gaps in the current legal framework governing MCS for fishing vessels. The author recommends that Indonesia fully implement the MCS provisions of all relevant international fisheries instruments as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC), the UN Fish Stocks Agreement and the FAO International Plan of Action-IUU.
Maintenance cost of chiller plants in Hong Kong
Authors: Lai Joseph HK , Yik Francis WH , Chan Aggie KP 
Published: January 2009

Research findings about maintenance costs of chiller plants — a ubiquitous installation in large buildings, are rare. The study reported in this paper was conducted through inspection of 40 maintenance contracts, their associated monthly service reports and payment records, and interviews with the contract administrators. Routine maintenance cost was found to dominate among the maintenance resources. Repair maintenance work accounts for a less, but significant portion. The cost incurred for emergency maintenance work is minimal and condition analysis is seldom applied. Large chiller plants, by virtue of their scale, can economise on their maintenance cost. Total maintenance cost varies with plant age following a `bell-shape' pattern, with relatively less expenditure for new and old plants whereas that incurred for middle-aged plants spreads over a wide range. Factors that potentially affect the cost relation between preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance have been identified. Apart from investigating their effects clearer, future work is needed to explore how to improve the practice of recording plant faults, which are crucial performance data to reflect whether the costs spent on maintenance are value-for-money. Practical application: The study has revealed the significance of various maintenance cost elements and the empirical cost relation between preventive maintenance and corrective maintenance. The effects of plant capacity, age of plant, operation period and heat rejection method on maintenance cost have also been analysed. Understanding the influence of these factors can help practitioners prepare maintenance budgets and perform benchmarking exercises. Besides, the lack of proper record of plant faults, as identified, is a barrier, which needs to be overcome before evaluating the value of maintenance service.
Temperature gradient effects on moisture transport in porous building materials
Authors: Baker Paul H , Galbraith Graham H , McLean R. Craig 
Published: January 2009

Whilst considerable research has been carried out on the process of moisture transmission through porous building materials under a concentration gradient with isothermal conditions, limited experimental data are available on the influence of temperature gradients on moisture transfer rates. Such thermodiffusion can be predicted from irreversible thermodynamics, however, its significance to concentration-driven transfer in materials has not been definitively established. Models for the prediction of moisture movement in building structures generally neglect such effects, and rely on moisture transport properties based on isothermal measurements. This paper describes an investigation to determine the significance of non-isothermal effects on the total moisture transfer through building materials. The investigation concluded that the vapour pressure gradient is the critical driving potential for moisture transfer, whilst thermodiffusion is not significant. Practical application: Building professionals can be confident that the use of vapour permeabilities of building materials measured under isothermal conditions are satisfactory for the prediction of moisture transport through building envelopes under temperature gradients: no correction for thermodiffusion effects is necessary.
Recommendations for Routine Sampling, Trimming, and Paraffin-Embedding of Female Reproductive Organs, Mammary Gland, and Placenta in the Cynomolgus Monkey
Authors: van Esch Eric , de Rijk Eveline P.C.T. , Buse Eberhard , Zöller Martina , Cline J. Mark 
Published: January 2009

In toxicity studies, the nonhuman primate is often the species of choice to evaluate the toxicologic potential of chemicals and drugs. Especially in the case of effects on female reproductive organs and mammary glands, other animal species are less predictive for man. To enable reliable histopathologic interpretation allowing a solid safety assessment, it is a prerequisite to obtain material of consistently high quality. Standardization of autopsy techniques, tissue sampling, and fixation and staining procedures will help significantly to obtain the quality that is needed. For this purpose, a detailed description of the procedures from necropsy to microscopic slide preparation of the female reproductive organs of the cynomolgus monkey is given. Procedures to sample and process the placenta are included. These recommendations can be used to achieve consistent, high-quality tissue preparations, allowing pathologists to conduct sensitive, accurate, and meaningful evaluations of the study material. Competing Interests: This article was sponsored by Covance Inc. and Schering- Plough. Martina Zölle and Eberhard Buse are employed by Covance Inc. Eveline P. C. T. de Rijk and Eric Van Esch are employed by Schering-Plough. No other competing interests were declared.
The Mammary Glands of Macaques
Authors: Cline J. Mark , Wood Charles E. 
Published: January 2009

This review describes the normal biology and physiology of the mammary gland in macaques, including the typical histologic appearance across the life span (development, reproductive maturity, lactation, and senescence). The molecular events regulating breast morphogenesis are described, as well as systemic and local hormonal regulators of mammary gland proliferation, differentiation, and function. Similarities and differences to the human breast are described. Regulatory events are illuminated by discussion of genetically modified mouse models. Tissue response markers, including immunohistochemical markers of proliferation and other hormonally induced changes and studies to date, regarding the effects of exogenous hormones, are briefly summarized. In general, estrogens stimulate progesterone receptor expression and proliferation in the mammary gland, and combinations of estrogens and progestogens cause greater proliferation than estrogens alone. Evaluation of novel chemical agents in macaques requires careful evaluation of age and hormonal context to avoid the confounding effects of mammary gland development, past reproductive history, and other influences on mammary gland morphology. The expression of proliferation markers and progesterone receptors may be used as biomarkers to measure chemically induced hormonal effects. Competing Interests: This article was sponsored by Covance Inc. and Schering-Plough. The authors did not declare any other competing interests.
Optimizing Outcomes in Multiple Sclerosis – A Consensus Initiative
Authors: Coyle P , Arnason B , Hurwitz B , Lublin F 
Published: January 2009

Background Initiation of immunomodulators in patients experiencing a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) may delay progression to clinically definite MS. However, lack of consensus remains on many issues affecting optimal management of MS. Method A panel of 21 MS experts met during 9 meetings to explore key issues in MS and CIS. Meetings addressed 3 phases: 1. CIS definition and diagnosis; 2. initial therapy; and 3. monitoring disease progression and treatment efficacy. Newsletters covering each phase were sent to 5000 U.S.-based neurologists who were invited to participate in an online survey on key issues. Results Most panel members agreed that early treatment may minimize neurodegeneration and most would recommend it for patients; that a dose-response relationship exists for beta-interferon therapy; that more aggressive therapy was most effective early in the disease course; and, that MRI has a role in monitoring disease progression. In face of suboptimal response, most would switch patients to a different therapy; while combination therapy would be reserved for those failing monotherapy regimes. Most online survey respondents agreed with these positions. Conclusions There was uniform consensus from this panel of MS experts that early initiation of immunomodulator therapy was beneficial for CIS patients.
Characterization of gene expression profiles for different types of mast cells pooled from mouse stomach subregions by an RNA amplification method
Authors: Tsuchiya Soken , Tachida Yuki , Segi-Nishida Eri , Okuno Yasushi , Tamba Shigero , Tsujimoto Gozoh , Tanaka Satoshi , Sugimoto Yukihiko 
Published: January 2009

AbstractBackgroundMast cells (MCs) play pivotal roles in allergy and innate immunity and consist of heterogenous subclasses. However, the molecular basis determining the different characteristics of these multiple MC subclasses remains unclear.ResultsTo approach this, we developed a method of RNA extraction/amplification for intactin vivoMCs pooled from frozen tissue sections, which enabled us to obtain the global gene expression pattern of pooled MCs belonging to the same subclass. MCs were isolated from the submucosa (sMCs) and mucosa (mMCs) of mouse stomach sections, respectively, 15 cells were pooled, and their RNA was extracted, amplified and subjected to microarray analysis. Known marker genes specific for mMCs and sMCs showed expected expression trends, indicating accuracy of the analysis.We identified 1,272 genes showing significantly different expression levels between sMCs and mMCs, and classified them into clusters on the basis of similarity of their expression profiles compared with bone marrow-derived MCs, which are the cultured MCs with so-called 'immature' properties. Among them, we found that several key genes such asNotch4had sMC-biased expression andPtgr1had mMC-biased expression. Furthermore, there is a difference in the expression of several genes including extracellular matrix protein components, adhesion molecules, and cytoskeletal proteins between the two MC subclasses, which may reflect functional adaptation of each MC to the mucosal or submucosal environment in the stomach.ConclusionBy using the method of RNA amplification from pooled intact MCs, we characterized the distinct gene expression profiles of sMCs and mMCs in the mouse stomach. Our findings offer insight into possible unidentified properties specific for each MC subclass.
Restorative effect of endurance exercise on behavioral deficits in the chronic mouse model of Parkinson's disease with severe neurodegeneration
Authors: Pothakos Konstantinos , Kurz Max J , Lau Yuen-Sum 
Published: January 2009

Abstract

Background
Animal models of Parkinson's disease have been widely used for investigating the mechanisms of neurodegenerative process and for discovering alternative strategies for treating the disease. Following 10 injections with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 25 mg/kg) and probenecid (250 mg/kg) over 5 weeks in mice, we have established and characterized a chronic mouse model of Parkinson's disease (MPD), which displays severe long-term neurological and pathological defects resembling that of the human Parkinson's disease in the advanced stage. The behavioral manifestations in this chronic mouse model of Parkinson's syndrome remain uninvestigated. The health benefit of exercise in aging and in neurodegenerative disorders including the Parkinson's disease has been implicated; however, clinical and laboratory studies in this area are limited. In this research with the chronic MPD, we first conducted a series of behavioral tests and then investigated the impact of endurance exercise on the identified Parkinsonian behavioral deficits.

Results
We report here that the severe chronic MPD mice showed significant deficits in their gait pattern consistency and in learning the cued version of the Morris water maze. Their performances on the challenging beam and walking grid were considerably attenuated suggesting the lack of balance and motor coordination. Furthermore, their spontaneous and amphetamine-stimulated locomotor activities in the open field were significantly suppressed. The behavioral deficits in the chronic MPD lasted for at least 8 weeks after MPTP/probenecid treatment. When the chronic MPD mice were exercise-trained on a motorized treadmill 1 week before, 5 weeks during, and 8–12 weeks after MPTP/probenecid treatment, the behavioral deficits in gait pattern, spontaneous ambulatory movement, and balance performance were reversed; whereas neuronal loss and impairment in cognitive skill, motor coordination, and amphetamine-stimulated locomotor activity were not altered when compared to the sedentary chronic MPD animals.

Conclusion
This study indicates that in spite of the drastic loss of dopaminergic neurons and depletion of dopamine in the severe chronic MPD, endurance exercise training effectively reverses the Parkinson's like behavioral deficits related to regular movement, balance and gait performance.
Neural network committees for finger joint angle estimation from surface EMG signals
Authors: Shrirao Nikhil A , Reddy Narender P , Kosuri Durga R 
Published: January 2009

Abstract

Background
In virtual reality (VR) systems, the user's finger and hand positions are sensed and used to control the virtual environments. Direct biocontrol of VR environments using surface electromyography (SEMG) signals may be more synergistic and unconstraining to the user. The purpose of the present investigation was to develop a technique to predict the finger joint angle from the surface EMG measurements of the extensor muscle using neural network models.

Methodology
SEMG together with the actual joint angle measurements were obtained while the subject was performing flexion-extension rotation of the index finger at three speeds. Several neural networks were trained to predict the joint angle from the parameters extracted from the SEMG signals. The best networks were selected to form six committees. The neural network committees were evaluated using data from new subjects.

Results
There was hysteresis in the measured SMEG signals during the flexion-extension cycle. However, neural network committees were able to predict the joint angle with reasonable accuracy. RMS errors ranged from 0.085 ± 0.036 for fast speed finger-extension to 0.147 ± 0.026 for slow speed finger extension, and from 0.098 ± 0.023 for the fast speed finger flexion to 0.163 ± 0.054 for slow speed finger flexion.

Conclusion
Although hysteresis was observed in the measured SEMG signals, the committees of neural networks were able to predict the finger joint angle from SEMG signals.
Fritz Sauckels Nürnberger Aufzeichnungen. Erinnerungen aus seiner Haft während des Kriegsverbrecherprozesses
Authors: Lehnstaedt Stephan , Lehnstaedt Kurt 
Published: January 2009

Vorspann
Memoiren sind keine erstrangigen Quellen. Sie besitzen aber zumal dann großen historiographischen Wert, wenn es um Selbstdeutung und Selbstverständnis einer historischen Person geht. Entsprechende Aufzeichnungen Sauckels waren bislang unbekannt. Als Thüringer Gauleiter war er nicht nur ein Nationalsozialist der ersten Stunde, als Generalbevollmächtigter für den Arbeitseinsatz organisierte er seit 1942 auch eines der größten Sklavenheere der Weltgeschichte.