bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification and Characterization of UK-201844, a Novel Inhibitor That Interferes with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 gp160 Processing
Authors: Blair Wade S. , Cao Joan , Jackson Lynn , Jimenez Judith , Peng Qinghai , Wu Hua , Isaacson Jason , Butler Scott L. , Chu Alex , Graham Joanne , Malfait Anne-Marie , Tortorella Micky , Patick Amy K. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

More than 10
6
compounds were evaluated in a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) high-throughput antiviral screen, resulting in the identification of a novel HIV-1 inhibitor (UK-201844). UK-201844 exhibited antiviral activity against HIV-1 NL4-3 in MT-2 and PM1 cells, with 50% effective concentrations of 1.3 and 2.7 μM, respectively, but did not exhibit measurable antiviral activity against the closely related HIV-1 IIIB laboratory strain. UK-201844 specifically inhibited the production of infectious virions packaged with an HIV-1 envelope (Env), but not HIV virions packaged with a heterologous Env (i.e., the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein), suggesting that the compound targets HIV-1 Env late in infection. Subsequent antiviral assays using HIV-1 NL4-3/IIIB chimeric viruses showed that HIV-1 Env sequences were critical determinants of UK-201844 susceptibility. Consistent with this, in vitro resistant-virus studies revealed that amino acid substitutions in HIV-1 Env are sufficient to confer resistance to UK-201844. Western analysis of HIV Env proteins expressed in transfected cells or in isolated virions showed that UK-201844 inhibited HIV-1 gp160 processing, resulting in the production of virions with nonfunctional Env glycoproteins. Our results demonstrate that UK-201844 represents the prototype for a unique HIV-1 inhibitor class that directly or indirectly interferes with HIV-1 gp160 processing.
Multiplex Asymmetric PCR-Based Oligonucleotide Microarray for Detection of Drug Resistance Genes Containing Single Mutations in
Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Zhu Ling-Xiang , Zhang Zhi-Wei , Liang Dong , Jiang Di , Wang Can , Du Ning , Zhang Qiong , Mitchelson Keith , Cheng Jing 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

A multiplex asymmetric PCR (MAPCR)-based microarray method was developed for the detection of 10 known extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamase genes in gram-negative bacteria and for the typing of six important point mutations (amino acid positions 35, 43, 130, 179, 238, and 240) in the
bla
SHV
gene. The MAPCR is based on a two-round reaction to promote the accumulation of the single-stranded amplicons amenable for microarray hybridization by employing multiple universal unrelated sequence-tagged primers and elevating the annealing temperature at the second round of amplification. A strategy to improve the discrimination efficiency of the microarray was constituted by introducing an artificial mismatch into some of the allele-specific oligonucleotide probes. The microarray assay correctly identified the resistance genes in both the reference strains and some 111 clinical isolates, and these results were also confirmed for some isolates by direct DNA sequence analysis. The resistance genotypes determined by the microarray correlated closely with phenotypic MIC susceptibility testing. This fast MAPCR-based microarray method should prove useful for undertaking important epidemiological studies concerning ESBLs and plasmid-mediated AmpC enzymes and could also prove invaluable as a preliminary screen to supplement phenotypic testing for clinical diagnostics.
Modulation of the Pulmonary Type 2 T-Cell Response toCryptococcus neoformansby Intratracheal Delivery of a Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Expressing Adenoviral Vector
Authors: Milam Jami E. , Herring-Palmer Amy C. , Pandrangi Raj , McDonald Roderick A. , Huffnagle Gary B. , Toews Galen B. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTC57BL/6 mice develop an allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis following intratracheal inoculation ofCryptococcus neoformans24067. We determined that only low levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) are produced in the lungs following infection. Thus, the objective of the present studies was to determine whether treatment with a TNF-α-expressing adenoviral vector (adenoviral vector with the murine TNF-α transgene under the control of the human cytomegalovirus promoter [AdTNFα]) could switch the type 2 (T2) T-cell response/T1 T-cell response balance toward the T1 T-cell response. AdTNFα induced an increase in TNF-α expression at days 3 and 7. At days 7 to 14, the number of cryptococcal lung CFU continued to increase in both untreated and control adenoviral vector (empty adenovirus type 5 backbone)-treated mice, but the number was ultimately 100-fold lower following AdTNFα treatment. AdTNFα markedly increased neutrophil and macrophage numbers, and pulmonary eosinophilia did not develop. CXCL1, CXCL2, and gamma interferon were also up-regulated, while eotaxin, interleukin-4 (IL-4), and IL-5 were down-regulated. AdTNFα treatment also increased the number of CD80+and CD40+cells and decreased the number of CD86+cells (CD11b+and CD11c+) in the lungs. Major histocompatibility complex class II levels on CD11b+cells were increased. Whole-lung expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase was increased, while YM2 expression and acidic mammalian chitinase expression were decreased. None of these effects were observed with the control (empty) adenoviral vector. Overall, these results support the hypothesis that early TNF-α expression promotes a shift in T-cell and macrophage polarization from T2/alternatively activated macrophages toward T1/classically activated macrophages, resulting in control of the fungal infection and prevention of the allergic response.
Lipase 8 Affects the Pathogenesis ofCandida albicans
Authors: Gácser Attila , Stehr Frank , Kröger Cathrin , Kredics László , Schäfer Wilhelm , Nosanchuk Joshua D. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThe production of lipases can affect microbial fitness and virulence. We examined the role of the lipase 8 (LIP8) gene in the virulence ofCandida albicansby constructing Δlip8strains by theURA-blaster disruption method. Reverse transcription-PCR experiments demonstrated the absence ofLIP8expression in the homozygous knockout mutants. Reconstituted strains and overexpression mutants were generated by introducing aLIP8open reading frame under control of a constitutive actin promoter. Knockout mutants produced more mycelium, particularly at higher temperatures and pH ≥7. DiminishedLIP8expression resulted in reduced growth in lipid-containing media. Mutants deficient in theLIP8gene were significantly less virulent in a murine intravenous infection model. The results clearly indicate that Lip8p is an important virulence factor ofC. albicans.
Long-term endurance exercise decreases antiangiogenic endostatin signalling in overweight men aged 50–60 years
Authors: Brixius K , Schoenberger S , Ladage D , Knigge H , Falkowski G , Hellmich M , Graf C , Latsch J , Montie G l , Prede G l , Bloch W 
Published: July 2007

Background:Endurance training may decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. It has been speculated that these effects may be due to an exercise-induced stimulation of angiogenesis. The underlying mechanisms are not yet clear. Therefore, using ELISA, we investigated the plasma level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, angiogenic factor) and endostatin (antiangiogenic factor) in a group of untrained men aged 50–60 years with obesity.Methods:All men were randomised into a “running” group (training 3 times/week, 60 min each, n = 7), a “cycling” group ( training 3 times/week, 90 min each, n = 7) and a sedentary control group ( n = 7). Both training groups worked at moderate intensity (2–4 mmol/l lactate). The intervention had a duration of 6 months. Before and after this period, blood samples were taken from the participants at rest and they underwent a medical investigation.Results:Body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and plasma levels of VEGF and endostatin were comparable in all three groups. Endurance training significantly reduced BMI in both exercise groups (mean (SEM) beforevafter 29.7 (0.7)v29.1 (0.6) kg/m2 and 31.1 (0.7)v30.1 (0.9) kg/m2 for the running and cycling groups respectively) but not in the control group (30.0 (1.0)v30.2 (0.8) kg/m2). Endurance training did not influence VEGF plasma level (beforevafter 1.3 (0.4)v1.5 (0.2) ng/ml for the running group; 1.6 (0.3)v1.5 (0.2) ng/ml for the cycling group; and 2.5 (0.6)v2.1 (0.7) ng/ml for the control group). Plasma level of endostatin was significantly reduced in both exercise groups (mean (SEM) beforevafter: 20.9 (1.6v17.5 (1.0) ng/ml and 21.3 (1.4v18.0 (1.6) ng/ml for the running and cycling groups respectively) but not in controls (19.7 (1.3v17.7 (1.1 ng/ml).Conclusions:Endurance training may reduce the antiangiogenic mechanisms in men aged 50–60 years by reducing endostatin plasma level and this may subsequently decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Air temperature and physiological and subjective responses during competitive singles tennis
Authors: Morante Sarah M , Brotherhood John R 
Published: July 2007

Objectives:This report describes the thermal stresses and strains during competitive singles tennis.Methods:Thermoregulatory responses were investigated during best of three set tennis matches among 25 players. A total of 86 observations were made from 43 matches played, covering each season, with ambient temperatures ranging from 14.5 to 38.4°C. Core body temperature and skin temperature were recorded each minute throughout the match, whilst heart rate was logged every 15 s. Body mass and fluid intake were measured before the match, after 30 min of play and at the completion of the match to determine sweat rate. Subjective ratings of thermal strain included thermal comfort, sweatiness and perceived exertion. The thermal environment was assessed by dry bulb, wet bulb and natural wet bulb temperatures, globe temperature and wind speed.Results:Mean (SD) core temperature after 30 min of play was 38.4°C (0.4°C), and demonstrated no association with air temperature or wet bulb globe temperature. Mean skin temperature was 31.8°C (2.3°C) ranging from 25.7 to 36.5°C, and showed a positive association with air temperature (p<0.001). Heart rate varied widely during play, resulting in a mean (SD) response of 136.1 (13.7) beats/min and no association with air temperature. Sweat rate averaged 1.0 (0.4) litres/h (0.2–2.4 litres/h) or 12.8 (5.5) ml/kg/h (2.7–26.0 ml/kg/h), and demonstrated a positive relationship with air temperature (p<0.001). All subjective responses showed positive correlations with air temperature (p<0.001).Conclusions:Stressful environmental conditions produce a high skin temperature and rating of thermal discomfort. However, overall thermoregulatory strain during tennis is moderate, with core temperature remaining within safe levels.
Costs and benefits of smoking cessation aids: making a case for public reimbursement of nicotine replacement therapy in Australia
Authors: Bertram Melanie Y , Lim Stephen S , Wallace Angela L , Vos Theo 
Published: July 2007

Background:Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in Australia and other developed countries. Of the pharmacological aids that are available for smoking cessation, bupropion (Zyban SR) is eligible for public reimbursement on the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), whereas nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is not. Information on the cost-effectiveness and financial impact of public reimbursement of these strategies can better inform debate about their inclusion or exclusion in public reimbursement schemes.Objective:To estimate the cost-effectiveness of bupropion and NRT, and the potential financial impact of public reimbursement of NRT in Australia.Design:A cost-effectiveness analysis using a deterministic Markov model, and cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted over a lifetime as the outcome measure.Population:Current smokers, motivated to quit, in Australia in 2000.Interventions:(1) NRT; (2) bupropion; and (3) a combined strategy using bupropion as the first-line treatment and NRT in those who fail to quit smoking or have adverse reactions to bupropion.Results:Quitting smoking can increase life expectancy of current smokers by 1–7.6 years depending on age at cessation and sex. Providing bupropion to current smokers who are motivated to quit would cost A$7900 (95% uncertainty interval A$6000 to A$10 500) for each DALY averted; NRT patches would cost A$17 000 (A$9000 to A$28 000) for each DALY averted, with similar results even if used as a second-line treatment following initial failure to quit using bupropion. If 6% of current smokers were to use NRT following inclusion on the PBS, this would result in an annual cost of A$40–110 million to the PBS depending on the listed price.Conclusions:Compared with other drugs included on the PBS, bupropion and NRT are both highly cost-effective smoking cessation interventions, and including NRT on the PBS would have a moderate financial impact. Given the sizeable health burden of smoking, and the large individual benefits of quitting smoking, increasing the availability of alternative aids and uptake of these strategies through public reimbursement would be a positive and rational step towards further reducing tobacco-related disease burden in Australia and other countries where NRT is currently not subsidised.
Global leaf companies control the tobacco market in Malawi
Authors: Otañez Marty G , Mamudu Hadii , Glantz Stanton A 
Published: July 2007

Objective:To examine the influence of US-based tobacco leaf-buying companies, Universal Corporation and Alliance One International, on Malawi’s economy and trade policy in 2000–6.Design:Analyses of ethnographic data and tobacco industry documents.Results:Universal Corporation and Alliance One International, through their subsidiary companies Limbe Leaf and Alliance One, respectively, in Malawi, control policy-making advisory groups and operate a tobacco cartel to influence Malawi’s economic and trade sectors. Limbe Leaf’s corporate secretary and lawyer is a member of several policy-making committees that advise the Malawi government on tobacco-related trade policy. The corporate representative’s presence prevents other committee members from taking positions against the tobacco industry and ensures government policy that advances industry interests to obtain low-cost tobacco. The World Bank and Malawi’s Anti-corruption Bureau report allegations of collusion between Limbe Leaf and Alliance One over prices at tobacco markets. Allegations of collusion between Limbe Leaf and Alliance One prompted Malawi President Bingu Mutharika in 2006 to warn the companies to end non-competitive practices or leave the country, but there was no meaningful follow-up action. Findings from interviews with small-scale tobacco traders in Malawi suggest that Universal and Alliance One International purchase smuggled raw tobacco from the neighbouring countries, Zambia and Mozambique, undermining growers’ efforts to benefit from tobacco farming in Malawi.Conclusion:These actions restrict competition, depress tobacco prices for Malawi’s farmers and contribute to poverty in Malawi, while keeping the country dependent on tobacco growing.
The 5A’s vs 3A’s plus proactive quitline referral in private practice dental offices: preliminary results: Table 1
Authors: Gordon Judith S , Andrews Judy A , Crews Karen M , Payne Thomas J , Severson Herbert H 
Published: July 2007

Aims:The primary aim of our randomised control trial (RCT) was to evaluate the relative efficacy of two dental office based interventions compared to usual care. One intervention consisted of a combination of dental practitioner advice to quit and proactive telephone counselling (3A’s), and the other arm consisted of a dental practitioner delivered intervention based on the 5A’s of the Clinical Practice Guideline (5A’s).Method:2177 tobacco using patients were enrolled from 68 dental practices in Mississippi. We collected 3-month outcome data from 76% (n = 1652) of participants.Results:Smokers in the two intervention conditions quit at a higher rate than those in usual care; χ2(1, n = 1381)  = 3.10, p<0.05. Although not significant, more patients in the 5A’s condition quit than those in the 3A’s. Of patients in the 3A’s Condition, 50% reported being asked by their dentist or hygienists about fax referral to the quitline, and 35% were referred. Quitline counsellors contacted 143 (70%) referred participants.Conclusion:These results suggest that there are both advantages and disadvantages to the use of quitlines as an adjunct to brief counselling provided by dental practitioners. Patients receiving quitline counselling quit at higher rates than those who did not; however, only a small percentage of patients received counselling from the quitline. Therefore, it appears that dental professionals may be most effective in helping their patients to quit by regularly providing the 5A’s plus proactively referring only those patients who are highly motivated to a quitline for more intensive counselling.
Neural Substrates of Dynamic Object Occlusion
Authors: Shuwairi Sarah M. , Curtis Clayton E. , Johnson Scott P. 
Published: July 2007

Abstract
In everyday environments, objects frequently go out of sight as they move and our view of them becomes obstructed by nearer objects, yet we perceive these objects as continuous and enduring entities. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging with an attentive tracking paradigm to clarify the nature of perceptual and cognitive mechanisms subserving this ability to fill in the gaps in perception of dynamic object occlusion. Imaging data revealed distinct regions of cortex showing increased activity during periods of occlusion relative to full visibility. These regions may support active maintenance of a representation of the target's spatiotemporal properties ensuring that the object is perceived as a persisting entity when occluded. Our findings may shed light on the neural substrates involved in object tracking that give rise to the phenomenon of object permanence.
The Development of Control Processes Supporting Source Memory Discrimination as Revealed by Event-related Potentials
Authors: de Chastelaine Marianne , Friedman David , Cycowicz Yael M. 
Published: July 2007

Abstract
Improvement in source memory performance throughout childhood is thought to be mediated by the development of executive control. As postretrieval control processes may be better time-locked to the recognition response rather than the retrieval cue, the development of processes underlying source memory was investigated with both stimulus- and response-locked event-related potentials (ERPs). These were recorded in children, adolescents, and adults during a recognition memory exclusion task. Green- and red-outlined pictures were studied, but were tested in black outline. The test requirement was to endorse old items shown in one study color (“targets”) and to reject new items along with old items shown in the alternative study color (“nontargets”). Source memory improved with age. All age groups retrieved target and nontarget memories as reflected by reliable parietal episodic memory (EM) effects, a stimulus-locked ERP correlate of recollection. Response-locked ERPs to targets and nontargets diverged in all groups prior to the response, although this occurred at an increasingly earlier time point with age. We suggest these findings reflect the implementation of attentional control mechanisms to enhance target memories and facilitate response selection with the greatest and least success, respectively, in adults and children. In adults only, response-locked ERPs revealed an early-onsetting parietal negativity for nontargets, but not for targets. This was suggested to reflect adults' ability to consistently inhibit prepotent target responses for nontargets. The findings support the notion that the development of source memory relies on the maturation of control processes that serve to enhance accurate selection of task-relevant memories.
Visual Recognition and Inference Using Dynamic Overcomplete Sparse Learning
Authors: Murray Joseph F. , Kreutz-Delgado Kenneth 
Published: July 2007

We present a hierarchical architecture and learning algorithm for visual recognition and other visual inference tasks such as imagination, reconstruction of occluded images, and expectation-driven segmentation. Using properties of biological vision for guidance, we posit a stochastic generative world model and from it develop a simplified world model (SWM) based on a tractable variational approximation that is designed to enforce sparse coding. Recent developments in computational methods for learning overcomplete representations (Lewicki & Sejnowski, 2000; Teh, Welling, Osindero, & Hinton, 2003) suggest that overcompleteness can be useful for visual tasks, and we use an overcomplete dictionary learning algorithm (Kreutz-Delgado, et al., 2003) as a preprocessing stage to produce accurate, sparse codings of images. Inference is performed by constructing a dynamic multilayer network with feedforward, feedback, and lateral connections, which is trained to approximate the SWM. Learning is done with a variant of the back-propagation-through-time algorithm, which encourages convergence to desired states within a fixed number of iterations. Vision tasks require large networks, and to make learning efficient, we take advantage of the sparsity of each layer to update only a small subset of elements in a large weight matrix at each iteration. Experiments on a set of rotated objects demonstrate various types of visual inference and show that increasing the degree of overcompleteness improves recognition performance in difficult scenes with occluded objects in clutter.
Representations of Space and Time in the Maximization of Information Flow in the Perception-Action Loop
Authors: Klyubin Alexander S. , Polani Daniel , Nehaniv Chrystopher L. 
Published: July 2007

Sensor evolution in nature aims at improving the acquisition of information from the environment and is intimately related with selection pressure toward adaptivity and robustness. Our work in the area indicates that information theory can be applied to the perception-action loop. This letter studies the perception-action loop of agents, which is modeled as a causal Bayesian network. Finite state automata are evolved as agent controllers in a simple virtual world to maximize information flow through the perception-action loop. The information flow maximization organizes the agent's behavior as well as its information processing. To gain more insight into the results, the evolved implicit representations of space and time are analyzed in an information-theoretic manner, which paves the way toward a principled and general understanding of the mechanisms guiding the evolution of sensors in nature and provides insights into the design of mechanisms for artificial sensor evolution.