bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exoplanets – search methods, discoveries, and prospects for astrobiology
Authors: Jones B.W. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractWhereas the Solar System has Mars and Europa as the best candidates for finding fossil/extant life as we know it – based on complex carbon compounds and liquid water – the 263 (non-pulsar) planetary systems around other stars as known at 15 September 2008 could between them possess many more planets where life might exist. Moreover, the number of these exoplanetary systems is growing steadily, and with this growth there is an increase in the number of planets that could bear carbon–liquid water life. In this brief review the main methods by which exoplanets are being discovered are outlined, and then the discoveries that have so far been made are presented. This is followed by an account of likely future discoveries. Habitability is then discussed, and an outline presented of how a planet could be studied from afar to determine whether it is habitable, and whether it is indeed inhabited. This review is aimed at the astrobiology community, which spans many disciplines, few of which involve exoplanets. It is therefore at a basic level and concentrates on the major topics.
Seismology Across the Northeastern Edge of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhao W. , Brown L. , Wu Z. , Klemperer S. L. , Shi D. , Mechie J. , Su H. , Tilmann F. , Karplus M. S. , Makovsky Y. 
Published: December 2008

On 12 May, a great earthquake (Ms=8.0) on the Longmenshan thrust fault rumbled through Chinas Sichuan province, killing more than 69,000 people and injuring 374,000. The Longmenshan thrust is part of the eastern border of the Tibetan Plateau, but it is not the plateaus only restless margin. An even larger earthquake (Ms=8.1) on the Kunlun fault shook northeastern Tibet in 2001, fortunately in a sparsely populated area. These massive quakes underscore the importance of understanding the tectonic response of Asia to collision by India.The International Deep Profiling of Tibet and the Himalaya (INDEPTH) program explores the dynamics of the India‐Asia collision. Though many past geophysical studies have focused on the Himalayas and the southern Tibetan Plateau, the INDEPTH IV project examines the deep structure of the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.
The 2008 AGU Fall Meeting
Authors: Johnson Catherine 
Published: December 2008

The 2008 AGU Fall Meeting, to be held 15–19 December in San Francisco, is likely to be the largest AGU meeting to date. More than 15,800 presentations are scheduled, and more than 11,000 participants registered prior to the early‐bird deadline of 14 November.This year, all oral sessions and the exhibit hall will be in Moscone West, and all poster sessions will be in Moscone North. (The American Society for Cell Biology will be holding its annual meeting in Moscone South.) Meeting attendees will receive general information including an author index, maps, and a list of sessions by discipline, cosponsors, day, time, and location.To reduce the environmental impact of the meeting, hard‐copy programs will no longer contain detailed session information—this is available on the Fall Meeting Web site, and terminals will be available to look up the meeting schedule on‐site. To increase accessibility of meeting highlights to those who cannot attend, approximately one Union session per day will be available as a live webcast (see the Fall Meeting Web site for details). Named lectures at the meeting will also be recorded; webcasts of these lectures will be posted after the talk.
Xenopus death‐domain‐containing proteins FADD and RIP1 synergistically activate JNK and NF‐κB
Authors: Ishizawa Yo‐hei , Tamura Kei , Yamaguchi Tadayuki , Matsumoto Ken , Komiyama Masaru , Takamatsu Nobuhiko , Shiba Tadayoshi , Ito Michihiko 
Published: December 2008

Background information. Death receptors (DRs) induce intracellular signalling upon engagement of their cognate ligands, leading to apoptosis, cell survival or pro‐inflammatory responses. In mammals, DR signalling is mediated by the recruitment of several DD (death domain)‐containing molecules, such as FADD (Fas‐associated DD) and RIP1 (receptor‐interacting protein 1).Results. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of intracellular DR signalling in Xenopus, we have isolated cDNAs encoding xFADD (Xenopus FADD), and xRIP1 and its short isoform xRIP1β, which is produced by alternative splicing of the xRIP1 gene. These DD‐containing proteins interacted with Xenopus DR members xDR‐M1 and xDR‐M2 through their DDs in co‐transfected HEK‐293T cells. Overexpression of xFADD activated not only xCaspase 8, but also AP‐1 (activator protein 1), which reflects activation of JNK (c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase) and NF‐κB (nuclear factor κB). A comparative analysis of xRIP1, a kinase‐dead mutant of xRIP1 and xRIP1β indicated that the kinase activity of xRIP1 was required for the activation of AP‐1 and NF‐κB. Interestingly, xFADD and xRIP1 interacted with each other via their DDs, and the expression of a mutant xRIP1 containing only the DD (xRIP1‐DD) repressed the xFADD‐induced activation of NF‐κB and AP‐1. xFADD and xRIP1 synergistically induced the activation of AP‐1 and NF‐κB, both of which were partially mediated by TRAF2 (tumour‐necrosis‐factor‐receptor‐associated factor 2) and TAK1 (transforming‐growth‐factor‐β‐activated kinase 1). We also found that the activation pathways of NF‐κB induced by xDR‐M2 were inhibited by xRIP1‐DD.Conclusions. Xenopus FADD, RIP1 and its splice variant RIP1β have been characterized. Interaction of xFADD and xRIP1 induced synergistic activation of JNK and NF‐κB. In addition, the NF‐κB activation induced by xDR‐M2 was partially mediated by xRIP1.
Ultrastructural changes of the carp (Cyprinus carpio) hepatocyte nucleolus during seasonal acclimatization
Authors: Alvarez Marco , Quezada Claudia , Molina Alfredo , Krauskopf Manuel , Vera M. Ines , Thiry Marc 
Published: December 2008

Background information. The eurythermal fish carp (Cyprinus carpio) adjusts to the seasonal changes in the temperature and photoperiod of its habitat through diverse cellular and molecular mechanisms. We have observed that ribosomal biogenesis is modulated during the acclimatization process and correlates with profound phenotypic changes, reflecting a seasonal‐dependent ultrastructural appearance of the nucleolar components. Previous studies using classical techniques showed that in winter‐adapted carp the nucleolus appears to be segregated. In the present work, we have reassessed the nucleolar ultrastructural organization of the carp in summer‐ and winter‐adapted fish by using more specific cytochemical and immunocytological techniques.Results. The acetylation method provided evidence that the nucleolar organization is different between winter‐ and summer‐adapted carp. In winter‐adapted fish the fibrillar component appears as a unique mass surrounded by several granular caps, whereas in summer‐adapted carp the fibrillar component forms few cordons surrounded by granular masses. The nucleolar structure and distribution of the condensed chromatin observed varies upon seasonal acclimatization. In winter the nucleolar chromatin is densely packed in masses that surround the nucleolus, whereas during summer it displays a rather looser organization formed by filaments that not only surround the nucleolus, but also go through the nucleolar body. Using the TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase)‐immunogold labelling technique, we detected condensed and decondensed nucleolar chromatin, and found some labelling of fibrillar components in both seasons. When liver tissue from summer‐adapted carp was treated with AMD (actinomycin D), we observed that the rearrangement of the nucleolar components and condensed chromatin were similar to that found in winter‐adapted fish, with differences in the distribution of the perinucleolar chromatin.Conclusions. The acetylation and TdT—immunogold labelling experiments indicated that the rearrangement of the nucleolar components of winter‐adapted carp is very similar to the AMD‐treated summer‐adapted carp nucleolus, with the latter representing the repression of the ribosomal biogenesis that occurs during the cold season. Nevertheless, the distribution of the condensed perinucleolar chromatin in winter‐adapted carp compared with AMD‐treated cells suggests that the transcription of rRNA genes in winter‐adapted fish is less strongly inhibited and does not lead to the classical segregation of the nucleolus of that described after AMD treatment. In addition, we have confirmed that carp hepatocyte nucleoli comprise only two main structural compartments: a fibrillar component and a granular component. Fibrillar centres were not observed.
Growth suppression induced by Notch1 activation involves Wnt—β‐catenin down‐regulation in human tongue carcinoma cells
Authors: Duan Li , Yao Jun , Wu Xinxing , Fan Mingwen 
Published: December 2008

Background information. Involvement of Notch1 signalling in several cancers is well known, but its role in human tongue squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most common carcinomas of the human oral cavity, remains poorly characterized.Results. Our studies demonstrated that constitutively over‐expressed active Notch1, via stable transfection of exogenous ICN (intracellular fragment of Notch), resulted in growth suppression of the human tongue cancer cell line Tca8113 in vitro and in vivo, accompanied by G0‐G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, down‐regulation of β‐catenin protein expression was observed in Tca8113 cells stably expressing active Notch1. Activated Notch1 also led to dramatic increase in p21WAF1/CIP1 and p53 expression with decreases in Skp2 (S‐phase kinase‐associated protein 2) and Bcl‐2 (B‐cell lymphocytic‐leukaemia proto‐oncogene 2) expression, which may participate in the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.Conclusions. Since the effects of the Notch1 pathway are cell‐type specific and context‐dependent in cell types where Notch1 has an anti‐proliferative effect, down‐regulation of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling may be one of the mechanisms which induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.
BCR‐bound antigen is targeted to exosomes in human follicular lymphoma B‐cells1
Authors: Rialland Pascale , Lankar Danielle , Raposo Graça , Bonnerot Christian , Hubert Pascale 
Published: December 2008

Background information. Exosomes are small membrane vesicles secreted by several cell types during exocytic fusion of multivesicular bodies with the plasma membrane. Exosomes from tumour cells can transfer antigens from cell to cell, a property favouring antigen‐specific immune responses in vitro and in vivo, and are thus an interesting putative therapeutic tool in human cancers. Exosomes have been well studied in EBV (Epstein—Barr virus)‐transformed human B‐cell lines; however, biological stimuli regulating exosome secretion quantitatively and/or qualitatively still remain poorly defined.Results. We analysed the effect of the BCR stimulation on exosome release in the human follicular lymphoma B‐cell line DOHH2. We found that BCR (B‐cell receptor) triggering of DOHH2 cells induced the polarization of CD63+ MHC class II compartments. Moreover, BCR stimulation increased the release of exosome‐associated proteins in the extracellular space. Finally, we found that the BCR was expressed at the surface of exosomes, and could target a bound anti‐human IgG to these vesicles.Conclusions. BCR can modulate the protein content of exosomes upon stimulation, and can target its bound antigen to these vesicles.
G1 phase‐dependent nucleolar accumulation of human histone H1x
Authors: Stoldt Stefan , Wenzel Dirk , Schulze Ekkehard , Doenecke Detlef , Happel Nicole 
Published: December 2008

Background information: H1 histones are a protein family comprising several subtypes. Although specific functions of the individual subtypes could not be determined so far, differential roles are indicated by varied nuclear distributions as well as differential expression patterns of the H1 subtypes. Although the group of replication‐dependent H1 subtypes is synthesized during S phase, the replacement H1 subtype, H1°, is also expressed in a replication‐independent manner in non‐proliferating cells. Recently we showed, by protein biochemical analysis, that the ubiquitously expressed subtype H1x is enriched in the micrococcal nuclease‐resistant part of chromatin and that, although it shares common features with H1°, its expression is differentially regulated, since, in contrast to H1°, growth arrest or induction of differentiation did not induce an accumulation of H1x.Results: In the present study, we show that H1x exhibits a cell‐cycle‐dependent change of its nuclear distribution. This H1 subtype showed a nucleolar accumulation during the G1 phase, and it was evenly distributed in the nucleus during S phase and G2. Immunocytochemical analysis of the intranucleolar distribution of H1x indicated that it is located mainly in the condensed nucleolar chromatin. In addition, we demonstrate that the amount of H1x protein remained nearly unchanged during S phase progression, which is in contrast to the replication‐dependent subtypes.Conclusion: These results suggest that the differential localization of H1x provides a mechanism for a control of H1x activity by means of shuttling between nuclear subcompartments instead of a controlled turnover of the protein.
Trafficking of immature ΔF508-CFTR to the plasma membrane and its detection by biotinylation
Authors: Luo Yishan , McDonald Ken , Hanrahan John W. 
Published: December 2008

Recent studies suggest that immature, core-glycosylated ΔF508-CFTR [the predominant mutant form of the CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator)] can reach the plasma membrane under some conditions. In the present study we investigated this possibility since it has implications for understanding how therapeutics rescue the trafficking of mutant CFTR and perhaps other misfolded proteins. Core-glycosylated CFTR was labelled and pulled down on streptavidin beads after exposure to sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin [biotin attached to a reactive NHS (N-hydroxysuccinimide) ester with a disulfide spacer; molecular mass=606.7 Da]; however, intracellular proteins were also detected in the precipitates. When the R domain of CFTR was expressed in the cytosol of BHK (baby-hamster kidney) cells as a soluble polypeptide it was also labelled after surface biotinylation and pulled down on streptavidin beads. Intracellular biotinylation was reduced when cells were treated with sulfo-NHS-LC-biotin (biotin attached to a reactive NHS ester with an aminocaproic acid spacer) or sulfo-NHS-PEO12-biotin [biotin attached to a reactive NHS ester with a poly(ethylene glycol) spacer], but the reduction could be explained by the lower reactivity of these reagents. The R domain was detected on Western blots after loading &lt;0.25% of the pulldown sample (∼0.01% of total lysate protein), a fraction that could be ascribed to cells that were permeable to ethidium homodimer-1 (molecular mass=856.8 Da) and propidium iodide (molecular mass=668.6 Da). When BHK cells were incubated at 29 °C to rescue ΔF508-CFTR trafficking, and then biotinylated and sorted to remove permeable cells, labelling of core-glycosylated ΔF508-CFTR was no longer detected although a weak signal was still observed using CFBE (cystic fibrosis bronchial epithelial) cells. These results suggest that there is weak surface expression of immature ΔF508-CFTR on airway epithelial cells and demonstrate the need to remove permeable cells when studying CFTR glycoforms by surface biotinylation.
Remote Hearing Screenings via Telehealth in a Rural Elementary School
Authors: Lancaster Paul , Krumm Mark , Ribera John , Klich Richard 
Published: December 2008

Purpose
Telehealth (telepractice) is the provision of health care services using telecommunications. Telehealth technology typically has been employed to increase the level of health care access for consumers living in rural communities. In this way, audiologists can use telehealth to provide services in the rural school systems. This is important because school hearing screening programs are the foundation of educational audiology programs. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of providing hearing screening services by telehealth technology to school-age children.

Method
Hearing screening services—including otoscopy, pure-tone, and immittance audiometry—were conducted on 32 children in 3rd grade attending an elementary school in rural Utah. Each child received 1 screening on-site and another through telehealth procedures.

Results

Immittance and otoscopy results were identical for on-site and telehealth screening protocols. Five children responded differently to pure-tone stimuli presented by the telehealth protocol than by the on-site protocol. However, no statistically significant difference was found for pure-tone screening results obtained by telehealth or on-site screening procedures (binomial test,
p
= .37). Likewise, overall screening results obtained by traditional and telehealth procedures were not statistically significant (binomial test,
p
= .37).

Conclusion
The results of this study suggest that school hearing screenings may be provided using telehealth technology. This study did find that 5 students performed differently to pure-tone screenings administered by the telehealth protocol in contrast to on-site hearing screening services. Further research is necessary to identify factors leading to false responses to pure-tone hearing screening when telehealth technology is used. In addition, telehealth hearing screening protocols should be conducted with participants of different age groups and experiencing a wide range of hearing loss to further clarify the value of telehealth technology.
Mechanisms of Synaptic Plasticity in the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus: Plasticity-Induced Changes That Could Underlie Tinnitus
Authors: Tzounopoulos Thanos 
Published: December 2008

Purpose
Tinnitus is the persistent perception of a subjective sound. Tinnitus is almost universally experienced in some forms. In most cases, recovery may occur in seconds, hours, or days. How does tinnitus shift from a transient condition to a lifelong disorder? Several lines of evidence, including clinical studies and animal models, indicate that the brain, rather than the inner ear, may in some cases be the site of maintenance of tinnitus. One hypothesis is that normal electrical activity in the auditory system becomes pathologically persistent due to plasticity-like mechanisms that can lead to long-term changes in the communication between neurons. A candidate site for the expression of this so-called synaptic plasticity is a region of the brainstem called the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN), a site of integration of acoustic and multimodal, sensory inputs.

Conclusions
Here we review recent findings on cellular mechanisms observed in the DCN that can lead to long-term changes in the synaptic strength between different neurons in the DCN. These cellular mechanisms could provide candidate signaling pathways underlying the induction (ignition) and/or the expression (maintenance) of tinnitus.
No evidence for presence of bacteria in modic type I changes
Authors: Wedderkopp N. , Thomsen K. , Manniche C. , Kolmos H. J. , Secher Jensen T. , Leboeuf Yde C. 
Published: December 2008

Background: Recent studies suggest an association between sciatica and Propionibacterium acnes. “Modic type I changes” in the vertebrae are closely associated with sciatica and lower back pain, and recent studies have questioned the ability of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to differentiate between degenerative Modic type I changes and vertebral abnormalities caused by infection. Purpose: To test whether bacteria could be cultured from biopsies of Modic type I changes. Material and Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients with Modic type I changes in lumbar vertebrae had a biopsy taken from the affected vertebra by a strict aseptic procedure. The biopsy was split into two specimens, which were inoculated into thioglycolate agar tubes in the surgical theatre and transported to the microbiology laboratory. In the laboratory, one specimen was streaked onto plates and analyzed for anaerobic and aerobic culture. The other tube was left unopened and incubated directly. Plates and tubes were incubated for 2 weeks and observed for visible growth. Results: None of the biopsies yielded growth of anaerobic bacteria. In one patient, both biopsies yielded growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis, and in another patient coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated from one biopsy. Both patients received oral antibiotics without convincing effect on symptoms. Conclusion: Our results showed no evidence of bacteria in vertebrae with Modic type I changes. The isolation of staphylococci from two patients probably represented contamination.
Amount drained at ultrasound-guided thoracentesis and risk of pneumothorax
Authors: Josephson T. , Nordenskjold C. A. , Larsson J. , Rosenberg L. U. , Kaijser M. 
Published: December 2008

Background: It has been suggested that no upper limit of the fluid amount drained is necessary when performing ultrasound-guided thoracentesis, but the risk of pneumothorax when large amounts of fluid are drained has not been studied in detail. Purpose: To study the amount of drained fluid at ultrasound-guided thoracentesis and the subsequent risk of pneumothorax. Material and Methods: Prospectively collected information on all ultrasound-guided thoracenteses performed at a county hospital between 2004 and 2006 was evaluated. In total, 735 thoracenteses in 471 patients were included. Chest radiographs performed within 14 days after thoracentesis were identified to obtain cases of pneumothorax and cases treated with tube thoracostomy. Data were analyzed by logistic regression. The study was approved by the regional research ethics committee. Results: There was a steep increase in risk for pneumothorax when large amounts of fluid were drained. Compared to a thoracentesis of 0.8–1.2 l, drainage of 1.8–2.2 l was associated with a more than threefold increase in risk for pneumothorax (odds ratio [OR] 3.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–11.2), and after drainage of 2.3 l or more, the increase in risk was almost sixfold (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.30–24.7). The association between the amount drained and the risk of pneumothorax was even more pronounced for pneumothoraces requiring tube thoracostomy ( P for trend <0.0001). Nine of 11 tube thoracostomies occurred after thoracenteses of 1.8 l or more. Conclusion: Our study suggests that drainage of large amounts of fluid at ultrasound-guided thoracentesis is a risk factor for pneumothorax.