bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Outcomes of a New Self-Help Booklet for Premature Ejaculation
Authors: Kempeneers Philippe , Andrianne Robert , Bauwens Sabrina , Georis Isabelle , Pairoux Jean-François , Blairy Sylvie
Published: May 2012

Introduction

Premature ejaculation (PE) is quite common. Although effective treatments do exist, only a few affected people consult a practitioner in order to overcome their problem. At the same time, studies have shown that reading didactical documents about their PE problem (bibliotherapy) can be useful to men.

Aim

The aim of this study was to improve the bibliotherapy approach using up-to-date knowledge and techniques. The expected benefits were the following: (i) an effective manual shorter than previous ones; (ii) easier to assimilate therapeutic principles; and (iii) a method thereby made accessible to a broad population most of whom usually do not consult for this type of sexual problem.

Method

A short bibliotherapy titled The Practical Guide of PE[in French] was tested among PE subjects who were diagnosed with PE according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision criteria. Assessments were made at baseline (N = 421), at 4–8 months (N = 120), and at 10–14 months (N = 79) after they read The Practical Guide. A control group of 66 subjects was left on a waiting list and was assessed 2 months after baseline.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures are self-reported ejaculatory latency time, feeling of control upon ejaculation, sexual satisfaction, distress related to PE, anxiety experienced during sexual intercourse, and sexual cognitions (Sexual Irrationality Questionnaire).

Results

Significant improvements were found for all the self-reported parameters, both at 4–8 and at 10–14 months after the bibliotherapy. The improvements were associated with an adjustment of sexual cognitions. The response to treatment seemed better for those subjects with moderate PE. Although the severity criteria used in this study did not precisely meet the International Society for Sexual Medicine criteria for lifelong PE, they were likely related. The response did not seem to be affected by variables such as age, education, or personality.

Conclusion

Its cost/benefit ratio makes The Practical Guide a valuable therapeutic tool.
Genetic comparison of introduced and native populations of Miscanthus sinensis (Poaceae), a potential bioenergy crop
Authors: Quinn Lauren D. , Culley Theresa M. , Stewart J. Ryan
Published: May 2012

Miscanthus sinensis Anderss. is a perennial grass being considered for bioenergy production in the United States (USA) and elsewhere. Because M. sinensis is already naturalized in the USA, it is important to examine its potential to spread with further introduction. Introduced populations may harbor substantial genetic diversity or enable genetic admixture, which may enhance adaptation to novel environments. Here we compare genetic diversity in introduced US populations with native Japanese populations to understand the potential for invasiveness through genetic means in M. sinensis. Using 11 microsatellite markers, we determined genetic variation and structure in populations within and across the introduced and native ranges. We also correlated genetic diversity with population size in each range. Genetic diversity was substantial and similar in all populations, with only allelic richness (A, Ap) significantly lower in the USA than in Japan. Japanese populations were slightly more differentiated (θ = 0.098) than those in the USA (θ = 0.078) although both exhibited significant genetic admixture and were composed of a number of different genetic groups (K = 3 or 7, depending on the STRUCTURE model). Genetic diversity (He) was positively correlated with population size, but only in the USA The lack of a genetic bottleneck and the consequent maintenance of genetic diversity and admixture in US populations suggest the potential for further spread of introduced populations, assuming such diversity is important for adaptation to novel environments. Potential invasiveness should be considered by breeders of new Miscanthus varieties for bioenergy and ornamental uses.
Dental management of a pediatric patient with Burkitt lymphoma: a case report
Authors: Padmanabhan M. Y. , Pandey R. K. , Kumar Archana , Radhakrishnan Aparna
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT  Recent advancements in the field of cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy have led to higher rates of survival for children with malignant tumors. More than 75% of pediatric patients diagnosed with malignancies survive more than 5 years. These advancements have resulted in additional responsibilities for dental professionals to diagnose, evaluate, prevent, stabilize, and manage the oral and dental problems that can compromise the quality of life of these children. This case report highlights the importance of professional and self‐administered oral prophylactic measures and patient compliance in the successful oral rehabilitation of a pediatric patient with Burkitt lymphoma.
Caregivers’ perceived comfort regarding oral care delivery in group homes: A pilot study
Authors: Jobman Kelli J. , Weber‐Gasparoni Karin , Ettinger Ronald L. , Qian Fang
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT  The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceived comfort, behaviors, and barriers reported by group home caregivers while providing oral health care to individuals with special healthcare needs (SHCN). A 23‐item survey was sent to 428 caregivers in two group homes in Iowa. Bivariate and logistic regression models were used to analyze data (p≤ 0.05). The overall response rate was 32%. An analysis of the bivariate and multivariate logistic regression indicated that caregivers who felt more comfortable providing care for individuals who verbally and physically resisted oral health care had worked more than 2 years at their current location (p= 0.0323), felt “neutral to very comfortable” brushing (p= 0.0020) and flossing (p < 0.0001) the teeth of individuals with SHCN, and reported “sometimes to always” experiencing these individuals not opening their mouths (p= 0.0127). Comfort in providing oral care to individuals with SHCN appears to be linked to experience and length of time working with this population.
Oral health care provided by Greek dentists to persons with physical and/or intellectual impairment
Authors: Gizani Sotiria , Kandilorou Helen , Kavvadia Katerina , Tzoutzas John
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT  This study evaluated Greek dentists’ attitudes toward the provision of oral health care for persons with physical and intellectual impairment (PPII).

A questionnaire was used to select information on dentists’ socioeconomic data, their office characteristics, oral health care they performed, and their views about oral healthcare delivery for PPII. The final sample consisted of 534 dentists. Descriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used for the statistical analysis of the data.

Most respondents were general practitioners (79.3%) providing oral health care to PPII, but 70% of the dentists had not been trained to treat them. In their opinion, oral health care for PPII demanded a lot of time and was hard to accomplish. Based on an evaluation of the results, this study suggests that continuing education and training of dentists to treat PPII are essential for this population in Greece.
Effects of SCN1A and GABA Receptor Genetic Polymorphisms on Carbamazepine Tolerability and Efficacy in Chinese Patients with Partial Seizures: 2‐Year Longitudinal Clinical Follow‐Up
Authors: Zhou Bo‐Ting , Zhou Qiu‐Hong , Yin Ji‐Ye , Li Guo‐Liang , Qu Jian , Xu Xiao‐Jing , Liu Ding , Zhou Hong‐Hao , Liu Zhao‐Qian
Published: May 2012

Aims: To investigate the tolerability and efficacy of carbamazepine treatment in patients with partial‐onset seizures and the association with polymorphisms in the sodium channel α‐subunit type 1 (SCN1A), and gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor genes among the Chinese Han population. Methods: 448 patients were genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphisms selected of the SCN1A and GABA‐receptor genes. Monotherapy with carbamazepine (CBZ) was administered to the patients. The effectiveness of CBZ treatment was evaluated with regard to efficacy by the decrease in seizures and tolerability by retention rates. Results:SCN1A rs3812718 A/G with CBZ tolerability (P= 0.038) throughout 24 months of clinical follow‐up and the GABRA1 rs2290732 A/G were significantly associated with CBZ tolerability (P= 0.001). The maintenance dose and serum level of CBZ in AA genotype carriers of rs3812718 A/G were significantly higher than those of GG genotype carriers between 3 and 12 months of follow‐up. The proportion of AA genotype carriers of rs2298771 A/G with seizure free was significantly higher than that of AG+GG genotype carriers from 3 months to 15 months of follow‐up (P < 0.05). Conclusion: rs3812718 A/G and rs2290732 A/G polymorphisms affected the tolerability of CBZ. rs2298771 A/G was associated with efficacy of CBZ treatment.
Integration of dissolution into physiologically-based pharmacokinetic models III: PK-Sim®
Authors: Willmann Stefan , Thelen Kirstin , Lippert Jörg
Published: May 2012

Objectives

In-silico methods are a cost-effective possibility to support decision making at different stages of the drug development process. Among the various computational methods available, physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling represents a well-established tool for mechanistically predicting the pharmacokinetics of drugs and drug candidates. PK-Sim, a component of the Computational Systems Biology Software Suite of Bayer Technology Services GmbH (Leverkusen, Germany) is a commercial PBPK software tool. It is based on a generic model structure for typical animal species from mice to monkey and humans, and allows simultaneous simulation of drug liberation, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion in one model. In this study PK-Sim has been used for the prediction of the in-vivo pharmacokinetics of drugs with a particular focus on the integration of dissolution properties and, due to its leading role in the drug development process, for the performance of different dosage forms administered via the oral route.

Methods

Three real life case studies have been presented to exemplify the benefits of using PBPK absorption modelling.

Key findings

In the first example, the in-vivo dissolution rate was directly predicted from the physical properties of different particle formulations using a mechanistic dissolution model of the Noyes–Whitney type. In the second case study, the PBPK tool was successfully used to predict the food effect in humans based on data obtained in Beagle dogs. In the third example, the utilization of the software for the support of the development of a combined immediate release–controlled release formulation has been described.

Conclusions

Future perspectives of the use of PBPK modelling have been discussed, with a special focus on the integration of in-vitro dissolution data into PBPK models for oral and non-oral administration of drugs.
Randomized Government Safety Inspections Reduce Worker Injuries with No Detectable Job Loss
Authors: Levine David I. , Toffel Michael W. , Johnson Matthew S.
Published: May 2012

Bring In the Inspectors

In order to assess the impact of occupational and health practices in the state of California,

Levine
et al.

(p.
907
) compared more than 400 uninspected firms with a matched set of inspected firms that were chosen at random. Employees at the inspected firms were less frequently injured and, consequently, the inspected firms suffered fewer injury-related costs. Encouragingly, there were no significant differences in other economic outcomes, such as sales and employment levels, between control and inspected firms.
Religious and Sacred Imperatives in Human Conflict
Authors: Atran Scott , Ginges Jeremy
Published: May 2012

Religion, in promoting outlandish beliefs and costly rituals, increases ingroup trust but also may increase mistrust and conflict with outgroups. Moralizing gods emerged over the last few millennia, enabling large-scale cooperation, and sociopolitical conquest even without war. Whether for cooperation or conflict, sacred values, like devotion to God or a collective cause, signal group identity and operate as moral imperatives that inspire nonrational exertions independent of likely outcomes. In conflict situations, otherwise mundane sociopolitical preferences may become sacred values, acquiring immunity to material incentives. Sacred values sustain intractable conflicts that defy “business-like” negotiation, but also provide surprising opportunities for resolution.
Climate Change and Violent Conflict
Authors: Scheffran Jürgen , Brzoska Michael , Kominek Jasmin , Link P. Michael , Schilling Janpeter
Published: May 2012

Current debates over the relation between climate change and conflict originate in a lack of data, as well as the complexity of pathways connecting the two phenomena.
An Alternative Route for Nuclear mRNP Export by Membrane Budding
Authors: Montpetit Ben , Weis Karsten
Published: May 2012

Nuclear export of mRNA, previously thought to happen exclusively through nuclear pore complexes, may also occur via a membrane-budding mechanism.
NMR Tools for Determining the Structure of Plutonium Materials
Authors: Albrecht-Schmitt Thomas E.
Published: May 2012

The ability to observe plutonium-239 magnetic resonance signals should aid in environmental studies and the development of waste-storage materials.
China Takes Aim at Rampant Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Hvistendahl Mara
Published: May 2012

The Chinese government is leading a crusade to warn its people against the perils of frivolous antibiotic consumption in hopes of warding off calamitous outbreaks of drug-resistant strains.
Can New Chemistry Make a Malaria Drug Plentiful and Cheap?
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: May 2012

German chemist Peter Seeberger says he has developed a cheaper way to produce a key malaria drug. Now, he's trying to convince the rest of the world.
Tribal Roots in South Sudan
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: May 2012

Conflict has long been part of the cattle economy of Jonglei State in South Sudan. But the impact of fighting has intensified since the 1990s, according to many Sudan analysts.
Preening the Troops
Authors: Pennisi Elizabeth
Published: May 2012

Green wood hoopoes boost in-group cooperative behavior by preening helpers more before and after rallies, showing that it doesn't require a primate brain to reinforce social bonds in the face of an outside threat.
The Battle Over Violence
Authors: Lawler Andrew
Published: May 2012

Under the long shadow of Rousseau and Hobbes, scientists debate whether civilization spurred or inhibited warfare—and whether we have the data to know.
Gender and Violence
Authors: Hvistendahl Mara
Published: May 2012

Researchers are probing links between the status of women in a society and its propensity toward war.
A Human Papillomavirus (HPV)In VitroNeutralization Assay That Recapitulates theIn VitroProcess of Infection Provides a Sensitive Measure of HPV L2 Infection-Inhibiting Antibodies
Authors: Day Patricia M. , Pang Yuk-Ying S. , Kines Rhonda C. , Thompson Cynthia D. , Lowy Douglas R. , Schiller John T.
Published: May 2012

Papillomavirus L2-based vaccines have generally induced low-level or undetectable neutralizing antibodies in standardin vitroassays yet typically protect well againstin vivoexperimental challenge in animal models. Herein we document that mice vaccinated with an L2 vaccine comprising a fusion protein of the L2 amino acids 11 to 88 of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), HPV18, HPV1, HPV5, and HPV6 were uniformly protected from cervicovaginal challenge with HPV16 pseudovirus, but neutralizing antibodies against HPV16, -31, -33, -45, or -58 were rarely detected in their sera using a standardin vitroneutralization assay. To address this discrepancy, we developed a neutralization assay based on anin vitroinfectivity mechanism that more closely mimics thein vivoinfectious process, specifically by spaciotemporally separating primary and secondary receptor engagement and correspondingly by altering the timing of exposure of the dominant L2 cross-neutralizing epitopes to the antibodies. With the new assay, titers in the 100 to 10,000 range were measured for most sera, whereas undetectable neutralizing activities were observed with the standard assay.In vitroneutralizing titers measured in the serum of mice after passive transfer of rabbit L2 immune serum correlated with protection from cervicovaginal challenge of the mice. This “L2-based”in vitroneutralization assay should prove useful in critically evaluating the immunogenicity of L2 vaccine candidates in preclinical studies and future clinical trials.
Fell Pony Syndrome: Characterization of Developmental Hematopoiesis Failure and Associated Gene Expression Profiles
Authors: Tallmadge Rebecca L. , Stokol Tracy , Gould-Earley Mary Jean , Earley Ed , Secor Erica J. , Matychak Mary Beth , Felippe M. Julia B.
Published: May 2012

Fell Pony syndrome (FPS) is a fatal immunodeficiency that occurs in foals of the Fell Pony breed. Affected foals present with severe anemia, B cell lymphopenia, and opportunistic infections. Our objective was to conduct a prospective study of potential FPS-affected Fell Pony foals to establish clinical, immunological, and molecular parameters at birth and in the first few weeks of life. Complete blood counts, peripheral blood lymphocyte phenotyping, and serum immunoglobulin concentrations were determined for 3 FPS-affected foals, 49 unaffected foals, and 6 adult horses. In addition, cytology of bone marrow aspirates was performed sequentially in a subset of foals. At birth, the FPS-affected foals were not noticeably ill and had hematocrit and circulating B cell counts comparable to those of unaffected foals; however, over 6 weeks, values for both parameters steadily declined. A bone marrow aspirate from a 3-week-old FPS-affected foal revealed erythroid hyperplasia and concurrent erythroid and myeloid dysplasia, which progressed to a severe erythroid hypoplasia at 5 weeks of life. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed the paucity of B cells in primary and secondary lymphoid tissues. The mRNA expression of genes involved in B cell development, signaling, and maturation was investigated using qualitative and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). Several genes, includingCREB1,EP300,MYB,PAX5, andSPI1/PU.1, were sequenced from FPS-affected and unaffected foals. Our study presents evidence of fetal erythrocyte and B cell hematopoiesis with rapid postnatal development of anemia and B lymphopenia in FPS-affected foals. The transition between fetal/neonatal and adult-like hematopoiesis may be an important aspect of the pathogenesis of FPS.
Population Snapshot of Invasive Serogroup B Meningococci in South Africa from 2005 to 2008
Authors: du Plessis Mignon , Moodley Chivonne , Mothibeli Kedibone M. , Fali Azola , Klugman Keith P. , von Gottberg Anne
Published: May 2012

In South Africa, serogroup B meningococcal disease is sporadic. The aim of this study was to characterize serogroup B strains causing invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in South Africa from 2005 to 2008. Isolates, collected through a national, laboratory-based surveillance program for IMD, were characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Two thousand two hundred thirty-four cases were reported, of which 1,447 had viable isolates. Intermediate resistance to penicillin was observed in 2.8% (41/1,447) of all strains. Serogroup B was the second most common serogroup (17%, 251/1,447) and increased from 14% (58/414) in 2005 to 25% (72/290) in 2008 (
P
< 0.001); however, incidence remained stable during the study period (average incidence, 0.13/100,000 population) (
P
= 0.54). Serogroup B was predominantly characterized by three clonal complexes, namely, ST-41/44/lineage 3, ST-32/ET-5, and the new complex ST-4240/6688, which accounted for 27% (65/242), 23% (55/242), and 16% (38/242) of isolates, respectively. ST-4240/6688 was more prevalent among young children (<5 years) than other clonal complexes (27/37 [73%] versus 108/196 [55%];
P
= 0.04). In the most densely populated province of South Africa, Gauteng, the prevalence of ST-32/ET-5 increased from 8% (2/24) in 2005 to 38% (9/24) in 2008 (
P
= 0.04). Capsular switching was observed in 8/242 (3%) strains. The newly assigned clonal complex ST-4240/6688 was more common in young children.
A Novel Extraction Method Combining Plasma with a Whole-Blood Fraction Shows Excellent Sensitivity and Reproducibility for Patients at High Risk for Invasive Aspergillosis
Authors: Springer Jan , Schloßnagel Hannes , Heinz Werner , Doedt Thomas , Soeller Rainer , Einsele Hermann , Loeffler Juergen
Published: May 2012

Diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) is still a major problem in routine clinical practice. Early diagnosis is essential for a good patient prognosis. PCR is a highly sensitive method for the detection of nucleic acids and could play an important role in improving the diagnosis of fungal infections. Therefore, a novel DNA extraction method, ultraclean production (UCP), was developed allowing purification of both cellular and cell-free circulating fungal DNA. In this prospective study we evaluated the commercially available UCP extraction system and compared it to an in-house system. Sixty-three patients at high risk for IA were screened twice weekly, and DNA extracted by both methods was cross-analyzed, in triplicate, by two different real-time PCR assays. The negative predictive values were high for all methods (94.3 to 100%), qualifying them as screening methods, but the sensitivity and diagnostic odds ratios were higher using the UCP extraction method. Sensitivity ranged from 33.3 to 66.7% using the in-house extracts to 100% using the UCP extraction method. Most of the unclassified patients showed no positive PCR results; however, single-positive PCR replicates were observed in some cases. These can bear clinical relevance but should be interpreted with additional clinical and laboratory data. The PCR assays from the UCP extracts showed greater reproducibility than the in-house method for probable IA patients. The standardized UCP extraction method yielded superior results, with regard to sensitivity and reproducibility, than the in-house method. This was independent of the PCR assay used to detect fungal DNA in the sample extracts.
Identification of DNA Signatures Suitable for Use in Development of Real-Time PCR Assays by Whole-Genome Sequence Approaches: Use of Streptococcus pyogenes in a Pilot Study
Authors: Hung Guo-Chiuan , Nagamine Kenjiro , Li Bingjie , Lo Shyh-Ching
Published: May 2012

A stepwise computational approach using three layers of publicly available software was found to effectively identify DNA signatures for
Streptococcus pyogenes
. PCR testing validated that 9 out of 15 signature-derived primer sets could detect as low as 5 fg of target DNA with high specificity. The selected signature-derived primer sets were successfully evaluated against all 23 clinical isolates. The approach is readily applicable for designing molecular assays for rapid detection and characterization of various pathogenic bacteria.
Accelerated Heterologous Adenovirus Prime-Boost SIV Vaccine in Neonatal Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: Liu Jinyan , Li Hualin , Iampietro M. Justin , Barouch Dan H.
Published: May 2012

A pediatric human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine would be desirable to protect infants against HIV-1 transmission from breast-feeding. Such a vaccine would need to induce protective immunity at mucosal surfaces in neonates as soon as possible after birth. Recombinant adenovirus (rAd) vectors have been shown to elicit potent systemic and mucosal virus-specific immune responses in adult nonhuman primates and humans, but these vectors have not previously been comprehensively studied in infants. In this study, we demonstrate that a single injection of rAd26 encoding simian immunodeficiency virus mac239 (SIVmac239) Gag on the day of birth elicited detectable Gag-specific cellular immune responses in rhesus monkeys, but these responses were transient and waned quickly. In contrast, an accelerated heterologous prime-boost regimen involving administration of rAd35 at birth and rAd26 at 4 weeks of life elicited potent and durable Gag-specific cellular and humoral immune responses in neonatal rhesus monkeys, including mucosal responses that remained detectable at 1 year of age. These results suggest the potential of an accelerated heterologous rAd prime-boost regimen as a candidate HIV-1 vaccine for newborns.
Structural Insight into African Horsesickness Virus Infection
Authors: Manole Violeta , Laurinmäki Pasi , Van Wyngaardt Wouter , Potgieter Christiaan A. , Wright Isabella M. , Venter Gert J. , van Dijk Alberdina A. , Sewell B. Trevor , Butcher Sarah J.
Published: May 2012

African horsesickness (AHS) is a devastating disease of horses. The disease is caused by the double-stranded RNA-containing African horsesickness virus (AHSV). Using electron cryomicroscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction, we determined the architecture of an AHSV serotype 4 (AHSV-4) reference strain. The structure revealed triple-layered AHS virions enclosing the segmented genome and transcriptase complex. The innermost protein layer contains 120 copies of VP3, with the viral polymerase, capping enzyme, and helicase attached to the inner surface of the VP3 layer on the 5-fold axis, surrounded by double-stranded RNA. VP7 trimers form a second, T=13 layer on top of VP3. Comparative analyses of the structures of bluetongue virus and AHSV-4 confirmed that VP5 trimers form globular domains and VP2 trimers form triskelions, on the virion surface. We also identified an AHSV-7 strain with a truncated VP2 protein (AHSV-7 tVP2) which outgrows AHSV-4 in culture. Comparison of AHSV-7 tVP2 to bluetongue virus and AHSV-4 allowed mapping of two domains in AHSV-4 VP2, and one in bluetongue virus VP2, that are important in infection. We also revealed a protein plugging the 5-fold vertices in AHSV-4. These results shed light on virus-host interactions in an economically important orbivirus to help the informed design of new vaccines.
Characterization of Hepatitis E Virus Recombinant ORF2 Proteins Expressed by Vaccinia Viruses
Authors: Jiménez de Oya Nereida , Escribano-Romero Estela , Blázquez Ana-Belén , Lorenzo María , Martín-Acebes Miguel A. , Blasco Rafael , Saiz Juan-Carlos
Published: May 2012

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), an enterically transmitted pathogen, is one of the major causes of acute hepatitis in humans worldwide, being responsible for outbreaks and epidemics in regions with suboptimal sanitary conditions, in many of which it is endemic. In industrialized countries, hepatitis E is rarely reported, but recent studies have revealed quite high human seroprevalence rates and the possibility of porcine zoonotic transmission. There is currently no specific therapy or licensed vaccine against HEV infection, and little is known about its intracellular growth cycle, as until very recently no efficient cell culture system has been available. In the present study, vaccinia viruses have been used to express recombinant HEV ORF2 proteins, allowing the study of their glycosylation patterns and subcellular localization. Furthermore, the expressed proteins have been shown to be good antigens for diagnostic purposes and to elicit high and long-lasting specific anti-HEV titers of antibodies in mice that are passively transferred to the offspring by both transplacental and lactation routes.
Enhancement or Attenuation of Disease by Deletion of Genes from
Citrus Tristeza Virus
Authors: Tatineni Satyanarayana , Dawson William O.
Published: May 2012

Stem pitting is a common virus-induced disease of perennial woody plants induced by a range of different viruses. The phenotype results from sporadic areas of the stem in which normal xylem and phloem development is prevented during growth of stems. These alterations interfere with carbohydrate transport, resulting in reduced plant growth and yield.
Citrus tristeza virus
(CTV), a phloem-limited closterovirus, induces economically important stem-pitting diseases of citrus. CTV has three nonconserved genes (p33, p18, and p13) that are not related to genes of other viruses and that are not required for systemic infection of some species of citrus, which allowed us to examine the effect of deletions of these genes on symptom phenotypes. In the most susceptible experimental host,
Citrus macrophylla
, the full-length virus causes only very mild stem-pitting symptoms. Surprisingly, we found that certain deletion combinations (p33 and p18 and/or p13) induced greatly increased stem-pitting symptoms, while other combinations (p13 or p13 plus p18) resulted in reduced stem pitting. These results suggest that the stem-pitting phenotype, which is one of more economically important disease phenotypes, can result not from a specific sequence or protein but from a balance between the expression of different viral genes. Unexpectedly, using green fluorescent protein-tagged full-length virus and deletion mutants (CTV9Δp33 and CTV9Δp33Δp18Δp13), the virus was found at pitted areas in abnormal locations outside the normal ring of phloem. Thus, increased stem pitting was associated not only with a prevention of xylem production but also with a proliferation of cells that supported viral replication, suggesting that at random areas of stems the virus can elicit changes in cellular differentiation and development.
Heart-type fatty acid binding protein as an early marker for myocardial infarction: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Carroll Christopher , Al Khalaf Mohamad , Stevens John W , Leaviss Joanna , Goodacre Steve , Collinson Paul O , Wang Jenny
Published: May 2012

Background

Heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) has been proposed as an early biomarker of myocardial infarction (MI). The authors aimed to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the early sensitivity and specificity of quantitative and qualitative H-FABP assays.

Methods

The authors undertook a systematic search using electronic databases, citation lists and expert contacts to identify all diagnostic cohort studies of patients presenting with suspected acute coronary syndrome that compared H-FABP at presentation to a reference standard based on the Universal definition of MI. Study quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Meta-analysis was conducted using Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation.

Results

The authors included eight studies of quantitative H-FABP and nine studies of qualitative H-FABP. The summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity were 81% (95% prediction interval 50% to 95%) and 80% (26% to 98%) respectively for the quantitative assays and 68% (11% to 97%) and 92% (20% to 100%) respectively for the qualitative assays. Four studies reported the sensitivity of troponin and H-FABP at presentation in which the combination was considered positive if either test was positive. The addition of H-FABP to troponin increased sensitivity from 42–75% to 76–97% but decreased specificity from 94–100% to 65–93%.

Conclusion

H-FABP has modest sensitivity and specificity for MI at presentation but estimates are subject to substantial uncertainty and primary data are subject to substantial heterogeneity. H-FABP may have a role alongside troponin in improving early sensitivity but comparison with high sensitivity troponin assays is required.
RELIABILITY OF 2-OUT-OF-N:G SYSTEMS WITH NHPP FAILURE FLOWS AND FIXED REPAIR TIMES
Authors: DWYER VINCENT M. , GOODALL ROGER M. , DIXON ROGER
Published: May 2012

It is commonplace to replicate critical components in order to increase system lifetimes and reduce failure rates. The case of a general N-plexed system, whose failures are modeled as N identical, independent nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) flows, each with rocof (rate of occurrence of failure) equal to λ(t), is considered here. Such situations may arise if either there is a time-dependent factor accelerating failures or if minimal repair maintenance is appropriate. We further assume that system logic for the redundant block is 2-out-of-N:G. Reliability measures are obtained as functions of τ which represents a fixed time after which Maintenance Teams must have replaced any failed component. Such measures are determined for small λ(t)τ, which is the parameter range of most interest. The triplex version, which often occurs in practice, is treated in some detail where the system reliability is determined from the solution of a first order differential-delay equation (DDE). This is solved exactly in the case of constant λ(t), but must be solved numerically in general. A general means of numerical solution for the triplex system is given, and an example case is solved for a rocof resembling a bathtub curve.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SMOKE VENTILATION IN RESCUE STATION AND ESCAPE ROUTE OF RAILROAD TUNNEL IN FIRE INCIDENT
Authors: YANG SUNGJIN , HUR NAHMKEON , RYOU HONG SUN , KIM DONG HYEON , JANG YONG JUN
Published: May 2012

Transient 3-D numerical simulations were performed to analyze the fire safety in a long railroad tunnel equipped with the mechanical ventilation system using dampers and jet fans. The flow behaviors of heat and pollutants were investigated for various emergency operation modes of the ventilation system in a rescue station and escape route in the long railroad tunnel in case of fire. The results showed that the ventilation mode, which extracts heat and pollutants from the tunnel on fire and pressurizes the opposite tunnel, was very effective for the fire safety of the rescue station. To evaluate the ventilation efficiency of the escape route, various geometries such as connection and slope angles of the escape route were considered. The importance of the jet fan operation in the escape tunnel on the ventilation performance was also discussed in detail.
PANGENESIS: A COMMON ORIGIN FOR VISIBLE AND DARK MATTER
Authors: VOLKAS RAYMOND R.
Published: May 2012

The similar mass densities observed for visible and dark matter in the present-day universe suggest a common origin for both. A scheme called "pangenesis" for realising this using the Affleck-Dine mechanism in a baryon-symmetric universe is presented in this talk.
f(R) COSMOLOGY AND MASSIVE NEUTRINOS
Authors: MOTOHASHI HAYATO , STAROBINSKY ALEXEI A. , YOKOYAMA JUN'ICHI
Published: May 2012

f(R) gravity provides viable cosmology alternative to the ΛCDM model. We discuss the effect of massive neutrinos on matter power spectrum in this theory, to show that the anomalous growth of density fluctuations on small scales due to the scalaron force can be compensated by free streaming of neutrinos. As a result, models which predict observable deviation of the equation-of-state parameter w DE from w DE = -1 may be reconciled with observations of matter clustering if the total neutrino mass is O(0.5 eV ).
Acid-sensing ion channels contribute to the increase in vesicular release from SH-SY5Y cells stimulated by extracellular protons
Authors: Xiong Qiu-Ju , Hu Zhuang-Li , Wu Peng-Fei , Ni Lan , Deng Zhi-Fang , Wu Wen-Ning , Chen Jian-Guo , Wang Fang
Published: May 2012

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) have been reported to play a role in the neuronal dopamine pathway, but the exact role in neurotransmitter release remains elusive. Human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y is a dopaminergic neuronal cell line, which can release monoamine neurotransmitters. In this study, the expression of ASICs was identified in SH-SY5Y cells to further explore the role of ASICs in vesicular release stimulated by acid. We gathered evidence that ASICs could be detected in SH-SY5Y cells. In whole cell patch-clamp recording, a rapid decrease in extracellular pH evoked inward currents, which were reversibly inhibited by 100 μM amiloride. The currents were pH dependent, with a pH of half-maximal activation (pH0.5) of 6.01 ± 0.04. Furthermore, in calcium imaging and FM 1-43 dye labeling, it was shown that extracellular protons increased intracellular calcium levels and vesicular release in SH-SY5Y cells, which was attenuated by PcTx1 and amiloride. Interestingly, N-type calcium channel blockers inhibited the vesicular release induced by acidification. In conclusion, ASICs are functionally expressed in SH-SY5Y cells and involved in vesicular release stimulated by acidification. N-type calcium channels may be involved in the increase in vesicular release induced by acid. Our results provide a preliminary study on ASICs in SH-SY5Y cells and neurotransmitter release, which helps to further investigate the relationship between ASICs and dopaminergic neurons.
Effect of cold acclimation on troponin I isoform expression in striated muscle of rainbow trout
Authors: Alderman Sarah L. , Klaiman Jordan M. , Deck Courtney A. , Gillis Todd E.
Published: May 2012

In vertebrates each of the three striated muscle types (fast skeletal, slow skeletal, and cardiac) contain distinct isoforms of a number of different contractile proteins including troponin I (TnI). The functional characteristics of these proteins have a significant influence on muscle function and contractility. The purpose of this study was to characterize which TnI gene and protein isoforms are expressed in the different muscle types of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) and to determine whether isoform expression changes in response to cold acclimation (4°C). Semiquantitative real-time PCR was used to characterize the expression of seven different TnI genes. The sequence of these genes, cloned from Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar) and rainbow trout, were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information databases. One-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry were used to identify the TnI protein isoforms expressed in each muscle type. Interestingly, the results indicate that each muscle type expresses the gene transcripts of up to seven TnI isoforms. There are significant differences, however, in the expression pattern of these genes between muscle types. In addition, cold acclimation was found to increase the expression of specific gene transcripts in each muscle type. The proteomics analysis demonstrates that fast skeletal and cardiac muscle contain three TnI isoforms, whereas slow skeletal muscle contains four. No other vertebrate muscle to date has been found to express as many TnI protein isoforms. Overall this study underscores the complex molecular composition of teleost striated muscle and suggests there is an adaptive value to the unique TnI profiles of each muscle type.
Effects and possible mechanisms of acupuncture at ST36 on upper and lower abdominal symptoms induced by rectal distension in healthy volunteers
Authors: Liu Jinsong , Huang Hong , Xu Xiaohong , Chen J. D. Z.
Published: May 2012

Background acupuncture (AP) has been shown to have a therapeutic potential for gastrointestinal motility disorders. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of acupuncture on postprandial upper and lower abdominal symptoms induced by rectal distension (RD). Twenty healthy volunteers were involved in a two-session study (AP and sham-AP, AP and no-AP, or sham-AP and no-AP). In 12 of the volunteers, RD was performed for 60 min in the postprandial state, and AP at ST36 or sham-AP was performed during the second 30-min period of RD. Gastric slow waves and heart rate variability (HRV) were recorded using the electrogastrogram and electrocardiogram, respectively. Upper and lower abdominal symptoms were scored during RD with AP and sham-AP. In five of the subjects, an additional experiment with two sessions (with AP and no-AP) was performed. In the remaining eight volunteers, the same experiment was performed with sham-AP and no-AP was performed. The results were, first, RD at an average volume of 171 ml induced upper and lower abdominal symptoms ( P < 0.01). AP, but not sham-AP or no-AP, reduced both upper and lower abdominal symptoms ( P < 0.05). Second, RD decreased the percentage of normal gastric slow waves ( P < 0.05). AP improved gastric slow waves compared with sham-AP or no-AP ( P < 0.05). Third, in the larger, but not smaller, sample size experiment, the vagal activity during the RD plus AP period was significantly higher than that during the RD alone period in the same session and the corresponding period with sham-AP or no-AP in other sessions ( P < 0.05). Neither sham-AP nor no-AP showed any effects on vagal activity ( P > 0.05). Finally, in the experiment with eight volunteers, neither sham-AP nor no-AP showed any effects on RD-induced impairment in gastric slow waves, abdominal symptoms, or vagal activity ( P > 0.05). The conclusions are RD induces upper or lower abdominal symptoms and impairs gastric slow waves in healthy volunteers. AP at ST36 is able to improve upper and lower abdominal symptoms and impaired gastric slow waves induced by RD, possibly mediated via the vagal pathway.
Multiple exposures to unloading decrease bone's responsivity but compound skeletal losses in C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Gupta Shikha , Vijayaraghavan Surabhi , Uzer Gunes , Judex Stefan
Published: May 2012

A single exposure to mechanical unloading can result in significant bone loss, but the consequences of multiple exposures are largely unknown. Within a 18-wk period, adult C57BL/6 male mice were exposed to 2 wk of hindlimb unloading (HLU) followed by 4 wk of reambulation (RA) once (1x-HLU), twice (2x-HLU), or three times (3x-HLU), or served as ambulatory age-matched controls. In vivo μCT longitudinally tracked changes in trabecular and cortical compartments of the femur. Normally ambulating control mice experienced significant age-related loss in trabecular bone volume fraction throughout the course of the experiment. This loss was compounded by HLU with 2x- and 3x-HLU mice experiencing a 27% and 24% greater reduction in trabecular bone and a 60% and 63% inhibition of age-related trabecular thickening. The recovery of cortical bone was also incomplete during each 4-wk RA period and, at completion of the experiment, cortical area in 3x-HLU mice was 5% smaller than in control and 1x-HLU. When eliminating age as a confounding variable, comparison between individual HLU/RA cycles showed that the magnitude of the response diminished during subsequent exposures. The extent of trabecular thinning in mice unloaded for the first time was 1.6-fold greater than the second time and nearly twofold greater than the third time. Similarly, the increase in trabecular thickness during the first RA cycle was twofold greater than during the second and third RA cycle. Together, our data demonstrate that even though multiple exposures to mechanical unloading are more detrimental than a single unloading period, bone's mechanosensitivity is reduced with consecutive unloading/reambulation cycles.
Adaptation to heading direction dissociates the roles of human MST and V6 in the processing of optic flow
Authors: Cardin Velia , Hemsworth Lara , Smith Andrew T.
Published: May 2012

The extraction of optic flow cues is fundamental for successful locomotion. During forward motion, the focus of expansion (FoE), in conjunction with knowledge of eye position, indicates the direction in which the individual is heading. Therefore, it is expected that cortical brain regions that are involved in the estimation of heading will be sensitive to this feature. To characterize cortical sensitivity to the location of the FoE or, more generally, the center of flow (CoF) during visually simulated self-motion, we carried out a functional MRI (fMRI) adaptation experiment in several human visual cortical areas that are thought to be sensitive to optic flow parameters, namely, V3A, V6, MT/V5, and MST. In each trial, two optic flow patterns were sequentially presented, with the CoF located in either the same or different positions. With an adaptation design, an area sensitive to heading direction should respond more strongly to a pair of stimuli with different CoFs than to stimuli with the same CoF. Our results show such release from adaptation in areas MT/V5 and MST, and to a lesser extent V3A, suggesting the involvement of these areas in the processing of heading direction. The effect could not be explained either by differences in local motion or by attention capture. It was not observed to a significant extent in area V6 or in control area V1. The different patterns of responses observed in MST and V6, areas that are both involved in the processing of egomotion in macaques and humans, suggest distinct roles in the processing of visual cues for self-motion.
Energy margins in dynamic object manipulation
Authors: Hasson Christopher J. , Shen Tian , Sternad Dagmar
Published: May 2012

Many tasks require humans to manipulate dynamically complex objects and maintain appropriate safety margins, such as placing a cup of coffee on a coaster without spilling. This study examined how humans learn such safety margins and how they are shaped by task constraints and changing variability with improved skill. Eighteen subjects used a manipulandum to transport a shallow virtual cup containing a ball to a target without losing the ball. Half were to complete the cup transit in a comfortable target time of 2 s (a redundant task with infinitely many equivalent solutions), and the other half in minimum time (a nonredundant task with one explicit cost to optimize). The safety margin was defined as the ball energy relative to escape, i.e., as an energy margin. The first hypothesis, that subjects converge to a single strategy in the minimum-time task but choose different strategies in the less constrained target-time task, was not supported. Both groups developed individualized strategies with practice. The second hypothesis, that subjects decrease safety margins in the minimum-time task but increase them in the target-time task, was supported. The third hypothesis, that in both tasks subjects modulate energy margins according to their execution variability, was partially supported. In the target-time group, changes in energy margins correlated positively with changes in execution variability; in the minimum-time group, such a relation was observed only at the end of practice, not across practice. These results show that when learning a redundant object manipulation task, most subjects increase their safety margins and shape their movement strategies in accordance with their changing variability.
Potassium Channels Blockers from the Venom ofAndroctonus mauretanicus mauretanicus
Authors: Martin-Eauclaire Marie-France , Bougis Pierre E.
Published: May 2012

K+channels selectively transport K+ions across cell membranes and play a key role in regulating the physiology of excitable and nonexcitable cells. Their activation allows the cell to repolarize after action potential firing and reduces excitability, whereas channel inhibition increases excitability. In eukaryotes, the pharmacology and pore topology of several structural classes of K+channels have been well characterized in the past two decades. This information has come about through the extensive use of scorpion toxins. We have participated in the isolation and in the characterization of several structurally distinct families of scorpion toxin peptides exhibiting different K+channel blocking functions. In particular, the venom from the Moroccan scorpionAndroctonus mauretanicus mauretanicusprovided several high-affinity blockers selective for diverse K+channels  (SKCa,  Kv4.x, and  Kv1.x K+channel families). In this paper, we summarize our work on these toxin/channel interactions.