bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Over-representation of specific regions of chromosome 22 in cells from human glioma correlate with resistance to 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea
Authors: Hank Nicole C , Shapiro Joan Rankin , Scheck Adrienne C
Published: January 2006

Background

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most malignant form of brain tumor. Despite treatment including surgical resection, adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiation, these tumors typically recur. The recurrent tumor is often resistant to further therapy with the same agent, suggesting that the surviving cells that repopulate the tumor mass have an intrinsic genetic advantage. We previously demonstrated that cells selected for resistance to 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) are near-diploid, with over-representation of part or all of chromosomes 7 and 22. While cells from untreated gliomas often have over-representation of chromosome 7, chromosome 22 is typically under-represented.

Methods

We have analyzed cells from primary and recurrent tumors from the same patient before and after in vitro selection for resistance to clinically relevant doses of BCNU. Karyotypic analyses were done to demonstrate the genetic makeup of these cells, and fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses have defined the region(s) of chromosome 22 retained in these BCNU-resistant cells.

Results

Karyotypic analyses demonstrated that cells selected for BCNU resistance were near-diploid with over-representation of chromosomes 7 and 22. In cells where whole copies of chromosome 22 were not identified, numerous fragments of this chromosome were retained and inserted into several marker and derivative chromosomes. Fluorescent in situ hybridization analyses using whole chromosome paints confirmed this finding. Additional FISH analysis using bacterial artificial chromosome probes spanning the length of chromosome 22 have allowed us to map the over-represented region to 22q12.3–13.32.

Conclusion

Cells selected for BCNU resistance either in vivo or in vitro retain sequences mapped to chromosome 22. The specific over-representation of sequences mapped to 22q12.3–13.32 suggest the presence of a DNA sequence important to BCNU survival and/or resistance located in this region of chromosome 22.
Health-related quality of life in parents of school-age children with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism
Authors: Allik Hiie , Larsson Jan-Olov , Smedje Hans
Published: January 2006

Background

The estimated prevalence rate of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) in children is 6 per 1.000. Parenting children who are intellectually impaired and have PDDs is known to be linked to the impaired well-being of the parents themselves. However, there is still little available data on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in parents of children with Asperger Syndrome (AS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA), or other PDD diagnoses in children of normal intelligence. The present study aimed to evaluate aspects of HRQL in parents of school-age children with AS/HFA and the correlates with child behaviour characteristics.

Methods

The sample consisted of 31 mothers and 30 fathers of 32 children with AS/HFA and 30 mothers and 29 fathers of 32 age and gender matched children with typical development. Parental HRQL was surveyed by the use of the 12 Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) which measures physical and mental well-being. The child behaviour characteristics were assessed using the structured questionnaires: The High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) and The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).

Results

The mothers of children with AS/HFA had lower SF-12 scores than the controls, indicating poorer physical health. The mothers of children with AS/HFA also had lower physical SF-12 scores compared to the fathers. In the AS/HFA group, maternal health was related to behaviour problems such as hyperactivity and conduct problems in the child.

Conclusion

Mothers but not fathers of children with AS/HFA reported impaired HRQL, and there was a relationship between maternal well-being and child behaviour characteristics.
Process and dynamics of traditional selling wild edible mushrooms in tropical Mexico
Authors: Ruán-Soto Felipe , Garibay-Orijel Roberto , Cifuentes Joaquín
Published: January 2006

Background

More than twelve temperate-inhabitant Mexican ethnic groups are considered to be mycophilic and to have extensive traditional mycological knowledge. In contrast, inhabitants of tropical lands have been studied only superficially and their mycological knowledge is less well known. In this paper, we report the results of an ethnomycological research in markets of a wide area of the Mexican tropics. Our aims were to describe the dynamics related to the traditional selling process of wild mushrooms and to determine the tendencies of informants toward mushrooms (mycophily vs. mycophoby).

Methods

We visited 25 markets of 12 different settlements in the states of Oaxaca, Tabasco and Veracruz and collected information by participant observation as well as by 291 non-structured and semi-structured interviews.

Results

Mushroom selling was observed in four towns in Oaxaca and in two in Tabasco. Women represented 81.82% of sellers, while indigenous people (Chinantecos, Chontales, Ch'oles and Zoques) comprised 68.18%. Mushroom commercialization took place in secondary mobile markets and only in peasant stands. Mushroom collectors gather the resource in places with secondary vegetation, farmed areas and cattle fields. Because of land tenure restrictions mushroom sellers did not normally collect mushrooms themselves. In Oaxaca, we observed economic dynamics not based on capitalism, such as exchange, reciprocity and barter.

Conclusion

The sale of some wild edible mushrooms, the large amounts of commercialization of Schizophyllum commune, the complicated intermediary process, as well as the insertion of mushrooms into different informal economic practices are all evidence of an existent mycophily in a sector of the population of this region of the Mexican tropics. Among our informants, urban mestizo people were mycophobic, rural mestizo people were non-mycophilic and indigenous people were true mycophilic.
Effects of Student-Written Questions on Student Test Performance
Authors: Foos Paul W.
Published: January 2006

Effects of student-written test questions on student test performance were examined in an Introductory Psychology class. Before each of three tests, randomly assigned students wrote essay questions, multiple-choice questions, or no questions. All tests contained essay and multiple-choice items but no questions written by students. Question writers performed significantly better than nonwriters on the first two tests; the difference on the third test was marginally significant. No differences were found between students who wrote essay and those who wrote multiple-choice questions. Question writing appears to be an effective study technique.
Demonstrating That an Ability Does Not Exist
Authors: Harcum E. Rae
Published: January 2006

This demonstration illustrates the error of using an inappropriate test to conclude that a specific ability does not exist within a subject or population. Students were asked to add two 5-digit numbers, which were exposed on a flash card for about I s, and write down the sum. Because most students could not successfully complete this task, they were confronted with the conclusion that American college students do not possess the ability to add. The students easily grasped the obvious error in this conclusion. Social and methodological implications of the demonstration are discussed.
Motivation in the College Classroom: What Students Tell Us
Authors: Sass Edmund J.
Published: January 2006

This article discusses student perceptions of those college classes likely to result in high and low classroom motivation. Eight characteristics of classes in which students had high motivation are identified; students ranked enthusiasm, relevance, and organization as being most important. The classroom activity used to gather this information is also described.
Using Riddles to Introduce the Process and Experience of Scientific Thinking
Authors: Hatcher Joe W.
Published: January 2006

Science has been described as puzzle solving. This article describes an exercise that uses riddles to expose students to important aspects of the process and experience of scientific thinking.
Teaching Research Ethics through Role-Play and Discussion
Authors: Rosnow Ralph L.
Published: January 2006

Failing to conduct a research study because it involves deception or invasion of privacy is as much an act to be evaluated on ethical grounds as is conducting such a study. A classroom exercise was designed to teach that there are several vantage points from which the ethical evaluation of a study can be made. Role-play and discussion are used to sharpen critical thinking and develop an appreciation of the subtleties of research ethics.
Are Peer Ratings of Student Debates Valid?
Authors: Smith Randolph A.
Published: January 2006

Although many instructors use debates in various courses, little information is available regarding debate grading. This article reports an evaluation of student participation in grading debates. In most respects, student and instructor ratings correlated highly. In addition, students reported that they liked debates, that debates helped them to learn, and that evaluating other students was valuable experience. These data support the use of peer ratings in grading classroom debates.
Postsecondary Teacher Training in Britain
Authors: Lopater Sanford
Published: January 2006

This article describes a multidisciplinary course in British Colleges of Further Education called the Certificate of Education. The course aims to provide training in teaching methodologies for individuals with diverse, nonacademic credentials. The objectives and philosophy of this course are discussed, as are its curriculum and evaluation techniques. The article emphasizes the application of elementary psychological principles to effective teaching in British postsecondary education.
A DSM-III-R Computer Tutorial for Abnormal Psychology
Authors: Hayden Davis C.
Published: January 2006

This article describes an interactive computer program that presents clinical vignettes to students who then determine the proper codes according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd ed. [DSM–III] and 3rd ed., rev. [DSM–III–R]; American Psychiatric Association, 1980 and 1987, respectively). Seventy-eight abnormal psychology students used the tutorial and a library exercise in a counterbalanced design. Computer tutorial students had significantly greater knowledge of the DSM–III and specific diagnoses. In addition, students enthusiastically recommended the tutorial for future classes. This tutorial is appropriate for undergraduate and graduate classes.
Student Expectations of Course and Instructor
Authors: Becker Angela H. , Davis Stephen F. , Neal Loretta , Grover Cathy A.
Published: January 2006

A precourse questionnaire was administered to introductory psychology students to determine expectations of themselves in the course and the instructor of the course. A postcourse questionnaire was administered to determine how well these expectations had been met. Results generally indicated that men and women had similar expectations for themselves and the instructor. There was some indication that the nature of these expectations changed during the semester. Most students were unable to list 6 expectations for themselves or the instructor at the beginning of the course, but, at the end of the course, they indicated that at least 10 expectations had been met in each category. The results are discussed in light of their usefulness to instructors of introductory psychology.
The Subject-Experimenter Contract: A Reexamination of Subject Pool Contamination
Authors: Klein Kitty , Cheuvront Brian
Published: January 2006

We conducted three experiments to investigate: (a) the extent to which student research participants believe they will disclose details of their experiences, (b) how much subjects actually will disclose immediately following a request not to reveal information, and (c) how much they will disclose after a 2-week interval. Disclosure rates increased across the experiments. In the first experiment, one fifth of the subjects indicated that they probably would not preserve confidentiality, whether or not they believed it was important to do so. In the second experiment, signing a pledge not to discuss the experiment resulted in less disclosure, but over one third of the subjects revealed information to a confederate. In the third experiment, promising students anonymity increased disclosure; 85% of the subjects disclosed information. The results indicate that failure to heed requests for confidentiality may be a widespread problem in college subject pools.
Analysis of the Number of Student-Set Deadlines in a Personalized Psychology Course
Authors: Roberts M. Susan , Semb George B.
Published: January 2006

In two separate studies, we permitted students to set their own deadlines for nine or five course tasks. Student-set (SS) deadline conditions were compared to instructor-set (IS) deadline conditions. Results indicated that students in the nine SS deadline condition demonstrated greater compliance to schedule and more frequently completed the third review exam as scheduled than did students in the IS deadline condition. Students in the SS deadline conditions missed more deadlines than did students in the IS deadline conditions. Pacing conditions produced no differences in academic performance.
Psychology Careers Material: Selected Resources
Authors: Poe Retta E.
Published: January 2006

This article provides a bibliography of published journal articles on careers for psychology majors. It includes references on employment and job satisfaction among psychology baccalaureates and those with graduate degrees in psychology.
Personalization and Active Learning in the Large Introductory Psychology Class
Authors: Benjamin Ludy T.
Published: January 2006

Addressing selected issues and strategies in teaching the large introductory psychology class, this article focuses on personalizing the large class, making large classes into small classes to facilitate active learning, and incorporating active learning into the large class.
The Psychology and Philosophy of William James: An Interdisciplinary Teaching Project
Authors: Viney Wayne , Crosby Donald A.
Published: January 2006

An interdisciplinary course on the psychology and philosophy of William James is described along with suggested reading materials. Such a course provides students with insights into the thought and character of an eminent psychologist-philosopher not easily attained in usual disciplinary studies.
Demonstrating the Influence of Sample Size and Reliability on Study Outcome
Authors: Strube Michael J.
Published: January 2006

This article describes the use of a BASIC program for demonstrating the influence of sample size and reliability on study outcome. The program generates a random sample of size N from a population defined by the user. In one option, a correlation between two variables is computed based on a single sample. In the second option, the program generates sample correlations between the two variables for reliability values ranging from 0 to 1. The program is useful for demonstrating variability in parameter estimates imposed by small samples and for demonstrating the limits that unreliable measures place on estimates of population correlations.
A Case-Study Assignment to Teach Theoretical Perspectives in Abnormal Psychology
Authors: Perkins David V.
Published: January 2006

Teaching students to consider alternative theoretical paradigms helps them understand how psychologists think about behavior. This article describes an assignment in which students organize, prepare, and revise a case study of abnormal behavior using a single theoretical perspective. The assignment is personally meaningful for students, provides an excellent opportunity to integrate psychology with other liberal arts, and has received very positive evaluations from hundreds of students over the past 10 years.
Oh Say, Can You See?
Authors: Kozub Frederick J.
Published: January 2006

Introductory psychology textbooks often illustrate Gestalt organ-izmg principles in visual perception by means of lines, dots, and squiggles. An exercise for discovering the use of these principles in readily available contemporary formats (advertisements, posters, and t-shirts) is described.
Rap Singing as an Icebreaker for Large Classes
Authors: Harcum E. Rae
Published: January 2006

A rap song, composed and performed by the instructor, is suggested as an effective device for emphasizing substantive points, reducing student anxiety, and establishing rapport between the instructor and students in a large introductory class.
Gender Stereotyping in Advertisements
Authors: Jones Melinda
Published: January 2006

Students are not cognizant of gender stereotyping in mass media; consequently, they seldom realize the role of mass media in maintaining stereotypic beliefs. This demonstration, based on work by Goffman (1976), reveals extensive gender stereotyping in advertisements, provides an excellent introduction to the topic of gender roles, and encourages follow-up discussion.
Exogenous Ligand Binding Property of a Heme–DNA Coordination Complex
Authors: Ohyama Takako , Kato Yoshitake , Mita Hajime , Yamamoto Yasuhiko
Published: January 2006

Imidazole was found to be coordinated, as an exogenous ligand, to Fe3+ in a coordination complex formed between heme, the iron(III)–protoporphyrin IX complex, and a parallel G-quadruplexed DNA assembled from a single repeat sequence of the human telomere, d(TTAGGG), the stoichiometric ratio being 1:1 and the binding constant 19 M−1.
Infants' Blood Volume in a Controlled Trial of Placental Transfusion at Preterm Delivery
Authors: Aladangady Narendra , McHugh Siobhan , Aitchison Thomas C. , Wardrop Charles A. J. , Holland Barbara M.
Published: January 2006

OBJECTIVE. To investigate whether it was possible to promote placental blood transfer to infants at preterm delivery by (1) delaying cord clamping, (2) holding the infant below the placenta, and (3) administering an oxytocic agent to the mother, we measured the infants' blood volumes.

DESIGN. Randomized study.

METHODS. Forty-six preterm infants (gestational age: 24[0/7] to 32[6/7] weeks) were assigned randomly to either placental blood transfer promotion (delayed cord clamping [DCC] group, ie, ≥30 seconds from moment of delivery) or early cord clamping (ECC) with conventional management (ECC group). Eleven of 23 and 9 of 23 infants assigned randomly to DCC and ECC, respectively, were delivered through the vaginal route. The study was conducted at a tertiary perinatal center, the Queen Mother's Hospital (Glasgow, United Kingdom).

RESULTS. The infants' mean blood volume in the DCC group (74.4 mL/kg) was significantly greater than that in the ECC group (62.7 mL/kg; 95% confidence interval for advantage: 5.8–17.5). The blood volume was significantly increased by DCC for infants delivered vaginally. The infants in the DCC group delivered through cesarean section had greater blood volumes (mean: 70.4 mL/kg; range: 45–83 mL/kg), compared with the ECC group (mean: 64.0 mL/kg; range: 48–77 mL/kg), but this was not significant. Additional analyses confirmed the effect of DCC (at least 30 seconds) to increase average blood volumes across the full range of gestational ages studied.

CONCLUSIONS. The blood volume was, on average, increased in the DCC group after at least a 30-second delay for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries. However, on average, euvolemia was not attained with the third stage management methods outlined above.
Obesity and Inflammation: Evidence for an Elementary Lesion
Authors: Sbarbati Andrea , Osculati Francesco , Silvagni Davide , Benati Donatella , Galiè Mirco , Camoglio Francesco Saverio , Rigotti Gino , Maffeis Claudio
Published: January 2006

In obesity, an inflammatory process of the adipose tissue has been hypothesized; however, direct evidence for a tissue lesion is still lacking. Macrophage infiltration in the adipose tissue of obese individuals seems to be proven, but other alterations of the tissue have not been demonstrated.

Moreover, in humans it has not been clarified whether inflammation is an early characteristic of obesity, because no data from obese children are available. In the present study, we assessed the inflammatory involvement of the adipose tissue and identified the elementary “inflammatory” lesion in a group of obese children. The study of children gives us the chance to investigate adipose tissue during early phases of obesity. In all the obese subjects, ultramicroscopic analysis of the adipose tissue demonstrated inflammatory involvement, and the extent of the lesions seemed to depend on the SD score of body mass index. The elementary lesion is a microgranuloma, with fragments of adipocytes, that evolves to fibrosis. Macrophages (and less frequently, lymphocytes or granulocytes) were found in perivascular positions. The lesions were not found in nonobese children. Our study proved that an “inflammatory” process exists in the adipose tissue of obese children, confirming previous findings in animals and obese adults and demonstrating that it is an early alteration in humans. However, the accumulation of macrophages was just one of the components of the inflammatory lesion, which also involved adipocyte degeneration, fibrosis, and, to a lesser extent, granulocyte/lymphocyte accumulation. The finding of fragments of adipocytes in the elementary lesion suggests that, at the beginning of the process, adipocytes may degenerate and that the materials generated by this process can recruit macrophages and other leukocytes. These preliminary results suggest that additional studies should be designed to clarify the cause of adipocyte fragility in obese children.
Neonatal Effects of Maternal Hypothyroxinemia During Early Pregnancy
Authors: Kooistra Libbe , Crawford Susan , van Baar Anneloes L. , Brouwers Evelien P. , Pop Victor J.
Published: January 2006

OBJECTIVE. We sought to examine the neurobehavioral profile of neonates who are born to women with hypothyroxinemia during early pregnancy.

METHODS. Examined were 108 neonates who were born to mothers with low maternal free thyroid hormone (fT4 concentrations; <10th percentile) at 12 weeks’ gestation (case patients) and 96 neonates who were born to women whose fT4 values were between the 50th and 90th percentiles, matched for parity and gravidity (control subjects). Newborn development was assessed at 3 weeks of age using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale. Maternal thyroid function (fT4 and thyrotropin hormone) was assessed at 12, 24, and 32 weeks’ gestation.

RESULTS. Infants of women with hypothyroxinemia at 12 weeks’ gestation had significantly lower scores on the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale orientation index compared with subjects. Regression analysis showed that first-trimester maternal fT4 but not maternal TSH or fT4 later in gestation was a significant predictor of orientation scores.

CONCLUSIONS. This study confirms that maternal hypothyroxinemia constitutes a serious risk factor for neurodevelopmental difficulties that can be identified in neonates as young as 3 weeks of age.
Intranasal Steroids and Oral Leukotriene Modifier Therapy in Residual Sleep-Disordered Breathing After Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy in Children
Authors: Kheirandish Leila , Goldbart Aviv D. , Gozal David
Published: January 2006

OBJECTIVE. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) is the primary therapeutic approach for sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children. However, residual mild SDB will be found in more than one third of these patients after T&A. We hypothesized that combined therapy with the leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast and intranasal budesonide would result in normalization of residual SDB after T&A.

METHODS. During the period of October 2002 to February 2005, children who underwent T&A for SDB underwent a routine postoperative (second) overnight polysomnographic evaluation (PSG) 10 to 14 weeks after T&A surgery. In children with residual apnea hypopnea index (AHI) >1 and <5/hour of total sleep time (TST), treatment with montelukast and intranasal budesonide aqueous solution was administered for a period of 12 weeks (M/B group), at which time a third PSG was performed. Children who had residual SDB and did not receive M/B therapy from their treating physicians were recruited as control subjects.

RESULTS. Twenty-two children received M/B, and 14 children served as control subjects. Mean age, gender distribution, ethnicity, and BMI were similar in the 2 treatment groups. The mean AHI at the second PSG was 3.9 ± 1.2/hour of TST and 3.6 ± 1.4/hour of TST in M/B-treated and control patients, respectively. Similar nadir arterial oxygen saturation (87.3 ± 1.2%) and respiratory arousal index (4.6 ± 0.7/hour of TST) were recorded for both groups. However, the M/B group demonstrated significant improvements in AHI (0.3 ± 0.3/hour of TST), in nadir arterial oxygen saturation (92.5 ± 3.0%), and in respiratory arousal index (0.8 ± 0.7/hour of TST) on the third PSG, whereas no significant changes occurred over time in control subjects.

CONCLUSIONS. Combined anti-inflammatory therapy that consists of oral montelukast and intranasal budesonide effectively improves and/or normalizes respiratory and sleep disturbances in children with residual SDB after T&A.
Normal Neurologic and Developmental Outcome After an Accidental Intravenous Infusion of Expressed Breast Milk in a Neonate
Authors: Ryan C. Anthony , Mohammad Izlan , Murphy Brendan
Published: January 2006

Here we describe a premature male infant who was accidentally given 10 mL of expressed breast milk intravenously over a 3.5-hour period. Having survived this event with supportive care, this boy was attending regular school with no obvious neurologic or learning difficulties at 6 years of age. In 1998, after a query on an e-mail discussion group for health care providers in neonatology (NICU-net), we were informed of 8 similar events that proved fatal in 3 infants. A root-cause analysis revealed that accidental intravenous administration of breast milk or formula can be avoided by the use of color-coded enteral-administration sets with Luer connections that are not compatible with intravenous cannulas. The addition of methylene blue to feeds, or bolus enteral feeds (instead of continuous gastric feedings), may also help prevent such errors. These cases show the value of gathering information about rare but important events through a neonatal network. In addition, they confirm that prevention of medical error should focus on faulty systems rather than faulty people.
Prediction of Lyme Meningitis in Children From a Lyme Disease–Endemic Region: A Logistic-Regression Model Using History, Physical, and Laboratory Findings
Authors: Avery Robert A. , Frank Gary , Glutting Joseph J. , Eppes Stephen C.
Published: January 2006

BACKGROUND. Differentiating Lyme meningitis (LM) from other forms of aseptic meningitis (AM) in children is a common diagnostic dilemma in Lyme disease–endemic regions. Prior studies have compared clinical characteristics of patients with LM versus patients with documented enteroviral infections. No large studies have compared patients with LM to all patients presenting with AM and attempted to define a clinical prediction model.

OBJECTIVE. To create a statistical model to predict LM versus AM in children based on history, physical, and laboratory findings during the initial presentation of meningitis.

METHODS. Children older than 2 years presenting to the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children between October 1999 and September 2004 were identified if both Lyme serology and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were collected during the same hospital encounter. Patients were considered to have Lyme disease only if they met Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria (documented erythema migrans and/or positive Lyme serology). Patients were eligible for study inclusion if they had documented meningitis (CSF white blood cell count: >8 per mm3). Retrospective chart review abstracted duration of headache and cranial neuritis (papilledema or cranial nerve palsy) on physical examination and percent CSF mononuclear cells. Using logistic-regression analysis, the type of meningitis (LM versus AM) was simultaneously regressed on these 3 variables. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was performed and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated.

RESULTS. A total of 175 children with meningitis were included in the final statistical model. Logistic-regression analysis included 27 patients with LM and 148 patients classified as having AM. Duration of headache, cranial neuritis, and percent CSF mononuclear cells independently predicted LM. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test revealed a good fit for the model, and the Nagelkerke R2 effect size demonstrated good predictive efficacy. Odds ratios based on the logistic-regression results were calculated for these variables. The final model was transformed into a clinical prediction model that allows practitioners to calculate the probability of a child having LM.

CONCLUSIONS. Longer duration of headache, presence of cranial neuritis, and predominance of CSF mononuclear cells are predictive of LM in children presenting with meningitis in a Lyme disease–endemic region. The clinical prediction model can help guide the clinician about the need for parenteral antibiotics while awaiting serology results.
Cheerleading-Related Injuries to Children 5 to 18 Years of Age: United States, 1990–2002
Authors: Shields Brenda J. , Smith Gary A.
Published: January 2006

OBJECTIVE. To describe the epidemiology of cheerleading-related injuries among children in the United States.

DESIGN. A retrospective analysis of data for children 5 to 18 years old from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, 1990–2002.

METHODS. Sample weights provided by the NEISS were used to make national estimates of cheerleading-related injuries. Injury rates were calculated for the most frequently occurring types of injury using cheerleading participation data.

RESULTS. An estimated 208 800 children (95% confidence interval [CI]: 166 620–250 980) 5 to 18 years of age were treated in US hospital emergency departments for cheerleading-related injuries during the 13-year period of 1990–2002. The number of injuries increased by 110% from 10 900 in 1990 to 22 900 in 2002, with an average of 16 100 (95% CI: 12 848–19 352) injuries per year (P < .01). The average age of injured children was 14.4 years (median: 15.0 years); 97% were female; and 85% of injuries occurred to children 12 to 17 years old. The number of injuries per 1000 participants per year was greater for 12- to 17-year-olds (8.1) than for 6- to 11-year-olds (1.2) for all cheerleading-related injuries combined (P < .01; relative risk [RR]: 6.49; 95% CI: 6.40–6.58), as well as for injuries grouped by body part injured and type of injury. The body parts injured were lower extremity (37.2%), upper extremity (26.4%), head/neck (18.8%), trunk (16.8%), and other (0.8%). Injury diagnoses were strains/sprains (52.4%), soft tissue injuries (18.4%), fractures/dislocations (16.4%), lacerations/avulsions (3.8%), concussions/closed head injuries (3.5%), and other (5.5%). Children in the 12- to 18-year age group were more likely to sustain strains or sprains to the lower extremity than 5- to 11-year-olds (P < .01; RR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.50–1.88). The majority of patients with cheerleading-related injuries was treated and released from the emergency department (98.7%). Patients sustaining fractures or dislocations were more likely to be admitted to the hospital than those sustaining other types of injury (P < .01; RR: 5.30; 95% CI: 3.29–6.43).

CONCLUSIONS. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report numbers, rates, and trends of cheerleading-related injuries to children using a nationally representative sample. Cheerleading is an important source of injury to girls. The number of cheerleading-related injuries more than doubled during the 13-year study period. A set of uniform rules and regulations directed at increasing the safety of cheerleading, that are universally enforced, should be implemented. Mandatory completion of a safety training and certification program should be required of all cheerleading coaches. Establishment of a national database for cheerleading-related injuries would facilitate the development and evaluation of injury-prevention strategies based on epidemiologic evidence.
Characterization of the Interaction of Hypericin with Protein Kinase C in U‐87 MG Human Glioma Cells
Authors: Kocanova Silvia , Hornakova Tekla , Hritz Jozef , Jancura Daniel , Chorvat Dusan , Mateasik Anton , Ulicny Jozef , Refregiers Matthieu , Maurizot Jean‐Claude , Miskovsky Pavol
Published: January 2006

A fluorescence imaging technique was used to monitor intracellular localization of protein kinase C (PKC) in U‐87 MG human glioma cells in the presence of hypericin (Hyp) and phorbol 12‐myristate‐13‐acetate (PMA). It is shown that PKC localization, which reflects its activity, is influenced by Hyp and this influence is different from that observed for PMA which acts as PKC activator. Fluorescence binding experiments were used to determine the binding constants of Hyp to several isoforms of PKC. The obtained values of Kds (∼100 nM) suggest that Hyp binds with high affinity to PKC. Finally, molecular modeling was used to compare structural models of the interaction of C1B domain of PKC (PKC isoforms α, δ, γ) with Hyp and our previously published model of the (C1B domain PKCγ)/PMA complex. The influence of Hyp on PKC translocation in U‐87 MG cells in comparison with PMA, colocalization fluorescence pattern of Hyp and PKC, the higher binding affinity of Hyp to PKC in comparison with known binding constants of phorbol esters, as well as the binding mode of Hyp and PMA to the C1B domain of PKC suggested by molecular modeling, support the idea that Hyp and PMA might competitively bind to the regulatory domain of PKC.
Myeloid Sarcoma Occurring Concurrently With Drug‐Induced Gingival Enlargement
Authors: Yoon Angela J. , Pulse Carla , Cohen Lori D. , Lew Timothy A. , Zegarelli David J.
Published: January 2006

Background: Myeloid sarcoma is an extramedullary malignancy of myeloblasts. An unusual case of myeloid sarcoma presenting in the gingiva and affected by drug‐induced gingival enlargement is presented.

Methods: A 63‐year‐old male taking amlodipine for his hypertension presented with a 3‐week gingival enlargement. Although the obvious clinical impression was that of drug‐induced gingival enlargement, an incisional biopsy was performed to corroborate chemical enlargement while ruling out diseases such as lymphoma and leukemia.

Results: Microscopic examination of the thickened gingiva revealed surface stratified squamous epithelium having needle‐like rete pegs characteristic of drug‐induced gingival enlargement. Beneath the surface epithelium, the fibrous tissue was virtually replaced by a dense infiltrate of malignant cells. Immunohistochemical studies were performed with CD117 and myeloperoxidase identifying the malignant cell population as myeloblasts, leading to a diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma.

Conclusion: Myeloid sarcoma and hematopoietic malignancies must be included in a differential diagnosis of gingival enlargement until the definitive diagnosis is reached by histologic/laboratory examination.
Ligneous Periodontitis and Ehlers‐Danlos Syndrome
Authors: Pierro Viviane S.S. , Vazquez‐Sullca Ramon , Vieira Áurea Simone Barrôso , Takiya Christina Maeda , Carakushansky Gerson , Feres‐Filho Eduardo J.
Published: January 2006

Background: Generalized membranous gingival enlargement due to an accumulation of fibrin deposits associated with severe alveolar bone loss (ligneous periodontitis) is a rare condition, and plasminogen deficiency seems to play a central role in its pathogenesis. However, this condition has not been described in association with syndromes. This article reports a case of ligneous periodontitis in a boy with the classic type of Ehlers‐Danlos syndrome (EDS).

Methods: A 12‐year‐old white male presented with generalized gingival overgrowth and severe alveolar bone loss. A physical examination revealed clinical signs of EDS (velvety skin with mild hyperextensibility, marked hypermobility of the limb joints, atrophic scars on his knees, and easy bruising), which is associated with a positive family history for joint hypermobility. A biopsy of gingival tissues was submitted for routine histology, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and direct immunofluorescence (antifibrinogen). An evaluation of plasminogen activity was also performed.

Results: Histopathology revealed chronic periodontitis with fibrinoid material deposition, and direct immunofluorescence proved to be positive for fibrin. Functional plasminogen was reduced. A conclusive diagnosis of ligneous periodontitis due to plasminogen deficiency associated with the classic type of EDS was rendered.

Conclusions: Ehlers‐Danlos syndrome can be associated with ligneous periodontitis. In the present case, the histologic examination represented an important tool in the differential diagnosis, because it ruled out EDS type VIII as the associated systemic factor to periodontal breakdown.
Relationship of Serum Advanced Glycation End Products With Deterioration of Periodontitis in Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Authors: Takeda Munehiro , Ojima Miki , Yoshioka Hideo , Inaba Hiroaki , Kogo Mikihiko , Shizukuishi Satoshi , Nomura Makoto , Amano Atsuo
Published: January 2006

Background: A close relationship between diabetes and chronic periodontitis has been demonstrated. We previously found that Porphyromonas gingivalis with the type II fimA gene is an infectious factor closely associated with the deterioration seen in diabetic periodontitis patients. In the present study, we examined whether other biomarkers are related to the development and deterioration of periodontitis often seen in type 2 diabetic individuals.

Methods: A total of 97 type 2 diabetes patients with and without periodontitis were recruited, and their periodontal and diabetic conditions were analyzed. The ratio (%) of teeth with an attachment loss >5 mm among all teeth in each subject was used as an index of periodontal deterioration. Peripheral blood was tested for levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), advanced glycation end products (AGEs), C‐reactive protein (CRP), and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]‐α and interleukin [IL]‐1β). Subgingival plaque samples were also examined for the occurrences of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythensis, Treponema denticola, and Prevotella intermedia.

Results: Serum AGEs were significantly associated with deterioration of periodontitis, whereas no other serum biochemical marker or bacterial occurrence showed a clear relationship with that condition.

Conclusion: AGEs may be factors associated with diabetic periodontitis and may be useful as biomarkers that reflect such deterioration.
Local Oxygen Therapy for Treating Acute Necrotizing Periodontal Disease in Smokers
Authors: Gaggl Alexander J. , Rainer Heribert , Grund Eveline , Chiari Friedrich M.
Published: January 2006

Background: The main aim of treatment for acute necrotizing periodontal disease is fast and effective reduction of anaerobic destructive microorganisms to avoid periodontal damage. The effect of adjunctive local oxygen therapy in the treatment of necrotizing periodontal disease was examined in this study.

Methods: Thirty patients with acute necrotizing periodontal disease were treated with the systemic antibiotics amoxicillin, clavulanic acid, and metronidazole. In 15 out of 30 patients, adjunctive local oxygen therapy was administered. The patients were followed from the first to 10th day of treatment with clinical and bacteriological examinations. The clinical examination registered gingival bleeding, periodontal probing depth, and attachment loss; to follow up microbiological colonization of the periodontal sulcus, five representative bacteria were registered by a semiquantitative DNA polymerase chain reaction test.

Results: In both groups of patients, colonization with Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythensis, and Treponema denticola was initially positive. None of these three microorganisms were completely eradicated in any of the patients in the group without oxygen therapy within the first 10 days of treatment. In the group with adjunctive oxygen therapy, all patients either showed a reduction in or complete eradication of the microorganisms, resulting in more rapid clinical restitution with less periodontal destruction.

Conclusions: Adjunctive oxygen therapy results in early eradication of pathogenic anaerobic microorganisms in cases of acute necrotizing periodontal disease. The damage to periodontal tissue is reduced.
Increase in Probing Depth Is Correlated With a Higher Number of Prevotella intermedia Genotypes
Authors: Alves Ana Cláudia B.A. , Napimoga Marcelo H. , Klein Marlise I. , Hofling Jose F. , Gonçalves Reginaldo B.
Published: January 2006

Background: The aims of this study were to determine the genotypic diversity of Prevotella intermedia in subgingival plaque samples by using two techniques, arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP‐PCR) and heteroduplex analysis, and to assess the relationship of this diversity with increase in probing depth.

Methods: The subgingival plaque samples were obtained from 12 patients using paper points inserted into periodontal pockets (diseased sites) and healthy gingival sulci (healthy sites) of the same subjects. After isolation and identification, AP‐PCR was performed for genotypic characterization of P. intermedia (80 isolates). The clinical samples with a positive result for P. intermedia were amplified by 16S rRNA‐based PCR method, and the amplicons were subjected to heteroduplex analysis.

Results: The agreement between the two methods was very high; the AP‐PCR and heteroduplex analysis showed that subjects harbored between one and five distinct genotypes of P. intermedia, with a positive association between numbers of genotypes by AP‐PCR (P = 0.0042) or heteroduplex (P = 0.0099) and increase in probing depth. No matching of P. intermedia genotypes was observed between healthy and diseased sites of the same individual. Interindividual analyses demonstrated absence of identical clones and indicated a high level of genetic diversity in the species.

Conclusion: A clear relationship was observed between a higher number of genotypes and increase in probing depth; these results suggest that environmental challenges in the periodontal pockets may modulate the microbiota by selecting genotypes best able to exploit the environment.
Experimental Investigation of Ethanol Enrichment Behavior in Batch and Continuous Feed Ultrasonic Atomization Systems
Authors: Suzuki K. , Kirpalani D. M. , McCracken T. W.
Published: January 2006

The fragmentation of a liquid layer to form a fine droplet mist by high frequency ultrasonic atomization of liquids has been applied to a range of industrial applications such as fine chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical production, and food processing. A recent development is the separation of alcohol from miscible alcohol‐water mixtures using ultrasonic atomization. In this work, the effect of high frequency ultrasonic atomization at 1.6 MHz on the enrichment of ethanol from ethanol‐water feed mixtures has been studied. Experiments for evaluating this enrichment process were conducted in batch and continuous feed processing systems. The continuous enrichment process generated product concentrations that were higher than the equivalent vapor‐liquid equilibrium curve at feed concentrations greater than 40 mol.‐% in a single stage. The role of the ultrasonic jet formed at the surface of the feed solution combined with the ethanol separation characteristics has been discussed.
Titanocene(II)‐Promoted Cross‐Coupling of Unsaturated Compounds
Authors: Ogata Akitoshi , Nemoto Masami , Arai Koutarou , Kobayashi Kenji , Tsubouchi Akira , Takeda Takeshi
Published: January 2006

Vinyl pivalate in the presence of the titanocene(II) reagent Cp2Ti[P(OEt)3]2reacts both with nonpolar C≡C triple bonds and with polar C=O double bonds, to produce conjugated dienes and allylic alcohols, respectively. Similar alkenylation also takes place when (Z)‐alkenyl sulfones are treated with alkynes and carbonyl compounds. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Generation of a Snail1 (Snai1) conditional null allele
Authors: Murray Stephen A. , Carver Ethan A. , Gridley Thomas
Published: January 2006

Members of the Snail gene superfamily, which encode zinc finger transcriptional repressors, play critical roles in the establishment of the vertebrate body plan. The Snail1 (Snai1) gene promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transitions during development and disease progression, and Snai1 null mouse embryos exhibit defects in gastrulation. However, the early embryonic lethality of Snai1 null embryos precludes the study of Snai1 function in other developmental contexts or diseases. To overcome this restriction, we generated a Snai1 conditional null allele by flanking the promoter and first two exons of the Snai1 gene with loxP sites. Cre‐mediated deletion of the Snai1flox allele generates the Snai1del2 allele, which behaves genetically as a Snai1 null allele. This conditional null allele will enable investigation of Snai1 function in a variety of developmental and pathological contexts. genesis 44:7–11, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High‐resolution mass spectrometric mapping of reovirus digestion
Authors: Hadžisejdić Ita , Cheng Keding , Wilkins John A. , Ens Werner , Coombs Kevin M.
Published: January 2006

Reovirus is an enteric virus built from eight structural proteins that form a double‐layered capsid. During virus entry into cells the reovirus outermost capsid layer (composed of proteinsσ3 and µ1C) is proteolytically processed to generate first an infectious subviral particle (ISVP), then the transcriptionally active core particle. Previous studies have demonstrated that proteinσ3, the outermost protein in the viral capsid, is removed from virus particles extremely rapidly. Other studies, using the detergent tetradecyl sulfate (14SO4) in combination with the protease chymotrypsin, have shown that µ1C cleavage is not necessary for infectious viral processing. We have recently used mass spectrometry to characterize the cascade ofσ3 proteolysis in intact reovirus serotype 1 Lang (T1L) virions (Mendezet al.,Virology2003; 311: 289–304). In the present study, we use high‐resolution mass spectrometry to characterize the cascade of outer capsid digestion of both T1L and the other commonly used reovirus strain (serotype 3 Dearing [T3D]), with the protease trypsin, both in the presence and absence of 14SO4. These studies indicate that digestion kinetics and specificities are determined both by virus type and by presence or absence of detergent. Presence of detergent accelerated digestion of both outer capsid proteins. In contrast to chymotrypsin digestion, which segregatedσ3 digestion from µ1 digestion, both proteins were rapidly digested by trypsin in the presence of detergent. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.