bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of Obesity Across the Lifespan
Authors: Hebl Michelle R. , Ruggs Enrica N. , Singletary Sarah L. , Beal Daniel J.
Published: October 2008

Objective:Previous research on obesity stereotyping has almost extensively involved looking at the perceptions that 5–21‐year‐old individuals have toward members of their own age in‐group. Very little research has examined how people perceive obesity across the lifespan. The current research begins to address this gap by examining the extent to which individuals between 18 and 77 years of age stereotype obesity in 20, 40, and 60‐year‐old targets.

Methods and Procedures:A total of 106 male and 102 female white participants viewed nine standardized Adobe‐ cropped photos that depicted 20, 40, and 60‐year‐old faces on slender, large, and very large‐sized bodies. After viewing each photo, participants evaluated the targets on six dimensions used in previous obesity stereotyping research.

Results:As predicted, heavier women were rated more negatively than thinner women on every dimension we examined. In addition, older women were rated more negatively than younger women on attractiveness, but more positively on every other dimension. Other main effects revealed that female (relative to male) and older (relative to younger) participants were more lenient in their ratings. Several two‐way interactions revealed that the obesity stereotype for attractiveness is exaggerated when targets are younger, that males (compared to females) levy a greater penalty for increasing weight, and that this pattern is exaggerated more for younger men.

Discussion:This research shows a consistency across the lifespan in the extent to which participants, varying in weight, age, and sex, stereotype obesity. It also appears that, at least with respect to attractiveness, younger obese individuals are denigrated to a larger degree than older. In sum, this research shows prevalent and consistent patterns of obesity stereotyping across the lifespan.
Molecular characterization of the TonB2 protein from the fish pathogenVibrio anguillarum
Authors: López Claudia S. , Peacock R. Sean , Crosa Jorge H. , Vogel Hans J.
Published: October 2008

In the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum the TonB2 protein is essential for the uptake of the indigenous siderophore anguibactin. Here we describe deletion mutants and alanine replacements affecting the final six amino acids of TonB2. Deletions of more than two amino acids of the TonB2 C-terminus abolished ferric-anguibactin transport, whereas replacement of the last three residues resulted in a protein with wild-type transport properties. We have solved the high-resolution solution structure of the TonB2 C-terminal domain by NMR spectroscopy. The core of this domain (residues 121–206) has an αββαβ structure, whereas residues 76–120 are flexible and extended. This overall folding topology is similar to the Escherichia coli TonB C-terminal domain, albeit with two differences: the β4 strand found at the C-terminus of TonB is absent in TonB2, and loop 3 is extended by 9 Å (0.9 nm) in TonB2. By examining several mutants, we determined that a complete loop 3 is not essential for TonB2 activity. Our results indicate that the β4 strand of E. coli TonB is not required for activity of the TonB system across Gram-negative bacterial species. We have also determined, through NMR chemical-shift-perturbation experiments, that the E. coli TonB binds in vitro to the TonB box from the TonB2-dependent outer membrane transporter FatA; moreover, it can substitute in vivo for TonB2 during ferric-anguibactin transport in V. anguillarum. Unexpectedly, TonB2 did not bind in vitro to the FatA TonB-box region, suggesting that additional factors may be required to promote this interaction. Overall our results indicate that TonB2 is a representative of a different class of TonB proteins.
Statins for heart failure: still caught in no man's land?
Authors: von Haehling Stephan
Published: October 2008

Statins are well-known for their ability to lower serum cholesterol levels, but have properties beyond mere cholesterol reduction, including an improvement in endothelial dysfunction, release of endothelial progenitor cells, anti-inflammatory properties and a number of antitumour activities. In the present issue of Clinical Science, Stumpf et al. show that a 4-week treatment course with the lipophilic statin atorvastatin ameliorates left ventricular remodelling and function, reduces serum levels of TNF-α (tumour necrosis factor-α), IL (interleukin)-6 and MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), and increases both serum and myocardial levels of IL-10. The authors hypothesize that this shift from a pro- to an anti-inflammatory response might be beneficial in the clinical setting, because patients with low levels of IL-10 may fare worse than those with higher levels. In light of the recent setbacks with rosuvastatin in large-scale clinical trials, this notion requires further investigation, but highlights the need to identify those patients with heart failure who are likely to benefit from statin therapy.
Analytical approach for strain and piezoelectric potential in conical self-assembled quantum dots
Authors: Cheche T. O. , Chang Yia-Chung
Published: October 2008

The problems of strain and piezoelectric effect are solved for a buried semiconductor quantum dot (QD) of conical shape with wetting layer, within continuum elastic model. Analytical results are obtained for the isotropic case of the elasticity. For the isotropic dielectric constant case, we provide an analytical expression of the piezoelectric potential. An extension of Eshelby’s [Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A 241, 376 (1957)] continuum elasticity theory of inclusions to QDs with wetting layers is adopted. The results for self-assembled InAs/GaAs QDs are compared with numerical results obtained with an atomistic model based on the valence force field method. We find good agreement between the results obtained with the two methods.
Application of a self-breakdown hydrogen spark gap switch on high power pulse modulator
Authors: Liu Jin-liang , Yin Yi , Zhan Tian-wen , Feng Jia-huai , Zhong Hui-huang , Wang Xin-xin
Published: October 2008

Hydrogen has the best recovery property compared to other gases such as N2 and SF6. Therefore, it has a potential application on the multipulse or high repetitive pulse modulator. This paper introduced a high pressure hydrogen gas switch with two cylindrical structures. The stress of the switch under high pressure was analyzed theoretically, and the hydrogen gas switch was hydrostatically tested with pressure up to 30 atm. Such a switch was employed on a high power pulse modulator using water as the dielectric of pulse forming line. At the switch breakdown voltage of 520 kV and the pressure of hydrogen 12 atm, 230 kV, 31 kA, and 60 ns pulse width electron beams were obtained at the field emission diode. Furthermore, when the switch was filled with different gases such as H2, N2, and SF6, the rise times of diode voltage of modulator had been compared at the gas breakdown voltage 400 kV. The results showed that the rise times of diode voltage were reduced obviously when hydrogen was used as the dielectric of spark gap switch.
Stable carbon isotope analysis of selected halocarbons at parts per trillion concentration in an urban location
Authors: Mead M. I. , Khan M. A. H. , Bull I. D. , White I. R. , Nickless G. , Shallcross D. E.
Published: October 2008

Environmental Context. Halocarbons can have significant effects on the atmosphere and the environment, particularly with regard to ozone depletion and climate change impacts. The determination of isotopic concentrations for selected halocarbon species should provide useful information to identify and constrain halocarbon sources and sinks within the urban environment. In the present study, a new instrumental method is described to determine these isotope ratios for selected halocarbons and the resultant data are interpreted in terms of local sources and sinks.
Abstract. δ13C values of a suite of halocarbons have been determined in an urban background site in Bristol, UK. A novel mobile preconcentration system, based on the use of multi-adsorbent sample tubes, has been developed for trapping relatively large-volume air samples in potentially remote areas. An Adsorption Desorption System–Gas Chromatography–Electron Capture Detector was used to measure the mixing ratios of the selected halocarbon species, while a Gas Chromatography–Combustion–Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer was used to determine δ13C values. For the species with strong local sources, the variation of isotope ratios has been observed over the experimental period. Some of the results reported in the present study differ from previously reported values and reasons for this are discussed. The reporting of different δ13C values for selected halocarbons from different areas in the present study suggests that δ13C values may be used to determine the relative magnitudes of anthropogenic and biogenic sources.
Crystal structure of I-DmoI in complex with its target DNA provides new insights into meganuclease engineering
Authors: Marcaida María José , Prieto Jesús , Redondo Pilar , Nadra Alejandro D. , Alibés Andreu , Serrano Luis , Grizot Sylvestre , Duchateau Philippe , Pâques Frédéric , Blanco Francisco J. , Montoya Guillermo
Published: October 2008

Homing endonucleases, also known as meganucleases, are sequence-specific enzymes with large DNA recognition sites. These enzymes can be used to induce efficient homologous gene targeting in cells and plants, opening perspectives for genome engineering with applications in a wide series of fields, ranging from biotechnology to gene therapy. Here, we report the crystal structures at 2.0 and 2.1 Å resolution of the I-DmoI meganuclease in complex with its substrate DNA before and after cleavage, providing snapshots of the catalytic process. Our study suggests that I-DmoI requires only 2 cations instead of 3 for DNA cleavage. The structure sheds light onto the basis of DNA binding, indicating key residues responsible for nonpalindromic target DNA recognition.
In silico
and
in vivo
analysis of the I-DmoI DNA cleavage specificity suggests that despite the relatively few protein-base contacts, I-DmoI is highly specific when compared with other meganucleases. Our data open the door toward the generation of custom endonucleases for targeted genome engineering using the monomeric I-DmoI scaffold.
Evolutionary history and the effect of biodiversity on plant productivity
Authors: Cadotte Marc W. , Cardinale Bradley J. , Oakley Todd H.
Published: October 2008

Loss of biological diversity because of extinction is one of the most pronounced changes to the global environment. For several decades, researchers have tried to understand how changes in biodiversity might impact biomass production by examining how biomass correlates with a number of biodiversity metrics (especially the number of species and functional groups). This body of research has focused on species with the implicit assumption that they are independent entities. However, functional and ecological similarities are shaped by patterns of common ancestry, such that distantly related species might contribute more to production than close relatives, perhaps by increasing niche breadth. Here, we analyze 2 decades of experiments performed in grassland ecosystems throughout the world and examine whether the evolutionary relationships among the species comprising a community predict how biodiversity impacts plant biomass production. We show that the amount of phylogenetic diversity within communities explained significantly more variation in plant community biomass than other measures of diversity, such as the number of species or functional groups. Our results reveal how evolutionary history can provide critical information for understanding, predicting, and potentially ameliorating the effects of biodiversity loss and should serve as an impetus for new biodiversity experiments.
Thermal conditions during juvenile development affect adult dispersal in a spider
Authors: Bonte Dries , Travis Justin M. J. , De Clercq Nele , Zwertvaegher Ingrid , Lens Luc
Published: October 2008

Understanding the causes and consequences of dispersal is a prerequisite for the effective management of natural populations. Rather than treating dispersal as a fixed trait, it should be considered a plastic process that responds to both genetic and environmental conditions. Here, we consider how the ambient temperature experienced by juvenileErigone atra, a spider inhabiting crop habitat, influences adult dispersal. This species exhibits 2 distinct forms of dispersal, ballooning (long distance) and rappelling (short distance). Using a half-sib design we raised individuals under 4 different temperature regimes and quantified the spiders' propensity to balloon and to rappel. Additionally, as an indicator of investment in settlement, we determined the size of the webs build by the spiders following dispersal. The optimal temperature regimes for reproduction and overall dispersal investment were 20 °C and 25 °C. Propensity to perform short-distance movements was lowest at 15 °C, whereas for long-distance dispersal it was lowest at 30 °C. Plasticity in dispersal was in the direction predicted on the basis of the risks associated with seasonal changes in habitat availability; long-distance ballooning occurred more frequently under cooler, spring-like conditions and short-distance rappelling under warmer, summer-like conditions. Based on these findings, we conclude that thermal conditions during development provide juvenile spiders with information about the environmental conditions they are likely to encounter as adults and that this information influences the spider's dispersal strategy. Climate change may result in suboptimal adult dispersal behavior, with potentially deleterious population level consequences.
The chemistrode: A droplet-based microfluidic device for stimulation and recording with high temporal, spatial, and chemical resolution
Authors: Chen Delai , Du Wenbin , Liu Ying , Liu Weishan , Kuznetsov Andrey , Mendez Felipe E. , Philipson Louis H. , Ismagilov Rustem F.
Published: October 2008

Microelectrodes enable localized electrical stimulation and recording, and they have revolutionized our understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of systems that generate or respond to electrical signals. However, such comprehensive understanding of systems that rely on molecular signals—e.g., chemical communication in multicellular neural, developmental, or immune systems—remains elusive because of the inability to deliver, capture, and interpret complex chemical information. To overcome this challenge, we developed the “chemistrode,” a plug-based microfluidic device that enables stimulation, recording, and analysis of molecular signals with high spatial and temporal resolution. Stimulation with and recording of pulses as short as 50 ms was demonstrated. A pair of chemistrodes fabricated by multilayer soft lithography recorded independent signals from 2 locations separated by 15 μm. Like an electrode, the chemistrode does not need to be built into an experimental system—it is simply brought into contact with a chemical or biological substrate, and, instead of electrical signals, molecular signals are exchanged. Recorded molecular signals can be injected with additional reagents and analyzed off-line by multiple, independent techniques in parallel (e.g., fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, MALDI-MS, and fluorescence microscopy). When recombined, these analyses provide a time-resolved chemical record of a system's response to stimulation. Insulin secretion from a single murine islet of Langerhans was measured at a frequency of 0.67 Hz by using the chemistrode. This article characterizes and tests the physical principles that govern the operation of the chemistrode to enable its application to probing local dynamics of chemically responsive matter in chemistry and biology.
Role of α4β1 Integrins in Chemokine‐Induced Monocyte Arrest under Conditions of Shear Stress
Authors: HYDUK SHARON J. , CYBULSKY MYRON I.
Published: October 2008

Monocyte recruitment or emigration to tissues is an essential component of host defense in both acute and chronic inflammatory responses. Sequential molecular interactions mediate a cascade of tethering, rolling, arrest, stable adhesion, and intravascular crawling that culminates in monocyte diapedesis across the vascular endothelium and migration through the basement membrane of postcapillary venules. Integrins are complex adhesion and signaling molecules. Dynamic alterations in their conformation and distribution on the monocyte cell surface are required for many steps of monocyte emigration. Intracellular signaling initiated by chemokine receptors induces conformational changes in integrins that upregulate their affinity for ligands, and this is essential for monocyte arrest. This review focuses on the activation of monocyte α4β1 integrins by endothelial chemokines, which is required for the arrest of monocytes rolling on vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 under shear flow. Using soluble ligand‐binding assays and adhesion assays in parallel‐plate flow chambers, critical signaling mediators in chemokine‐induced α4β1 integrin affinity upregulation and monocyte arrest have been identified, including phospholipase C, calcium, and calmodulin.
iMapper: a web application for the automated analysis and mapping of insertional mutagenesis sequence data against Ensembl genomes
Authors: Kong Jun , Zhu Fei , Stalker Jim , Adams David J.
Published: October 2008

Summary: Insertional mutagenesis is a powerful method for gene discovery. To identify the location of insertion sites in the genome linker based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods (such as splinkerette-PCR) may be employed. We have developed a web application called iMapper (Insertional Mutagenesis Mapping and Analysis Tool) for the efficient analysis of insertion site sequence reads against vertebrate and invertebrate Ensembl genomes. Taking linker based sequences as input, iMapper scans and trims the sequence to remove the linker and sequences derived from the insertional mutagen. The software then identifies and removes contaminating sequences derived from chimeric genomic fragments, vector or the transposon concatamer and then presents the clipped sequence reads to a sequence mapping server which aligns them to an Ensembl genome. Insertion sites can then be navigated in Ensembl in the context of genomic features such as gene structures. iMapper also generates test-based format for nucleic acid or protein sequences (FASTA) and generic file format (GFF) files of the clipped sequence reads and provides a graphical overview of the mapped insertion sites against a karyotype. iMapper is designed for high-throughput applications and can efficiently process thousands of DNA sequence reads.

Availability:  iMapper is web based and can be accessed at http://www.sanger.ac.uk/cgi-bin/teams/team113/imapper.cgi.

Contact:  da1@sanger.ac.uk; iMapper@sanger.ac.uk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Bayesian robust analysis for genetic architecture of quantitative traits
Authors: Yang Runqing , Wang Xin , Li Jian , Deng Hongwen
Published: October 2008

Motivation: In most quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping studies, phenotypes are assumed to follow normal distributions. Deviations from this assumption may affect the accuracy of QTL detection and lead to detection of spurious QTLs. To improve the robustness of QTL mapping methods, we replaced the normal distribution for residuals in multiple interacting QTL models with the normal/independent distributions that are a class of symmetric and long-tailed distributions and are able to accommodate residual outliers. Subsequently, we developed a Bayesian robust analysis strategy for dissecting genetic architecture of quantitative traits and for mapping genome-wide interacting QTLs in line crosses.

Results: Through computer simulations, we showed that our strategy had a similar power for QTL detection compared with traditional methods assuming normal-distributed traits, but had a substantially increased power for non-normal phenotypes. When this strategy was applied to a group of traits associated with physical/chemical characteristics and quality in rice, more main and epistatic QTLs were detected than traditional Bayesian model analyses under the normal assumption.

Contact:  runqingyang@sjtu.edu.cn; dengh@umkc.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Integrating stochasticity and network structure into an epidemic model
Authors: Dangerfield C. E. , Ross J. V. , Keeling M. J.
Published: October 2008

While the foundations of modern epidemiology are based upon deterministic models with homogeneous mixing, it is being increasingly realized that both spatial structure and stochasticity play major roles in shaping epidemic dynamics. The integration of these two confounding elements is generally ascertained through numerical simulation. Here, for the first time, we develop a more rigorous analytical understanding based on pairwise approximations to incorporate localized spatial structure and diffusion approximations to capture the impact of stochasticity. Our results allow us to quantify, analytically, the impact of network structure on the variability of an epidemic. Using the susceptible–infectious–susceptible framework for the infection dynamics, the pairwise stochastic model is compared with the stochastic homogeneous-mixing (mean-field) model—although to enable a fair comparison the homogeneous-mixing parameters are scaled to give agreement with the pairwise dynamics. At equilibrium, we show that the pairwise model always displays greater variation about the mean, although the differences are generally small unless the prevalence of infection is low. By contrast, during the early epidemic growth phase when the level of infection is increasing exponentially, the pairwise model generally shows less variation.
Snub polyhedra and organic growth
Authors: Longuet-Higgins Michael S
Published: October 2008

This paper describes a new application of polyhedral theory to the growth of the outer sheath of certain viruses. Such structures are often modular, consisting of one or two types of units arranged in a symmetric pattern. In particular, the polyoma virus has a structure apparently related to the snub dodecahedron. Here, we consider the problem of how such patterns might grow in time, starting from a given number
N
of randomly placed circles on the surface of a sphere. The circles are first jostled by random perturbations, then their radii are enlarged, then they are jostled again, and so on. This ‘yin–yang’ method of growth can result in some very close packings. When
N
=12, the closest packing corresponds to the snub tetrahedron, and when
N
=24 the closest packing corresponds to the snub cube. However, when
N
=60 the closest packing does not correspond to the snub dodecahedron but to a less-symmetric arrangement. Special attention is given to the structure of the human polyoma virus, for which
N
=72. It is shown that the yin–yang procedure successfully assembles the observed structure provided that the 72 circles are pre-assembled in clusters of six. Each cluster consists of five circles arranged symmetrically around a sixth at the centre, as in a flower with five petals. This has implications for the assembly of the capsomeres in a polyoma virus.
Extreme endurance flights by landbirds crossing the Pacific Ocean: ecological corridor rather than barrier?
Authors: Gill Robert E , Tibbitts T. Lee , Douglas David C , Handel Colleen M , Mulcahy Daniel M , Gottschalck Jon C , Warnock Nils , McCaffery Brian J , Battley Philip F , Piersma Theunis
Published: October 2008

Mountain ranges, deserts, ice fields and oceans generally act as barriers to the movement of land-dependent animals, often profoundly shaping migration routes. We used satellite telemetry to track the southward flights of bar-tailed godwits (Limosa lapponica baueri), shorebirds whose breeding and non-breeding areas are separated by the vast central Pacific Ocean. Seven females with surgically implanted transmitters flew non-stop 8117–11 680 km (10 153±1043 s.d.) directly across the Pacific Ocean; two males with external transmitters flew non-stop along the same corridor for 7008–7390 km. Flight duration ranged from 6.0 to 9.4 days (7.8±1.3 s.d.) for birds with implants and 5.0 to 6.6 days for birds with externally attached transmitters. These extraordinary non-stop flights establish new extremes for avian flight performance, have profound implications for understanding the physiological capabilities of vertebrates and how birds navigate, and challenge current physiological paradigms on topics such as sleep, dehydration and phenotypic flexibility. Predicted changes in climatic systems may affect survival rates if weather conditions at their departure hub or along the migration corridor should change. We propose that this transoceanic route may function as an ecological corridor rather than a barrier, providing a wind-assisted passage relatively free of pathogens and predators.
Multimodal detection of sleep apnoea using electrocardiogram and oximetry signals
Authors: de Chazal Philip , Heneghan Conor , McNicholas Walter T
Published: October 2008

A method for the detection of sleep apnoea, suitable for use in the home environment, is presented. The method automatically analyses night-time electrocardiogram (ECG) and oximetry recordings and identifies periods of normal and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). The SDB is classified into one of six classes: obstructive, mixed and central apnoeas, and obstructive, mixed and central hypopnoeas. It also provides an estimated apnoea, hypopnoea and apnoea–hypopnoea index. The basis of the method is a pattern recognition system that identifies episodes of apnoea by analysing the heart variability, an ECG-derived respiration signal and blood oximetry values. The method has been tested on 183 subjects with a range of apnoea severities who have undergone a full overnight polysomnogram study. The results show that the method separates control subjects from subjects with clinically significant sleep apnoea with a specificity of 83 per cent and sensitivity of 95 per cent. These results demonstrate that home-based screening for sleep apnoea is a viable alternative to hospital-based tests with the added benefit of low cost and minimal waiting times.
A resource for the simultaneous high-resolution mapping of multiple quantitative trait loci in rats: The NIH heterogeneous stock
Authors: Johannesson Martina , Lopez-Aumatell Regina , Stridh Pernilla , Diez Margarita , Tuncel Jonatan , Blázquez Gloria , Martinez-Membrives Esther , Cañete Toni , Vicens-Costa Elia , Graham Delyth , Copley Richard R. , Hernandez-Pliego Polinka , Beyeen Amennai D. , Öckinger Johan , Fernández-Santamaría Cristina , Gulko Percio S. , Brenner Max , Tobeña Adolf , Guitart-Masip Marc , Giménez-Llort Lydia , Dominiczak Anna , Holmdahl Rikard , Gauguier Dominique , Olsson Tomas , Mott Richard , Valdar William , Redei Eva E. , Fernández-Teruel Alberto , Flint Jonathan
Published: October 2008

The laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a key tool for the study of medicine and pharmacology for human health. A large database of phenotypes for integrated fields such as cardiovascular, neuroscience, and exercise physiology exists in the literature. However, the molecular characterization of the genetic loci that give rise to variation in these traits has proven to be difficult. Here we show how one obstacle to progress, the fine-mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL), can be overcome by using an outbred population of rats. By use of a genetically heterogeneous stock of rats, we map a locus contributing to variation in a fear-related measure (two-way active avoidance in the shuttle box) to a region on chromosome 5 containing nine genes. By establishing a protocol measuring multiple phenotypes including immunology, neuroinflammation, and hematology, as well as cardiovascular, metabolic, and behavioral traits, we establish the rat HS as a new resource for the fine-mapping of QTLs contributing to variation in complex traits of biomedical relevance.
The Arabidopsis thaliana putative sialyltransferase resides in the Golgi apparatus but lacks the ability to transfer sialic acid
Authors: Daskalova S. M. , Pah A. R. , Baluch D. P. , Lopez L. C.
Published: October 2008

A common feature of the animal sialyltransferases (STs) is the presence of four conserved motifs, namely large (L), small (S), very small (VS) and motif III. Although sialic acid (SA) has not been detected in plants, three orthologues containing sequences similar to the ST motifs have been identified in the Arabidopsis thaliana L. database. In this study, we report that the At3g48820 gene (Gene ID: 824043) codes for a Golgi resident protein lacking the ability to transfer SA to asialofetuin or Galβ1,3GalNAc and Galβ1,4GlcNAc oligosaccharide acceptors. Restoration of deteriorated motifs S, VS and motif III by constructing chimeric proteins consisting of the 28–308 amino acid region of the A. thalianaAt3g48820 ST‐like protein and the 264–393 amino acid region of the Oryza sativa L. AK107493 ST‐like protein, or of the 28–240 amino acid region of the At3g48820 protein and the 204–350 amino acid region of the Homo sapiens L. α2,3‐ST (NP_008858) was not able to recover sialyltransferase activity. Altering the appropriate amino acid regions of the A. thalianaAt3g48820 ST‐like protein to those typical for the mammalian motif III (HHYWE) and VS motif (HDADFE) also did not have any effect. Our data, together with previous results, indicate that A. thaliana in particular, and plants in general, do not have transferases for SA. Substrates for the plant ST‐like proteins might be compounds involved in secondary metabolism.
Adenylyl cyclase encoded by AC78C participates in sugar perception in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Ueno Kohei , Kidokoro Yoshiaki
Published: October 2008

In gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs) in Drosophila melanogaster, Gr5a and one of the Gr64s encode sugar receptors with seven transmembrane domains. Previously, we have shown that the responses to various sugars are depressed in DGsα mutant flies (Ueno et al., 2006). Because DGsα is a homolog of Gs, we hypothesized that the sugar receptors are coupled to adenylyl cyclase (AC) in Drosophila. The aim of this study was to identify the AC that participates in sugar perception. Here, we found that an AC inhibitor, MDL‐12330A, depressed the response in GRNs to trehalose as well as sucrose; that an AC gene, AC78C, was expressed in the sugar‐sensitive GRNs; that RNAi against AC78C depressed the electrical response in GRNs to sucrose; and that the sugar response in GRNs, as well as sugar intake in a behavioral assay in an AC78C mutant, was depressed at low sugar concentrations. We conclude that AC78C, via cAMP, participates in the sugar‐taste signaling pathway at the low concentration range.
Are increased costs worth paying to raise non‐monetary utility?: Analysis of intrinsic motivation and fringe benefits
Authors: Matsumura Ryohei , Kobayashi Norimasa
Published: October 2008

In standard agency models, only performance‐based wages (monetary incentives) motivate an agent to work more. The present paper proposes a new agency model in which the principal makes an investment, in addition to the standard wage incentive, to raise non‐monetary utility. We clarify two problems according to the type of non‐monetary utility: the intrinsic motivation (IM) problem and the fringe benefits (FB) problem. The results of our analysis of both problems are as follows: (1) The results of the IM model and the FB model are similar regarding monetary payment. (2) Although IM is dependent on the attributes of a job and the worker, such as productivity or cost sensitivity, FB is not dependent on such factors.
Dual Diagnosis: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Relationship With Suicide Risk in a Nationwide Sample of French Prisoners
Authors: Lukasiewicz Michael , Blecha Lisa , Falissard Bruno , Neveu Xavier , Benyamina Amine , Reynaud Michel , Gasquet Isabelle
Published: October 2008

Background:  Axis I psychiatric disorders (PD) and substance use disorders (SUD) are common in prison, but only few studies have focused on their association in this setting. Dual diagnosis (DD) (the co‐occurrence of a SUD and any axis I disorder) is known to have a poorer prognosis and to require more intense supportive care.

Objectives:  The objectives of this study were (1) to describe prisoners with DD (prevalence and characteristics); (2) to compare DD prisoners with 3 other groups of prisoners: no diagnosis (ND), SUD alone, or other isolated PD; and (3) to evaluate the impact of DD on suicide risk in prison.

Method:  A random stratified strategy was used to select 23 various types of prisons and 998 prisoners. Diagnoses were assessed using a unique procedure, each prisoner being evaluated by 2 psychiatrists, 1 junior, using a structured interview (MINI 5 plus), and 1 senior, using an open clinical interview. Following interviews, clinicians met to establish a list of diagnoses. Cloninger’s temperament and character inventory was also used.

Results:  Of the prisoners, 26.3% had a DD. DD prevalence was almost 80% in prisoners with SUD, while only one‐third of the prisoners with an axis I PD had co‐morbid SUD. No significant differences were observed in drug use patterns between DD and SUD without co‐morbid PDs. DD showed the strongest association with suicide risk [OR = 5.7 (1.7–4.6)].

Conclusion:  DD is very frequent in prison and is a major risk factor for suicide. Systematic psychiatric/SUD screening of prisoners with either a SUD or an axis I PD should be encouraged.
Alcohol and Self‐Rated Health in a Mediterranean Country: The Role of Average Volume, Drinking Pattern, and Alcohol Dependence
Authors: Valencia‐Martín José Lorenzo , Galán Iñaki , Rodríguez‐Artalejo Fernando
Published: October 2008

Background:  The association between average alcohol consumption and self‐rated ill‐health is “J‐shaped” in Scandinavian and Anglo‐Saxon countries, but it has shown an inverse linear relationship in the few studies conducted in Mediterranean countries, based on average volume solely.

Objective:  To examine the relationship between alcohol and self‐rated health in the general population of a Mediterranean country, by simultaneously taking into account average volume, drinking pattern, and alcohol abuse.

Methods:  From 2000 to 2005, we conducted telephone interviews on 12,037 persons, representative of the population aged 18 to 64 years in Madrid, Spain. The drinking pattern encompassed binge drinking, beverage preference, and drinking at mealtimes. Alcohol abuse was estimated by the CAGE test. The association between each alcohol‐related variable and self‐rated suboptimal (fair, poor, or very poor) health was estimated from logistic regression, with adjustment for the remaining alcohol‐related variables and other potential confounders.

Results:  In comparison with never‐drinkers, suboptimal health was less frequent among occasional drinkers [odds ratio (OR) 0.72; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61 to 0.86], average moderate drinkers (OR 0.57; 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.69), and excessive drinkers (OR 0.51; 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.72), but more frequent among former drinkers with ≥1 year of abstinence (OR 1.30; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.64). Frequency of suboptimal health was likewise higher in subjects with ≥3 episodes of binge drinking (OR 1.55; 95% CI: 1.12 to 2.14) or alcohol abuse (OR 1.47; 95% CI: 1.22 to 1.76). No differences were observed in suboptimal health according to beverage preference or drinking at mealtimes. Results in each gender were similar to those for total study participants.

Conclusions:  Occasional, moderate, and excessive consumption of alcohol are associated with better self‐rated health, even after adjustment for drinking pattern and alcohol abuse. In contrast, former‐drinking, frequent binge drinking, and alcohol abuse are all associated with suboptimal self‐rated health.
Effective Exercise for the Prevention of Falls: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Sherrington Catherine , Whitney Julie C. , Lord Stephen R. , Herbert Robert D. , Cumming Robert G. , Close Jacqueline C. T.
Published: October 2008

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of exercise on falls prevention in older people and establish whether particular trial characteristics or components of exercise programs are associated with larger reductions in falls.

DESIGN: Systematic review with meta‐analysis. Randomized controlled trials that compared fall rates in older people who undertook exercise programs with fall rates in those who did not exercise were included.

SETTING: Older people.

PARTICIPANTS: General community and residential care.

MEASUREMENTS: Fall rates.

RESULTS: The pooled estimate of the effect of exercise was that it reduced the rate of falling by 17% (44 trials with 9,603 participants, rate ratio (RR)=0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.75–0.91, P<.001, I2=62%). The greatest relative effects of exercise on fall rates (RR=0.58, 95% CI=0.48–0.69, 68% of between‐study variability explained) were seen in programs that included a combination of a higher total dose of exercise (>50 hours over the trial period) and challenging balance exercises (exercises conducted while standing in which people aimed to stand with their feet closer together or on one leg, minimize use of their hands to assist, and practice controlled movements of the center of mass) and did not include a walking program.

CONCLUSION: Exercise can prevent falls in older people. Greater relative effects are seen in programs that include exercises that challenge balance, use a higher dose of exercise, and do not include a walking program. Service providers can use these findings to design and implement exercise programs for falls prevention.
Relationship of Reverse Anatomical Remodeling and Ventricular Arrhythmias After Cardiac Resynchronization
Authors: MARKOWITZ STEVEN M. , LEWEN JASON M. , WIGGENHORN CHRISTOPHER J. , ABRAHAM WILLIAM T. , STEIN KENNETH M. , IWAI SEI , LERMAN BRUCE B.
Published: October 2008

Ventricular Arrhythmias and Reverse Remodeling. Introduction: Cardiac resynchronization (CRT) affects reverse anatomical remodeling in patients with heart failure. CRT has also been associated with fewer ventricular arrhythmias and reduced sudden death in some clinical trials, but the predictors and mechanism of the antiarrhythmic actions of CRT have not been well defined. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of reverse anatomical remodeling to ventricular arrhythmias in CRT patients.

Methods and Results:
A retrospective analysis was performed of the InSync III Marquis study, a prospective, randomized, multicenter CRT trial. Echocardiographic data from 198 patients were obtained at baseline and after 6 months of CRT, and anatomical responders were defined as a reduction in left ventricular end systolic volume (LVESV) of ≥15%. Anatomical responders (n = 71, 36%) demonstrated 29% fewer single premature ventricular contractions beats (PVCs) (P = 0.0001), 48% fewer PVC runs (p = 0.0096), and fewer treated episodes of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation (VT/VF) (P = 0.050) than nonresponders. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that responder status significantly predicted single PVCs and PVC runs. Gender was the most important predictor of treated VT/VF with females having no episodes over 6 months of follow‐up.

Conclusions:
Anatomic responders to CRT demonstrate significantly fewer single PVCs and runs of PVCs. The implication of these observations is that anatomic remodeling is linked to electrical remodeling. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 20, pp. 293‐298, March 2009)
Presence and Duration of Atrial Fibrillation Detected by Continuous Monitoring: Crucial Implications for the Risk of Thromboembolic Events
Authors: BOTTO GIOVANNI L. , PADELETTI LUIGI , SANTINI MASSIMO , CAPUCCI ALESSANDRO , GULIZIA MICHELE , ZOLEZZI FRANCESCO , FAVALE STEFANO , MOLON GIULIO , RICCI RENATO , BIFFI MAURO , RUSSO GIOVANNI , VIMERCATI MARCO , CORBUCCI GIORGIO , BORIANI GIUSEPPE
Published: October 2008

AF and the Risk of Thromboembolic Events. Introduction: Asymptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) can expose patients to the risk of stroke. The primary objective of this study was to assess the incidence of thromboembolic events in relationship with CHADS2 (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, and prior stroke, or transient ischemic attack) score and AF presence/duration. The secondary objective was to compare intermittent versus continuous monitoring strategies.

Methods and Results:
Data from patients with an implanted pacemaker and a history of AF were analyzed. Thromboembolic risk was quantified through CHADS2 score. Three AF groups were considered: patients with <5‐minutes AF on 1 day (AF‐free); patients with >5‐minutes AF on 1 day but <24 hours (AF‐5 minutes); patients with AF episodes >24 hours (AF‐24 hours). Monitoring strategies involving 24‐hour Holter, 1‐week Holter, and 30‐day Holter were simulated. Data from 568 patients continuously monitored for 1 year were analyzed: 171 (30%) had CHADS2 score = 0; 269 (47%) had CHADS2 score = 1; 111 (20%) had CHADS2 score = 2; and 17 (3%) had CHADS2 score ≥ 3. During follow‐up, 14 patients (2.5%) had an ischemic thromboembolic event. AF‐24 hours patients numbered 223 (39.2%); AF‐5 minutes, 179 (31.5%); and AF‐free, 29.2%. By combining AF presence/duration with CHADS2 score, two subpopulations with markedly different risks of events (0.8% vs 5%, P = 0.035) were identified, the former corresponding to AF‐free with CHADS2≤2, or AF‐5 minutes with CHADS2≤1, or AF‐24 hours with CHADS2= 0. The mean sensitivity in detecting an AF episode lasting >5 minutes was 44.4%, 50.4%, and 65.1% for 24‐hour Holter, 1‐week Holter, and 1‐month Holter monitoring, respectively.

Conclusion:
In patients with recurrent AF episodes, risk stratification for thromboembolic events can be improved by combining CHADS2 score with AF presence/duration. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 20, pp. 241‐248, March 2009)
The Effect of Emergency Department Crowding on Education: Blessing or Curse?
Authors: Shayne Philip , Lin Michelle , Ufberg Jacob W. , Ankel Felix , Barringer Kelly , Morgan‐Edwards Sarah , DeIorio Nicole , Asplin Brent
Published: October 2008

Emergency department (ED) crowding is a national crisis that contributes to medical error and system inefficiencies. There is a natural concern that crowding may also adversely affect undergraduate and graduate emergency medicine (EM) education. ED crowding stems from a myriad of factors, and individually these factors can present both challenges and opportunities for education. Review of the medical literature demonstrates a small body of evidence that education can flourish in difficult clinical environments where faculty have a high clinical load and to date does not support a direct deleterious effect of crowding on education. To provide a theoretical framework for discussing the impact of crowding on education, the authors present a conceptual model of the effect of ED crowding on education and review possible positive and negative effects on each of the six recognized Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies.
Early Modern Digital Scholarship and DEEP: Database of Early English Playbooks
Authors: Farmer Alan B. , Lesser Zachary
Published: October 2008

This paper discusses recent trends in digital resources for early modern literary studies, as well as the implications of these resources for research and scholarship. In addition to comparing the use by scholars of print reference works and online databases, the essay analyzes the recent shift from ‘first‐generation’ digital resources, such as the English Short Title Catalogue (ESTC) and Early English Books Online (EEBO), to newer ‘second‐generation’ resources like DEEP: Database of Early English Playbooks. Rather than strive for comprehensive coverage of early modern print culture, as ESTC and EEBO do, these ‘second‐generation’ sites typically aim for in‐depth coverage of a particular kind of text or document. DEEP, for example, is a searchable database of all extant plays printed in England to 1660, while the English Broadside Ballad Archive focuses on sixteenth‐ and seventeenth‐century ballads. This shift in emphasis – from comprehensiveness to specialized subject matter – has resulted in, and been driven by, changes in thinking about the fundamental architecture of the databases, their searchability, and their analytical and editorial principles, all of which have significant ramifications for the type of research they enable.
Sexual Activity, Erectile Dysfunction and Their Correlates Among 1,566 Older Chinese Men in Southern China
Authors: Wong Samuel Yeung Shan , Leung Jason Chi Shun , Woo Jean
Published: October 2008

Introduction

Few studies on sexuality and it correlates in adults have been conducted in Asia; most studies in Asia have focused instead on erectile dysfunction in men rather than sexuality or sexual activities.

Aim

This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with sexual activity and erectile dysfunction in elderly Chinese men aged 65 years and above.

Main Outcome Measures

Sexual activity and sexual functions were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Chinese version of the Geriatric Depression Scale. Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were measured by the International Prostatic Symptom Score.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from a large prospective cohort study of Chinese elderly men were used in this study. A questionnaire that included demographic, lifestyle, and medical risk factors and physical examination were administered to 1566 Chinese men aged between 65 to 92 years in Hong Kong.

Results

Only 30.7% of men were sexually active in the previous 6 months in this sample and among those who were sexually active, 88% had some form of erectile dysfunction. Being sexually inactive in the previous 6 months was associated with being older (odds ratio [OR] = 1.80; confidence interval [CI]: 1.56–2.09), single (OR = 1.87; CI = 1.19–2.94) and the presence of peripheral arterial disease (OR = 2.43; CI: 1.25–4.71). In multiple multinomial logistic regression, having clinically relevant depressive symptoms (OR = 3.37; CI: 1.31–8.70) and having moderate to severe LUTS (OR = 1.63; CI: 1.01–2.64) were independently associated with increased risk of having erectile dysfunction.

Conclusion

We showed that a large proportion of elderly men were not sexually active in Hong Kong. For those who were sexually active, most suffered from some degree of erectile dysfunction. Having clinically relevant depressive symptoms and LUTS were independently associated with increased risk of erectile dysfunction.