bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Divine Poetry? Early Modern European Orientalists on the Beauty of the Koran
Authors: Loop Jan
Published: June 2010

This article discusses Western attitudes to the style of the Koran from the sixteenth to the late eighteenth century. The subject is of particular interest because the question of the Koran's aesthetic value is ultimately linked with the Islamic belief that the inimitable beauty of Muhammad's revelation is the very proof of its divine origin (i'jāz al-Qur'ān). Given the apologetic function of this doctrine in Islamic theology, many early modern European orientalists, from Theodor Bibliander to Ludovico Marracci, criticised the style. Some of the arguments presented were remarkably persistent and can be followed up to the present day. This article also shows, however, that since the end of the seventeenth century scholars such as Andreas Acoluthus, George Sale and Claude-Etienne Savary had developed a more favourable attitude to the Koranic style, while, at the end of the eighteenth century, the Prophet Muhammad was seen as an inspired genius and the Koran as an example of 'divine poetry'.
Latino Immigrants and the U.S. Racial Order
Authors: Frank Reanne , Akresh Ilana Redstone , Lu Bo
Published: June 2010

How do Latino immigrants in the United States understand existing racial categories? And how does the existing U.S. racial order influence this understanding? Using data from the New Immigrant Survey (NIS), our analysis points to changes in how the U.S. racial order might operate in the future. We find that most Latino immigrants recognize the advantages of a White racial designation when asked to self-identify, but wider society is not often accepting of this White expansion. Our findings suggest that relatively darker-skinned Latino immigrants experience skin-color-based discrimination in the realm of annual income. Furthermore, Latinos who are most integrated into the United States are the most likely to opt out of the existing U.S. racial categorization scheme. We predict that a racial boundary is forming around some Latino immigrants: those with darker skin and those who have more experience in the U.S. racial stratification system.
Gastronationalism
Authors: DeSoucey Michaela
Published: June 2010

By developing the concept of “gastronationalism,” this article challenges conceptions of the homogenizing forces of globalism. I analyze (1) the ways in which food production, distribution, and consumption can demarcate and sustain the emotive power of national attachment and (2) how nationalist sentiments, in turn, can shape the production and marketing of food. The multi-methodological analyses reveal how the construct of gastronationalism can help us better understand pan-national tensions in symbolic boundary politics—politics that protect certain foods and industries as representative of national cultural traditions. I first analyze the macro-level dimensions of market protections by examining the European Union’s program for origin-designation labels that delineates particular foods as nationally owned. The micro-level, empirical case—the politics surrounding foie gras in France—demonstrates how gastronationalism functions as a protectionist mechanism within lived experience. Foie gras is an especially relevant case because other parties within the pan-national system consider it morally objectionable. Contemporary food politics, beyond the insights it affords into symbolic boundary politics, speaks to several arenas of sociological interest, including markets, identity politics, authenticity and culture, and the complexities of globalization.
The Effects of Organizational and Political Embeddedness on Financial Malfeasance in the Largest U.S. Corporations
Authors: Prechel Harland , Morris Theresa
Published: June 2010

This article examines the causes of financial malfeasance in the largest U.S. corporations between 1995 and 2004. The findings support organizational-political embeddedness theory, which suggests that differential social structures create dependencies, incentives, and opportunities to engage in financial malfeasance. The historical analysis shows that neoliberal policies enacted between 1986 and 2000 resulted in organizational and political structures that permitted managers to engage in financial malfeasance. Our quantitative analysis provides three main findings. First, capital dependence on investors creates incentives to engage in financial malfeasance. Second, managerial strategies to increase shareholder value create incentives to engage in financial malfeasance. Third, the multilayer-subsidiary form and the political structure permitting corporate PAC contributions create opportunities to engage in financial malfeasance. These findings have important implications for public policy; the corporate and state structures enacted in the late-twentieth century were the outcome of a long-term, well-financed, and systematic political strategy that provided managers with unprecedented power, autonomy, and opportunity to engage in financial malfeasance.
Dostoevskii and the Book of Job: The Struggle to Find Faith
Authors: Rampton Vanessa
Published: June 2010

The book of Job is essential for understanding Dostoevskii’s art, because of the similarity of the questions the authors engage with and the way their texts are constructed. However, ambiguities in the book of Job itself as well as disagreements about the presentation of faith and doubt in Dostoevskii’s fiction have made the discussion of precisely how the book of Job influenced Dostoevskii remarkably wide-ranging. In this article I argue for complementing the literary analysis of Dostoevskii’s novels with the insights of recent criticism of the book of Job. According to this reading, Job does not provide Dostoevskii with a cognitive answer to the question of why the innocent suffer or explain the existence of evil in the world, but rather acts as a confirmation that faith is a process in which doubt plays a crucial and ongoing role.
Place and Power in Radical Baptism
Authors: Suderman Henry
Published: June 2010

Studies of sixteenth-century Anabaptist baptism have taken less than adequate notice of the possibility that an understanding of ‘‘place’’ is essential for understanding this radical tradition. In an effort to gain a better understanding of the singularity and peculiarity of sixteenth-century Anabaptist baptism, I develop an argument for the importance of place, theorizing a complex inter-relation between place, power, and ritual practice. Much of the conflict surrounding the right form for baptism during the sixteenth century was centered on the problem of defining, designing, building, contesting, and maintaining meaningful places. Through a study of place, Anabaptist baptism is given more definite force, intelligibility, precision, and fuller embodiment in the social lattice of sixteenth-century life.
Caries Inhibition by and Safety of Lactobacillus paracasei DSMZ16671
Authors: Tanzer J.M. , Thompson A. , Lang C. , Cooper B. , Hareng L. , Gamer A. , Reindl A. , Pompejus M.
Published: June 2010

Lactobacillus paracasei DSMZ16671, even if heat-killed, sensitively co-aggregates mutans streptococci specifically. Mutans streptococci are strongly implicated in caries induction in humans and rodents. We hypothesized: (1) that S. mutans recoveries from rats’ teeth in vivo will decrease, with an associated decrease in caries, if these lactobacilli are fed to rats in an established caries model; and (2) that toxicological assays of these lactobacilli will show them to be benign. Four groups of specific-pathogen-free rats were formed: S. mutans 10449S-inoculated/16671-supplemented diet; un-inoculated/16671-supplemented diet; S. mutans 10449S-inoculated/placebo diet; and un-inoculated/placebo diet. Standard tests of toxicity and mutagenicity of heat-killed DSMZ16671 were performed. S. mutans recoveries were significantly reduced both in mid-experiment and at termination, as were caries lesion scores for the rats inoculated by S. mutans and fed the DSMZ16671 supplement, by comparison with controls. Neither toxicity nor mutagenicity of DSMZ16671 was detected. Use of heat-killed DSMZ16671 is efficacious in rats and appears safe.
High Antibody Levels to P. gingivalis in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Bohnstedt S. , Cullinan M.P. , Ford P.J. , Palmer J.E. , Leishman S.J. , Westerman B. , Marshall R.I. , West M.J. , Seymour G.J.
Published: June 2010

Recent evidence suggests that strain variation in the serum IgG response to Porphyromonas gingivalis occurs in periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that different P. gingivalis strains would elicit different levels of IgG, depending on a patient’s cardiovascular (CV) and periodontal health. For CVD patients, serum antibody levels increased significantly with increasing numbers of deep pockets for all strains of P. gingivalis, except W50 (p < 0.001). We used a two-way analysis of variance to examine differences in antibody responses across several CV and periodontal groups simultaneously. There was a significant interaction effect (p < 0.05) between periodontal status and CV status for antibody levels to ATCC33277, UQD605, and Su63. This study shows variation in strain type with respect to serum IgG response in several CV and periodontal categories, providing further support for the role of the immune response to P. gingivalis in the relationship between periodontal disease and CVD.
The Price of Power: Power Seeking and Backlash Against Female Politicians
Authors: Okimoto Tyler G. , Brescoll Victoria L.
Published: June 2010

Two experimental studies examined the effect of power-seeking intentions on backlash toward women in political office. It was hypothesized that a female politician’s career progress may be hindered by the belief that she seeks power, as this desire may violate prescribed communal expectations for women and thereby elicit interpersonal penalties. Results suggested that voting preferences for female candidates were negatively influenced by her power-seeking intentions (actual or perceived) but that preferences for male candidates were unaffected by power-seeking intentions. These differential reactions were partly explained by the perceived lack of communality implied by women’s power-seeking intentions, resulting in lower perceived competence and feelings of moral outrage. The presence of moral-emotional reactions suggests that backlash arises from the violation of communal prescriptions rather than normative deviations more generally. These findings illuminate one potential source of gender bias in politics.
Poetic Closure in Job: The First Cycle
Authors: Seow C.L.
Published: June 2010

Inspired by Barbara Herrnstein Smith’s study of poetic closures, this article considers the artistry of closure in Biblical Hebrew poetry by focusing on a small sample—the seven poems that make up the first cycle of dialogue in Job (Job 3, 4—5, 6—7, 8, 9—10, 11, 12— 14). It is shown that the poems in this sample employ a full range of linguistic, thematic, and structural devices of closure, which, together with other poetic features, enhance the elegance of Joban poetry. It is hoped that this initial foray will encourage other studies of the poetry of closure in the rest of the book of Job, as well as other collections of Hebrew poems.
Respect: Where and How?
Authors: Crouch Mira
Published: June 2010

For Maria Markus, a significant feature of ‘decency’ of a society is respect for the dignity of each person. Here I contemplate the notion of ‘respect’ in the light of Sennett’s (2004) inquiry into the role of respect in encounters between individuals and institutions. Underlying this question is the structure/ agency dynamic. As Markus points out, decent institutions do not necessarily presuppose decent individuals (and vice versa). Yet the separation of these entities is analytic; in life, they are intertwined and the resulting fabric rarely loses its opacity under sociologists’ inquiring gaze. One task of this article is to consider Sennett’s approach to the problem. But methodology is not my primary concern. More important is Sennett’s investigation of the vicissitudes of respect in the context of sundry inequalities. With reference to Markus’s discussion of ‘decency’, this article elucidates Sennett’s views concerning the necessary conditions for the generation and maintenance of respect in the face of obstacles put in its way by both social arrangements and human nature.
Shuddering Attacks Are Not Related to Essential Tremor
Authors: Jan Mohammed M. S.
Published: June 2010

Shuddering attacks are benign shivering movements occurring in young children. The etiology is unknown; however, a relationship to essential tremor has been postulated. A series of 12 consecutive children were identified over a 6-year period ending January 1, 2007. Shuddering attacks were diagnosed based on descriptive history and videotape review. Their referral diagnosis was epilepsy in 7 (58%) and movement disorder in 5 (42%). The referring physician never suspected the diagnosis. The age of onset ranged from 8 months to 2 years (mean 13 months). Family history was negative for essential tremor. None had epileptiform discharges on electroencephalography (EEG). All children were followed for 2 to 8 years (mean 6.3). Complete remission was noted by 3 to 7 years (mean 5.6) of age, and none had subsequent tremor during follow-up. In conclusion, shuddering attacks are frequently misdiagnosed leading to unnecessary investigations or treatment. No association with essential tremor was found neither in the child nor in the family.
Intracranial Cavernomatous Hemangiomas as a Cause of Childhood Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Sharma Suvasini , Sankhyan Naveen , Gulati Sheffali , Kumar Atin
Published: June 2010

A 12-year-old boy presented with complaints of seizures since the age of 7 years. Seizure semiology was consistent with origin from the right temporal lobe. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a large right temporal and multiple small intracranial cavernomatous hemangiomas. The imaging findings and clinical significance of cavernomatous hemangiomas are briefly discussed.
A kernel-based spatio-temporal surveillance system for monitoring influenza-like illness incidence
Authors: Martinez-Beneito Miguel A , Botella-Rocamora Paloma , Zurriaga Oscar
Published: June 2010

The threat of pandemics has made influenza surveillance systems a priority in epidemiology services around the world. The emergence of A-H1N1 influenza has required accurate surveillance systems in order to undertake specific actions only when and where they are necessary. In that sense, the main goal of this article is to describe a novel methodology for monitoring the geographical distribution of the incidence of influenza-like illness, as a proxy for influenza, based on information from sentinel networks.

A Bayesian Poisson mixed linear model is proposed in order to describe the observed cases of influenzalike illness for every sentinel and week of surveillance. This model includes a spatio-temporal random effect that shares information in space by means of a kernel convolution process and in time by means of a first order autoregressive process. The extrapolation of this term to sites where information on incidence is not available will allow us to visualise the geographical distribution of the disease for every week of study. The following artcile shows the performance of this model in the Comunitat Valenciana’s Sentinel Network (one of the 17 autonomous regions of Spain) as a real case study of this methodology.
A comparison of errors in variables methods for use in regression models with spatially misaligned data
Authors: Lopiano Kenneth K , Young Linda J , Gotway Carol A
Published: June 2010

When a response variable Y is measured on one set of points and a spatially varying predictor variable X is measured on a different set of points, X and Y have different supports and thus are spatially misaligned. To draw inference about the association between X and Y , X is commonly predicted at the points for which Y is observed, and Y is regressed on the predicted X. If X is predicted using kriging or some other smoothing approach, use of the predicted instead of the true (unobserved) X values in the regression results in unbiased estimates of the regression parameters. However, the naive standard errors of these parameters tend to be too small. In this article, two simulation studies are used to compare methods for providing appropriate standard errors in this spatial setting. Three of the methods are extended to the change-of-support case where X is observed at points, but Y is observed for areal units, and these approaches are also compared via simulation.
The Dutch Memory Compensation Questionnaire
Authors: Van der Elst Wim , Hoogenhout Esther M. , Dixon Roger A. , De Groot Renate H. M. , Jolles Jelle
Published: June 2010

The Memory Compensation Questionnaire (MCQ) is a psychometrically sound instrument that assesses the variety and extent to which an individual compensates for actual or perceived memory losses. Until now, only an English version of the MCQ has been psychometrically evaluated. The aim of the present study was to establish a Dutch version of the MCQ and evaluate its psychometric properties. The MCQ data of N = 556 cognitively healthy adults (61.8% females) aged between 50.1 and 95.3 years ( M = 73.9 years, SD = 8.0) were analyzed. The results showed that the factor structure of the Dutch version of the MCQ corresponded well with that of the English version of the MCQ. The reliabilities of the scales of the Dutch version of the MCQ were all high (all Cronbach’s αs ≥ .77). Demographic variables (especially age and gender) affected most of the MCQ scale scores. Regression-based normative data that take these demographic influences into account were established, and a user-friendly computer program was provided to facilitate the scoring and norming of the MCQ.
Trends in Asset Structure Between Not-for-Profit and Investor-Owned Hospitals
Authors: Song Paula H. , Reiter Kristin L.
Published: June 2010

The delivery of health care is a capital-intensive industry, and thus, hospital investment strategy continues to be an important area of interest for both health policy and research. Much attention has been given to hospitals’ capital investment policies with relatively little attention to investments in financial assets, which serve an important role in not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals. This study describes and analyzes trends in aggregate asset structure between NFP and investor-owned (IO) hospitals during the post-capital-based prospective payment system implementation period, providing the first documentation of long-term trends in hospital investment. The authors find hospitals’ aggregate asset structure differs significantly based on ownership, size, and profitability. For both NFP and IO hospitals, financial securities have remained consistent over time, while fixed asset representation has declined in IO hospitals.
Ureteral stents: new ideas, new designs
Authors: Al-Aown Abdulrahman , Kyriazis Iason , Kallidonis Panagiotis , Kraniotis Pantelis , Rigopoulos Christos , Karnabatidis Dimitrios , Petsas Theodore , Liatsikos Evangelos
Published: June 2010

Ureteral stents represent a minimally invasive alternative to preserve urinary drainage whenever ureteral patency is deteriorated or is under a significant risk to be occluded due to extrinsic or intrinsic etiologies. The ideal stent that would combine perfect long-term efficacy with no stent-related morbidity is still lacking and stent usage is associated with several adverse effects that limit its value as a tool for long-term urinary drainage. Several new ideas on stent design, composition material and stent coating currently under evaluation, foreseen to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks of ureteral stent usage. In this article we review the currently applied novel ideas and new designs of ureteral stents. Moreover, we evaluate potential future prospects of ureteral stent development adopted mostly by the pioneering cardiovascular stent industry, focusing, however, on the differences between ureteral and endothelial tissue.
Human γδ T lymphocytes induce robust NK cell–mediated antitumor cytotoxicity through CD137 engagement
Authors: Maniar Amudhan , Zhang Xiaoyu , Lin Wei , Gastman Brian R. , Pauza C. David , Strome Scott E. , Chapoval Andrei I.
Published: June 2010

Natural killer (NK) cells are innate effector lymphocytes that control the growth of major histocompatibility complex class I negative tumors. We show here that γδ T lymphocytes, expanded in vitro in the presence isopentenylpyrophosphate (IPP), induce NK cell–mediated killing of tumors that are usually resistant to NK cytolysis. The induction of cytotoxicity toward these resistant tumors requires priming of NK cells by immobilized human immunoglobulin G1 and costimulation through CD137L expressed on activated γδ T lymphocytes. This costimulation increases NKG2D expression on the NK-cell surface, which is directly responsible for tumor cell lysis. Moreover, culturing peripheral blood mononuclear cells with zoledronic acid, a γδ T lymphocyte activating agent, enhances NK-cell direct cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity against hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic tumors. Our data reveal a novel function of human γδ T lymphocytes in the regulation of NK cell–mediated cytotoxicity and provide rationale for the use of strategies to manipulate the CD137 pathway to augment innate antitumor immunity.
poolMC: Smart pooling of mRNA samples in microarray experiments
Authors: Kainkaryam Raghunandan M , Bruex Angela , Gilbert Anna C , Schiefelbein John , Woolf Peter J
Published: June 2010

Background

Typically, pooling of mRNA samples in microarray experiments implies mixing mRNA from several biological-replicate samples before hybridization onto a microarray chip. Here we describe an alternative smart pooling strategy in which different samples, not necessarily biological replicates, are pooled in an information theoretic efficient way. Further, each sample is tested on multiple chips, but always in pools made up of different samples. The end goal is to exploit the compressibility of microarray data to reduce the number of chips used and increase the robustness to noise in measurements.

Results

A theoretical framework to perform smart pooling of mRNA samples in microarray experiments was established and the software implementation of the pooling and decoding algorithms was developed in MATLAB. A proof-of-concept smart pooled experiment was performed using validated biological samples on commercially available gene chips. Differential-expression analysis of the smart pooled data was performed and compared against the unpooled control experiment.

Conclusions

The theoretical developments and experimental demonstration in this paper provide a useful starting point to investigate smart pooling of mRNA samples in microarray experiments. Although the smart pooled experiment did not compare favorably with the control, the experiment highlighted important conditions for the successful implementation of smart pooling - linearity of measurements, sparsity in data, and large experiment size.
High prevalence of reflux esophagitis among upper endoscopies in Chinese patients with chronic liver diseases
Authors: Li Bing , Zhang Bin , Ma Jun Wei , Li Peng , Li Lei , Song Yun Ming , Ding Hui Guo
Published: June 2010

Background

Reflux esophagitis (RE) is increasing in prevalence in China. There are very few studies on the prevalence and factors related to RE in patients with chronic liver diseases. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of RE by endoscopy in patients with chronic liver diseases and the possible related predictors of RE.

Methods

A total of 1,280 patients with chronic liver disease and 29 patients with acute hepatitis A or E were prospectively evaluated. There were 879 and 401 patients with liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, respectively. RE was classified by endoscopy according to the Los Angeles classification scheme.

Results

RE was diagnosed in 36.4% (469/1280) of the chronic liver disease patients, which was significantly higher than in the acute hepatitis patients (10.3% [3/29], P < 0.001). RE accounted for 43.0%, 9.7%, and 60.2% of patients with liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis(mild and medium), and liver failure, respectively. A high prevalence of RE existed in patients with liver failure and/or Child B and C liver cirrhosis, with typical symptoms of RE in 21.3% of the patients (100/469). There was a significant relationship between gender, age, ascites, and RE.

Conclusions

The high prevalence of RE among upper endoscopies of patients with severe chronic liver disease was demonstrated. Asymptomatic RE was more common in cirrhotic and liver failure patients. The role of RE in variceal bleeding, however, needs to be demonstrated.
A phase 2, randomized, double-blind safety and pharmacokinetic assessment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) prophylaxis with motavizumab and palivizumab administered in the same season
Authors: Fernández Pilar , Trenholme Adrian , Abarca Katia , Griffin M Pamela , Hultquist Micki , Harris Brian , Losonsky Genevieve A ,   the Motavizumab Study Group
Published: June 2010

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an important pathogen causing annual epidemics of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants worldwide. High-risk infants currently receive RSV prophylaxis with palivizumab, a humanized RSV monoclonal antibody (MAb). In preclinical in vitro and in vivo (cotton-rat model) studies, motavizumab, a new RSV MAb, was shown to have greater anti-RSV activity than palivizumab. Motavizumab is currently under review for licensing approval. Since both MAbs may be available concurrently, this study evaluated their safety and tolerability when administered sequentially during the same RSV season.

Methods

Between April 2006 and May 2006, 260 high-risk infants were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to receive monthly intramuscular injections: 2 doses of motavizumab followed by 3 doses of palivizumab (M/P); 2 doses of palivizumab followed by 3 doses of motavizumab (P/M); or 5 doses of motavizumab (control). Adverse events (AEs, serious AEs [SAEs]), development of antidrug antibody (ADA), and serum drug trough concentrations were assessed.

Results

Most children received all 5 doses (246/260 [94.6%]) and completed the study (241/260 [92.7%]). While overall AE rates were similar (mostly level 1 or 2 in severity), SAEs and level 3 AEs occurred more frequently in the M/P group (SAEs: 22.9% M/P, 8.4% P/M, 11.8% motavizumab only; level 3 AEs: 15.7% M/P, 6.0% P/M, 6.5% motavizumab only). This trend in AE rates occurred before and after switching from motavizumab to palivizumab, suggesting a cause other than the combined regimen. Frequencies of AEs judged by the investigator to be related to study drug were similar among groups. Two deaths occurred on study (both in the M/P group, before palivizumab administration); neither was considered by the site investigator to be related to study drug. Mean serum drug trough concentrations were comparable among groups; ADA detection was infrequent (5.1% or less of any group).

Conclusions

The conclusions drawn from this study are limited by the small sample size per group. However, within this small study, overall AE rates, serum drug trough concentrations, and development of ADA associated with administering motavizumab and palivizumab sequentially to high-risk children appear comparable to administering motavizumab alone during the same RSV season.

Trial Registration

clinicaltrials.gov NCT00316264
Association between Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk in Chinese Youth Independent of Age and Pubertal Stage
Authors: Kong Alice PS , Choi Kai-Chow , Li Albert MC , Hui Stanley SC , Chan Michael HM , Wing YK , Ma Ronald CW , Lam Christopher WK , Lau Joseph TF , So Wing Yee , Ko Gary TC , Chan Juliana CN
Published: June 2010

Background

Childhood and adolescence are critical periods of habit formation with substantial tracking of lifestyle and cardiovascular risk into adulthood. There are various guidelines on recommended levels of physical activity in youth of school-age. Despite the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in China, there is a paucity of data in this regard in Chinese youth. We examined the association of self-reported level of physical activity and cardiovascular risk in Hong Kong Chinese youth of school-age.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 2007-8 in a school setting with 2119 Hong Kong Chinese youth aged 6-20 years. Physical activity level was assessed using a validated questionnaire, CUHK-PARCY (The Chinese University of Hong Kong: Physical Activity Rating for Children and Youth). A summary risk score comprising of waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose and lipids was constructed to quantify cardiovascular risk.

Results

In this cohort, 21.5% reported high level of physical activity with boys being more active than girls (32.1% versus 14.1%, p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed physical activity level, sex and pubertal stage were independently associated with cardiovascular risk score.

Conclusion

Self-reported level of physical activity is associated with cardiovascular risk factors in Chinese youth after adjusting for sex and pubertal stage.
Recessive multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (rMED) with homozygosity for C653S mutation in the DTDST gene - Phenotype, molecular diagnosis and surgical treatment of habitual dislocation of multilayered patella: Case report
Authors: Hinrichs Timo , Superti-Furga Andrea , Scheiderer Wolf-Dieter , Bonafé Luisa , Brenner Rolf E , Mattes Thomas
Published: June 2010

Background

Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED) is one of the more common generalised skeletal dysplasias. Due to its clinical heterogeneity diagnosis may be difficult. Mutations of at least six separate genes can cause MED. Joint deformities, joint pain and gait disorders are common symptoms.

Case Presentation

We report on a 27-year-old male patient suffering from clinical symptoms of autosomal recessive MED with habitual dislocation of a multilayered patella on both sides, on the surgical treatment and on short-term clinical outcome. Clinical findings were: bilateral hip and knee pain, instability of femorotibial and patellofemoral joints with habitual patella dislocation on both sides, contractures of hip, elbow and second metacarpophalangeal joints. Main radiographic findings were: bilateral dislocated multilayered patella, dysplastic medial tibial plateaus, deformity of both femoral heads and osteoarthritis of the hip joints, and deformity of both radial heads. In the molecular genetic analysis, the DTDST mutation g.1984T > A (p.C653S) was found at the homozygote state. Carrier status was confirmed in the DNA of the patient's parents. The mutation could be considered to be the reason for the patient's disease. Surgical treatment of habitual patella dislocation with medialisation of the tibial tuberosity led to an excellent clinical outcome.

Conclusions

The knowledge of different phenotypes of skeletal dysplasias helps to select genes for genetic analysis. Compared to other DTDST mutations, this is a rather mild phenotype. Molecular diagnosis is important for genetic counselling and for an accurate prognosis. Even in case of a multilayered patella in MED, habitual patella dislocation could be managed successfully by medialisation of the tibial tuberosity.
Predicting survival after pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer: previous liver metastases matter
Authors: Landes Ulrich , Robert John , Perneger Thomas , Mentha Gilles , Ott Vincent , Morel Philippe , Gervaz Pascal
Published: June 2010

Background

Few patients with lung metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) are candidates for surgical therapy with a curative intent, and it is currently impossible to identify those who may benefit the most from thoracotomy. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of various parameters on survival after pulmonary metastasectomy for CRC.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 40 consecutive patients (median age 63.5 [range 33-82] years) who underwent resection of pulmonary metastases from CRC in our institution from 1996 to 2009.

Results

Median follow-up was 33 (range 4-139) months. Twenty-four (60%) patients did not have previous liver metastases before undergoing lung surgery. Median disease-free interval between primary colorectal tumor and development of lung metastases was 32.5 months. 3- and 5-year overall survival after thoracotomy was 70.1% and 43.4%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the following parameters were correlated with tumor recurrence after thoracotomy; a history of previous liver metastases (HR = 3.8, 95%CI 1.4-9.8); and lung surgery other than wedge resection (HR = 3.0, 95%CI 1.1-7.8). Prior resection of liver metastases was also correlated with an increased risk of death (HR = 5.1, 95% CI 1.1-24.8, p = 0.04). Median survival after thoracotomy was 87 (range 34-139) months in the group of patients without liver metastases versus 40 (range 28-51) months in patients who had undergone prior hepatectomy (p = 0.09).

Conclusion

The main parameter associated with poor outcome after lung resection of CRC metastases is a history of liver metastases.
Darcin: a male pheromone that stimulates female memory and sexual attraction to an individual male's odour
Authors: Roberts Sarah A , Simpson Deborah M , Armstrong Stuart D , Davidson Amanda J , Robertson Duncan H , McLean Lynn , Beynon Robert J , Hurst Jane L
Published: June 2010

Background

Among invertebrates, specific pheromones elicit inherent (fixed) behavioural responses to coordinate social behaviours such as sexual recognition and attraction. By contrast, the much more complex social odours of mammals provide a broad range of information about the individual owner and stimulate individual-specific responses that are modulated by learning. How do mammals use such odours to coordinate important social interactions such as sexual attraction while allowing for individual-specific choice? We hypothesized that male mouse urine contains a specific pheromonal component that invokes inherent sexual attraction to the scent and which also stimulates female memory and conditions sexual attraction to the airborne odours of an individual scent owner associated with this pheromone.

Results

Using wild-stock house mice to ensure natural responses that generalize across individual genomes, we identify a single atypical male-specific major urinary protein (MUP) of mass 18893Da that invokes a female's inherent sexual attraction to male compared to female urinary scent. Attraction to this protein pheromone, which we named darcin, was as strong as the attraction to intact male urine. Importantly, contact with darcin also stimulated a strong learned attraction to the associated airborne urinary odour of an individual male, such that, subsequently, females were attracted to the airborne scent of that specific individual but not to that of other males.

Conclusions

This involatile protein is a mammalian male sex pheromone that stimulates a flexible response to individual-specific odours through associative learning and memory, allowing female sexual attraction to be inherent but selective towards particular males. This 'darcin effect' offers a new system to investigate the neural basis of individual-specific memories in the brain and give new insights into the regulation of behaviour in complex social mammals.

See associated Commentaryhttp://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/8/71
Characterization of manganese superoxide dismutase from a marine cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya valderianaBDU20041
Authors: Priya Balakrishnan , Sivaprasanth Reddi K , Jensi Vincent Dhivya , Uma Lakshmanan , Subramanian Gopalakrishnan , Prabaharan Dharmar
Published: June 2010

Background

Cyanobacteria are recognized as the primordial organisms to grace the earth with molecular oxygen ~3.5 billion years ago as a result of their oxygenic photosynthesis. This laid a selection pressure for the evolution of antioxidative defense mechanisms to alleviate the toxic effect of active oxygen species (AOS) in cyanobacteria. Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are metalloenzymes that are the first arsenal in defense mechanism against oxidative stress followed by an array of antioxidative system. Unlike other living organisms, cyanobacteria possess multiple isoforms of SOD. Hence, an attempt was made to demonstrate the oxidative stress tolerance ability of marine cyanobacterium, Leptolyngbya valderiana BDU 20041 and to PCR amplify and sequence the SOD gene, the central enzyme for alleviating stress.

Result

L. valderiana BDU 20041, a filamentous, non-heterocystous marine cyanobacterium showed tolerance to the tested dye (C.I. Acid Black 1) which is evident by increased in biomass (i.e.) chlorophyll a. The other noticeable change was the total ROS production by culture dosed with dye compared to the control cultures. This prolonged incubation showed sustenance, implying that cyanobacteria maintain their antioxidant levels. The third significant feature was a two-fold increase in SOD activity of dye treated L. valderiana BDU20041 suggesting the role of SOD in alleviating oxidative stress via Asada-Halliwell pathway. Hence, the organism was PCR amplified for SOD gene resulting in an amplicon of 550 bp. The sequence analysis illustrated the presence of first three residues involved in motif; active site residues at H4, 58 and D141 along with highly conserved Mn specific residues. The isolated gene shared 63.8% homology with MnSOD of bacteria confirmed it as Mn isoform. This is the hitherto report on SOD gene from marine cyanobacterium, L. valderiana BDU20041 of Indian subcontinent.

Conclusion

Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) coupled with induction of SOD by marine cyanobacterium, L. valderiana BDU20041 was responsible for alleviating stress caused by an azo dye, C. I. Acid Black 1. The partial SOD gene has been sequenced and based on the active site, motif and metal specific residues; it has been identified as Mn metalloform.
Effective cardiac resynchronization therapy for an adolescent patient with dilated cardiomyopathy seven years after mitral valve replacement and septal anterior ventricular exclusion
Authors: Mima Takahiro , Baba Shiro , Yokoo Noritaka , Kaichi Shinji , Doi Takahiro , Doi Hiraku , Heike Toshio
Published: June 2010

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a new treatment for refractory heart failure. However, most heart failure patients treated with CRT are middle-aged or old patients with idiopathic or ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. We treated a 17 year 11 month old girl with dilated cardiomyopathy after mitral valve replacement (MVR) and septal anterior ventricular exclusion (SAVE). Seven years after the SAVE procedure, she presented complaining of palpitations and general fatigue with normal activity. Her echocardiogram showed reduced left ventricular function. Despite of optimal medical therapy, her left ventricular function continued to decline and she experienced regular arrhythmias such as premature ventricular contractions. We thus elected to perform cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D). After CRT-D, her clinical symptoms improved dramatically and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) improved from 31.2% to 51.3% as assessed by echocardiogram. Serum BNP levels decreased from 448.2 to 213.6 pg/ml. On ECG, arrhythmias were remarkably reduced and QRS duration was shortened from 174 to 152 msec. In conclusion, CRT-D is an effective therapeutic option for adolescent patients with refractory heart failure after left ventricular volume reduction surgery.
A retroperitoneal abscess caused by Haemophilus parainfluenza after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and open cholecystectomy with a common bile duct exploration: a case report
Authors: Patel Shonak B , Hashmi Zubair A , Marx Robert J
Published: June 2010

Introduction

Abscesses after open cholecystectomies have been reported to occur in less than 1% of patients. The majority of these abscesses are colonized by gastrointestinal tract flora. It is clearly known that Haemophilus parainfluenza is a normal inhabitant of the human respiratory tract. However, its origin and route of transmission into the gastrointestinal tract is unknown.

Case presentation

We present the case of a 68-year-old Caucasian female who developed a retroperitoneal abscess caused by H. parainfluenza after open cholecystectomy and common bile duct exploration. This presented nearly five weeks post-operatively. She underwent a second operation to drain the abscess, and was subsequently placed on appropriate antibiotics.

Conclusion

A retroperitoneal abscess due to H. parainfluenza is extremely rare. It is a normal inhabitant of the human respiratory tract. To the best of our knowledge, there have been only a few reported cases of these abscesses, and they mainly involve the psoas muscle. The retroperitoneal abscess originated from the oropharynx, most likely after the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed. With the advent of Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery, oral decontamination will need to be considered to decrease the potential for such infections.
The invariant NKT cell subset in anti-viral defenses: a dark horse in anti-influenza immunity?
Authors: Kulkarni R R , Haeryfar S M , Sharif S
Published: June 2010

Review highlights the imporant contributions of iNKT cells to immune responses against viral pathogens with particular emphasis on immunity to influenza infections.

iNKT cells, a small subset of αβ TCR+ T cells, are capable of producing large amounts of cytokines upon activation through their TCR. Unlike conventional T cells that express highly diverse TCRs, iNKT cells express a glycolipid-reactive invariant TCR-α chain paired with a limited number of β chain(s). These cells recognize glycolipid antigens when presented on CD1d molecules found on APC or other cells. Although the immunoregulatory roles of iNKT cells in the context of autoimmune disease are fairly well characterized, several lines of evidence highlight the importance of this cell type in immune responses against microbial insults caused by bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens. Recent studies that have investigated the role of iNKT cells in immune responses against influenza virus have suggested an important role for these cells in innate defense mechanisms as well as antibody- and cell-mediated responses. This review highlights the important contributions of iNKT cells to immune responses against viral pathogens with particular emphasis on immunity to influenza infections.
Elastic-wave sensitivity propagation
Authors: Denli Huseyin , Huang Lianjie
Published: June 2010

Effective and reliable reservoir monitoring is critically important for optimizing oil/gas production and ensuring safe geologic carbon sequestration. It requires an optimal sensor deployment that uses a minimum number of sensors to record the most significant information resulting from reservoir property changes. Conventional monitoring survey designs are typically based on seismic-wavefield illumination analyses, which cannot alone determine the best receiver locations for effective and reliable monitoring of reservoir property changes. We propose a new approach for designing seismic monitoring surveys by analyzing the sensitivities of elastic waves with respect to reservoir geophysical property changes. The method is based on differentiating the elastic-wave equations with respect to geophysical parameters. The resulting sensitivity equations are solved simultaneously with the elastic-wave equations using a finite-difference scheme. Numerical studies confirm that time-lapse seismic survey designs based on elastic-wave sensitivity analysis can be totally different from those based on elastic-wavefield illuminations. For time-lapse seismic monitoring, receivers should be placed at locations where elastic-wave sensitivities are significant. Modeling of elastic-wave sensitivity propagation provides a fundamental tool for effective seismic monitoring survey designs.
Altered Differentiation and Proliferation of Prostate Epithelium in Mice Lacking the Androgen Receptor Cofactor p44/WDR77
Authors: Gao Shen , Wu Hong , Wang Fen , Wang Zhengxin
Published: June 2010

Although it has been observed that various cofactors modulate activity of the androgen receptor (AR), the specific relationship between AR cofactors and prostate development and functions has not been well studied. To determine whether AR cofactor p44/WDR77 is important in prostate growth and development, we examined prostate architecture in p44/WDR77-null mice and wild-type (WT) littermates. Prostate glands from p44/WDR77-deficient animals were not only smaller than those from WT mice but also had fewer branches and terminal duct tips and were deficient in production of secretory proteins. The p44/WDR77-null prostate tissue was less differentiated and hyperproliferative relative to WT littermates. In addition, the altered expression of androgen-regulated genes was observed in the p44/WDR77-null prostate. Thus, these results suggest that the AR cofactor p44/WDR77 plays important roles in prostate growth and differentiation by modulating AR-target gene expression.
Neurokinin B Acts via the Neurokinin-3 Receptor in the Retrochiasmatic Area to Stimulate Luteinizing Hormone Secretion in Sheep
Authors: Billings Heather J. , Connors John M. , Altman Stephanie N. , Hileman Stanley M. , Holaskova Ida , Lehman Michael N. , McManus Christina J. , Nestor Casey C , Jacobs Britni H. , Goodman Robert L.
Published: June 2010

Recent data have demonstrated that mutations in the receptor for neurokinin B (NKB), the NK-3 receptor (NK3R), produce hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in humans. These data, together with reports that NKB expression increases after ovariectomy and in postmenopausal women, have led to the hypothesis that this tachykinin is an important stimulator of GnRH secretion. However, the NK3R agonist, senktide, inhibited LH secretion in rats and mice. In this study, we report that senktide stimulates LH secretion in ewes. A dramatic increase in LH concentrations to levels close to those observed during the preovulatory LH surge was observed after injection of 1 nmol senktide into the third ventricle during the follicular, but not in the luteal, phase. Similar increases in LH secretion occurred after insertion of microimplants containing this agonist into the retrochiasmatic area (RCh) in anestrous or follicular phase ewes. A low-dose microinjection (3 pmol) of senktide into the RCh produced a smaller but significant increase in LH concentrations in anestrous ewes. Moreover, NK3R immunoreactivity was clearly evident in the RCh, although it was not found in A15 dopaminergic cell bodies in this region. These data provide evidence that NKB stimulates LH (and presumably GnRH) secretion in ewes and point to the RCh as one important site of action. Based on these data, and the effects of NK3R mutations in humans, we hypothesize that NKB plays an important stimulatory role in the control of GnRH and LH secretion in nonrodent species.