bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehension Maturity Tests: A New Departure in Measuring Reading Ability
Authors: Feder Daniel D. , Cochran Grace
Published: October 2011

The comprehension maturity tests were designed to meet the need for a “deeper” measure of comprehension than is furnished by the usual reading test. Experimentation to date suggests the existence of types of readers and types of reading material. Reliability and validity of the new tests have been experimentally established
Presenting the Possessive Adjectives in German and the Romance Languages
Authors: Schroeder Paul G.
Published: October 2011

A simple way of explaining the double agreement of the possessive adjectives in German, French, Spanish and Italian).
Modernizing Language Teaching*
Authors: Jones Willis Knapp
Published: October 2011

Author's Summary— To fit modern language teaching to modern conditions, we must ponder whom to teach, what to teach, how to teach, and how to test. This is a report on what is being done and suggestions for improvement is an attempt to let language students face problems similar to those in real life.
On the Translation of Verse
Authors: Kolbe Parke R.
Published: October 2011

Author's Summary— Translation is not one of the great arts, yet it requires, particularly in the translation of verse, thorough knowledge of language, with true appreciation of the beautiful, and some ability in the use of words. Classical verse is incapable of mechanically accurate reproduction in our modern tongue. The same is true, but in lesser degree, of verse in the modern foreign languages. Examples are offered in illustration of these statements.
German Composition in Advanced Classes
Authors: Rose Ernst
Published: October 2011

Author's Summary— The article discusses the aims of an advanced class in German composition, and describes the methods best suited to the purpose.)
On the Use of the German Relative Pronoun After Prepositions
Authors: Hoor G. J. Ten
Published: October 2011

Author's Summary— An examination of nine hundred pages of modern German prose containing selections by seventy‐eight representative authors shows that the relative pronoun referring to an inanimate object and standing after a preposition is used more than ten times as frequently as the wo‐compound which might be substituted for it. The statement of the rule as found in our grammars, should be altered to conform to this fact.)
A Note on Present Attitudes Toward Foreign‐Language Teaching
Authors: Peyton Myron A.
Published: October 2011

Author's summary.— Recent developments in foreign‐language teaching reveal the need for recognizing the special technique and learning process involved in it. Misconceptions and biased attitudes have impaired the function of foreign‐language study in liberal‐arts education, and have retarded vital accomplishment at the level of higher studies.
Iowa Place Names of Foreign Origin
Authors: Cook Pauline
Published: October 2011

Author's summary.— Some foreign place names in Iowa, classified by language, together with the history of the origin of some of them. Phonetic transcriptions are according to usage in Kenyon, J. S. and Knott, T. A. A pronouncing dictionary of American English, Merriam, 1944
Coronary Artery Disease Potentiates Response to Dofetilide for Rhythm Control of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: MANOCHA PANKAJ , BAVIKATI VENKATA , LANGBERG JONATHAN , LLOYD MICHAEL S.
Published: October 2011

Background:

Dofetilide, a class III antiarrhythmic, is one of the few alternatives to amiodarone in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure or coronary artery disease (CAD). While amiodarone has been extensively studied, little is known about predictors of response to dofetilide. We sought to identify clinical parameters associated with dofetilide success in a large cohort of patients with AF.

Methods/Results:

A total of 287 patients with AF started on dofetilide between 2001 and 2008 were included. Dofetilide was deemed “completely effective” if the patient remained on dofetilide at follow‐up and had no recurrences of AF clinically or by electrocardiogram. Dofetilide efficacy was analyzed in relation to clinical variables relevant to AF and AF recurrence. After a follow‐up of 10.2 ± 7.7 months, 54.7% of the patients remained on dofetilide and it was completely effective in 26.8%. The discontinuation rate during initial hospitalization was 13.3% from excessive QT prolongation and one patient with torsades de pointes (successfully treated). A history of CAD was the only univariate predictor of efficacy (odds ratio [OR] 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29–4.01, P < 0.05). CAD remained the only significant factor associated with efficacy of dofetilide in a multivariate regression model (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.11–3.70, P < 0.05, n = 270). The overall efficacy of dofetilide in patients with CAD was 41.1%, compared to 23.5% in those without CAD (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

In this large cohort of patients with AF, underlying coronary disease was significantly associated with dofetilide success. This finding may have utility for clinical decisions regarding initiation of dofetilide. (PACE 2012; 35:170–173)
An Inter‐ and Intraindividual Perspective of the Substitutability of Fairness Rules for Trust Within Teams
Authors: MERRIMAN KIMBERLY K. , MASLYN JOHN , FARMER STEVEN M.
Published: October 2011

The present study longitudinally assesses fairness allocation rule importance and equity allocation preference under conditions of evolving team trust. We predicted an interchangeable relationship between trust and allocation rules using an uncertainty management theory framework (Lind & Van den Bos, 2002; Van den Bos & Lind, 2002). From an interindividual perspective, lower initial trust toward team members predicted a higher degree of importance for the use of preferred allocation rules and greater use of the equity heuristic. An intraindividual change in trust predicted an inverse change in use of the equity heuristic, but not the expected change in allocation rule importance. Implications of these results for future research and practice are discussed.
Fate of autologous and fresh‐frozen allogeneic block bone grafts used for ridge augmentation. A CBCT‐based analysis
Authors: Spin‐Neto Rubens , Stavropoulos Andreas , Pereira Luís Antônio Violin Dias , Marcantonio Elcio , Wenzel Ann
Published: October 2011

Objectives

To evaluate dimensional changes in autologous (AT) and fresh‐frozen allogeneic (AL) block bone grafts 6 months after alveolar ridge augmentation.

Material and methods

Twenty‐six partially or totally edentulous patients treated either with fresh‐frozen AL bone or AT bone onlay block grafts prior to implant placement (13 patients in each group), were included in this analysis. Patients received CBCT (i‐CAT Classic) examinations prior to surgery and 14 days and 6 months after grafting. Differences in alveolar ridge area among the various observation times were evaluated by planimetric measurements on two‐dimensional CBCT images of the grafted regions. Nineteen grafted blocks from each group were evaluated.

Results

Significant increase in alveolar ridge dimensions, allowing implant placement, was obtained with both types of grafts 6 months after grafting; no significant differences in alveolar ridge area were observed between the groups at the various observation times. However, graft resorption in the AL group was significantly larger compared to that in the AT group at 6 months.

Conclusions

Larger bone graft resorption was seen in patients treated with fresh‐frozen AL bone than in those treated with AT bone 6 months following alveolar ridge augmentation.
How do pleiotropic kinase hubs mediate specific signaling by TNFR superfamily members?
Authors: Schröfelbauer Bärbel , Hoffmann Alexander
Published: October 2011

Summary:  Tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily members mediate the cellular response to a wide variety of biological inputs. The responses range from cell death, survival, differentiation, proliferation, to the regulation of immunity. All these physiological responses are regulated by a limited number of highly pleiotropic kinases. The fact that the same signaling molecules are involved in transducing signals from TNFR superfamily members that regulate different and even opposing processes raises the question of how their specificity is determined. Regulatory strategies that can contribute to signaling specificity include scaffolding to control kinase specificity, combinatorial use of several signal transducers, and temporal control of signaling. In this review, we discuss these strategies in the context of TNFR superfamily member signaling.
OX40:OX40L axis: emerging targets for improving poxvirus‐based CD8+ T‐cell vaccines against respiratory viruses
Authors: Goulding John , Tahiliani Vikas , Salek‐Ardakani Shahram
Published: October 2011

Summary:  The human respiratory tract is an entry point for over 200 known viruses that collectively contribute to millions of annual deaths worldwide. Consequently, the World Health Organization has designated respiratory viral infections as a priority for vaccine development. Despite enormous advances in understanding the attributes of a protective mucosal antiviral immune response, current vaccines continue to fail in effectively generating long‐lived protective CD8+ T‐cell immunity. To date, the majority of licensed human vaccines afford protection against infectious pathogens through the generation of specific immunoglobulin responses. In recent years, the selective manipulation of specific costimulatory pathways, which are critical in regulating T cell‐mediated immune responses, has generated increasing interest. Impressive results in animal models have shown that the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) family member OX40 (CD134) and its binding partner OX40L (CD252) are key costimulatory molecules involved in the generation of protective CD8+ T‐cell responses at mucosal surfaces, such as the lung. In this review, we highlight these new findings with a particular emphasis on their potential as immunological adjuvants to enhance poxvirus‐based CD8+ T‐cell vaccines.
Antibacterial Activities of 4‐Substituted‐2‐[(E)‐{(1S,2R)/(1R,2S)‐1‐Hydroxy‐1‐Phenylpropan‐2‐Ylimino}Methyl]Phenol
Authors: Tamizh Manoharan Muthu , Kesavan Devarayan , Sivakumar Ponnurengam Malliappan , Mereiter Kurt , Deepa Mohan , Kirchner Karl , Doble Mukesh , Karvembu Ramasamy
Published: October 2011

A series of norephedrine‐based Schiff bases (1a–6a and 1b–6b) were synthesized by reacting substituted salicylaldehydes with d‐norephedrine or l‐norephedrine. The structure of these compounds was confirmed by elemental analyses and spectroscopic techniques. The molecular structures of 5a and 6a have been determined by X‐ray crystallography, which revealed that the compounds are in the oxoamino form, with bent intramolecular N‐H···O (N···O ≈ 2.58 Å) hydrogen bonds and that they are associated in dimers bridged by linear intermolecular O‐H···O (O···O ≈ 2.69 Å) hydrogen bonds. The density functional theory calculations on 5a confirmed that the oxoamino form is more stable than the phenolimino form by 12.2 kcal/mol. All the compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activity using resazurin dye as indicator by twofold dilution method against four bacteria namely, Bacillus subtilis (NCIM2718), Staphylococcus aureus (NCIM5021), Escherichia coli (NCIM2931), and Proteus vulgaris (NCIM2813).
Evaluation of two sedation protocols for use before diagnostic intra‐articular anaesthesia in lame dogs
Authors: Van Vynckt D. , Samoy Y. , Polis I. , Bosmans T. , Verschooten F. , Van Ryssen B.
Published: October 2011

Objectives: To assess the influence of two sedation protocols on the degree of lameness in dogs.

Methods: Fifty lame dogs were allocated to one of two sedation protocols. Group ACPM (acepromazine + methadone; n=25) was sedated with acepromazine and methadone. Group MED (medetomidine antagonised with atipamezole; n=25) was sedated with medetomidine and reversed with atipamezole. Each dog was evaluated for lameness before and after sedation using videotapes. Four experienced clinicians allocated global lameness scores before and after sedation to each dog using a numerical rating scale.

Results: In 80% of the dogs in group ACPM and in 72% in group MED lameness was not affected by the sedation. In 12% of the dogs in group ACPM and 20% of the dogs in group MED the observers noticed an increase of lameness of 1 or 2 degrees on a scale of 0 to 10. In 8% of the dogs in both groups lameness decreased with 1 degree.

Clinical Relevance: A possible diagnostic test for investigation of obscure lameness is intra‐articular anaesthesia. Sedation is necessary to allow intra‐articular injection. This study provided evidence that the effect of sedation with the proposed protocols on the degree of lameness is negligible.
Chronic gastric instability and presumed incomplete volvulus in dogs
Authors: Paris J. K. , Yool D. A. , Reed N. , Ridyard A. E. , Chandler M. L. , Simpson J. W.
Published: October 2011

Chronic gastric volvulus in dogs results in long‐standing gastrointestinal signs unlike those of acute gastric dilatation and volvulus. This report describes chronic gastric volvulus in seven dogs. The majority of dogs presented with weight loss, chronic vomiting, lethargy and abdominal pain. A combination of radiographic, ultrasonographic and endoscopic imaging indicated altered positioning of gastric landmarks. Dynamic changes were identified in some cases. Exploratory coeliotomy and surgical gastropexy were performed in all dogs. Clinical signs improved or resolved in six of seven dogs postoperatively. Chronic gastric volvulus is an uncommon condition in dogs, but should be considered as a differential in cases presenting with the above clinical signs.
Larvicidal activity of Pseudocalymma alliaceum and Allium sativum against Culex quinquefasciatus (Say)
Authors: Shrankhla  , SHARMA Preeti , MOHAN Lalit , SRIVASTAVA Chand Narayan
Published: October 2011

The larvicidal activity of the plant extracts Pseudocalymma alliaceum and Allium sativum were determined against Culex quinquefasciatus. The hexane extract of P. alliaceum and the petroleum ether extract of A. sativum exhibited larvicidal efficacy against Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. Extracts of P. alliaceum resulted in concentrations that produced 50% mortality LC50 and LC90 values of 2.49 and 15.06 ppm, respectively, after 24 h and 1.16 and 8.45 ppm after 48 h. Extracts of A. sativum resulted in LC50 and LC90 values of 8.38 and 29.15 ppm after 24 h and 7.28 and 44.19 ppm after 48 h of exposure, respectively. The results indicate that the plant extract component(s) present in the hexane extract of P. alliaceum leaves demonstrated greater potential as an efficient larvicide than A. sativum against Cx. quinquefasciatus.
Everything is Knowable – How to Get to KnowWhethera Proposition is True
Authors: VAN DITMARSCH HANS , VAN DER HOEK WIEBE , ILIEV PETAR
Published: October 2011

Fitch showed that not every true proposition can be known in due time; in other words, that not every proposition isknowable. Moore showed that certain propositions cannot be consistently believed. A more recent dynamic phrasing of Moore‐sentences is that not all propositions are known after their announcement, i.e., not every proposition issuccessful. Fitch's and Moore's results are related, as they equally apply to standard notions of knowledge and belief (S5 andKD45, respectively). If we interpret ‘successful’ as ‘known after its announcement’ and ‘knowable’ as ‘known after some announcement’, successful implies knowable. Knowable does not imply successful: there is a propositionϕthat is not known after its announcement but there is another announcement after whichϕis known. We show that all propositions are knowable in the more general sense that for each proposition, it can become known or its negation can become known. We can get to knowwhetherit is true: ◊(Kϕ ∨ K¬ϕ). This result comes at a price. We cannot get to know whether the propositionwastrue. This restricts the philosophical relevance of interpreting ‘knowable’ as ‘known after an announcement’.
Femoroacetabular impingement and risk factors: a study of 50 cases
Authors: Kumar Rajesh , Aggarwal Aditya
Published: October 2011

Objective:  To study the asphericity of the femoral head in femoroacetabular impingement using the radiological indices alpha angle and triangular index, and correlation with risk factors.

Methods:  The study was conducted retrospectively from January 2008 to June 2010 on 50 consecutive patients with suspected cam type femoroacetabular impingement of the hip who reported to the orthopaedics outpatients department of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research. Ten controls were also used in the study. Radiographs of the affected hip were taken and then the alpha angle and triangular index were measured and correlated with various risk factors.

Results:  In the anteroposterior view the alpha angle range was from 55° to 106° for the cases and from 54° to 70° for the controls. In the lateral view the range was from 62° to 104° for the cases and from 54° to 62° for the controls. The mean alpha angle in the anteroposterior view was measured as 75°± 10° in the cases and 61°± 6° in the controls, and the mean in the lateral view was 74°± 8° in the cases and 58°± 6° for the controls. The triangular index range in the radiographs was from 1 to 7 in the cases and from 0 to 1 for the controls. The mean triangular index in the radiographs was 2.9 ± 1.2 for the cases and 0.2 ± 0.4 for the controls.

Conclusion:  There was no significant correlation between the age and gender of the patient and the femoroacetabular impingement. However, there was significant correlation between the body mass index of the patient and the femoroacetabular impingement.
Characterization of a stem cell population in lung cancer cell line Glc‐82
Authors: Long Hao , Zhang Shulin , Liu Chunqi , Shi Jianlin , Tao Liyang , Situ Dongrong , Ma Guowei , Zheng Yan , Fu Liwu
Published: October 2011

Objectives:  A side population (SP) of cells can be separated from diverse cancer cell lines by a fluorescence‐activated cell sorter (FACS) and show stem cell‐like characteristics. To gain more information about SP phenotypes, we performed a series of characterizations of SP cells.

Methods:  We isolated SP cells from the lung cancer cell line Glc‐82 via FACS. Their capability of multilineage differentiation, self‐renewal and tumorigenicity were examined both in vitro and in vivo. Their sensitivity to anticancer drugs was also detected by Methyl‐thiazol‐diphenyl tetrazolium assay. The expression of cell surface molecules including ABCG2, HERs and CD133 was analyzed with a flow cytometer.

Results:  SP cells made up an average of 14.5% of the total cell population and were more tumorigenic than non‐SP cells in vivo. The growth rate of SP cells was higher than that of the unsorted cells and non‐SP cells, and the repopulation of SP cells occurred more rapidly. Moreover, the SP cells expressed elevated levels of ABCG2 protein and showed augmented resistance to multiple chemotherapeutic and targeted drugs, when compared to non‐SP cells. In addition, the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor protein and CD133 were higher in SP cells than in non‐SP cells.

Conclusions:  We suggest that the SP cells in the Glc‐82 cell line are enriched with cancer stem cells.
The microbial contamination of pressurised metered-dose inhalers anonymously sourced from the South-East Queensland Australia community population
Authors: Borovina Leigh R , Tremellen Kate E , Walker Monique P , Hawley Tegan M , Horgan Anthony R , Grant Gary D , King Michelle A
Published: October 2011

Objectives

To provide preliminary evidence regarding the presence, identity and level of microbial contamination of metered-dose inhalers sourced from the community. To correlate the level of microbial colonisation to the visible presence of debris on the interior and exterior surface of the device mouthpiece.

Methods

In this exploratory study, 45 post-use de-identified pressurised metered-dose inhalers were collected from the South-East Queensland Australian community. Prior to swabbing, the presence of visible debris on the internal and external surfaces of the mouthpiece was recorded for each device. Swabs taken from external and inner surfaces of the mouthpiece of each device were streaked onto standard growth media for colony counts. Individual colonies were selected and enriched then streaked onto a range of differential and chromogenic media for differential identification.

Key findings

A total of 36 post-use pressurised metered dose inhalers (80%) were shown to be colonised by microbes relative to unused devices (P = 0.01). Devices were primarily colonised by common respiratory flora, including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Haemophilus species. Of greatest concern was the positive identification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (18%) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (7%), Pseudomonas aerugonisa (2%) and Candida species (9%). The level of internal microbial contamination appeared to correlate to the presence of visible debris on the inside of the inhaler mouthpiece (P = 0.06) but not external debris (P = 0.59) while external contamination was not associated with internal (P = 0.99) or external debris (P = 0.63).

Conclusions

These preliminary data suggest that pressurised metered dose inhalers are potential reservoirs for bacteria. While this study was not aimed at determining the impact that contaminated pressurised metered-dose inhalers may have on the user, future research is being conducted to address the implications of these findings and the consequences they may have for the population of users.
Standardized Assay Medium To Measure Lactococcus lactis Enzyme Activities while Mimicking Intracellular Conditions
Authors: Goel Anisha , Santos Filipe , de Vos Willem M. , Teusink Bas , Molenaar Douwe
Published: October 2011

Knowledge of how the activity of enzymes is affected under
in vivo
conditions is essential for analyzing their regulation and constructing models that yield an integrated understanding of cell behavior. Current kinetic parameters for
Lactococcus lactis
are scattered through different studies and performed under different assay conditions. Furthermore, assay conditions often diverge from conditions prevailing in the intracellular environment. To establish uniform assay conditions that resemble intracellular conditions, we analyzed the intracellular composition of anaerobic glucose-limited chemostat cultures of
L. lactis
subsp.
cremoris
MG 1363. Based on this, we designed a new assay medium for enzyme activity measurements of growing cells of
L. lactis
, mimicking as closely as practically possible its intracellular environment. Procedures were optimized to be carried out in 96-well plates, and the reproducibility and dynamic range were checked for all enzyme activity measurements. The effects of freezing and the carryover of ammonium sulfate from the addition of coupling enzymes were also established. Activities of all 10 glycolytic and 4 fermentative enzymes were measured. Remarkably, most
in vivo
-like activities were lower than previously published data. Yet, the ratios of
V
max
over measured
in vivo
fluxes were above 1. With this work, we have developed and extensively validated standard protocols for enzyme activity measurements for
L. lactis
.
Expression Vectors for Acinetobacter baylyi ADP1
Authors: Murin Charles Daniel , Segal Kristy , Bryksin Anton , Matsumura Ichiro
Published: October 2011

Acinetobacter baylyi
ADP1 is naturally competent and proficient at homologous recombination, so it can be transformed without restriction digests or ligation reactions. Expression vectors for this system, however, are not yet widely available. Here we describe the construction and characterization of inducible expression vectors that replicate as plasmids in
A. baylyi
or integrate into a nonessential part of its chromosome. These tools will facilitate the engineering of genes and genomes in this promising model organism.
Growth Inhibition of Various Enterobacteriaceae Species by the Yeast Hansenula anomala during Storage of Moist Cereal Grain
Authors: Olstorpe Matilda , Schnürer Johan , Passoth Volkmar
Published: October 2011

Eleven of 13
Enterobacteriaceae
species tested grew in moist stored wheat, highlighting a potential risk of this energy-saving airtight storage method. When
Hansenula anomala
was coinoculated, all
Enterobacteriaceae
species were significantly inhibited after 2 months of storage, six of them to below the detection limit.
Acaricide Treatment Affects Viral Dynamics in Varroa destructor-Infested Honey Bee Colonies via both Host Physiology and Mite Control
Authors: Locke Barbara , Forsgren Eva , Fries Ingemar , de Miranda Joachim R.
Published: October 2011

Honey bee (
Apis mellifera
) colonies are declining, and a number of stressors have been identified that affect, alone or in combination, the health of honey bees. The ectoparasitic mite
Varroa destructor
, honey bee viruses that are often closely associated with the mite, and pesticides used to control the mite population form a complex system of stressors that may affect honey bee health in different ways. During an acaricide treatment using Apistan (plastic strips coated with tau-fluvalinate), we analyzed the infection dynamics of deformed wing virus (DWV), sacbrood virus (SBV), and black queen cell virus (BQCV) in adult bees, mite-infested pupae, their associated
Varroa
mites, and uninfested pupae, comparing these to similar samples from untreated control colonies. Titers of DWV increased initially with the onset of the acaricide application and then slightly decreased progressively coinciding with the removal of the
Varroa
mite infestation. This initial increase in DWV titers suggests a physiological effect of tau-fluvalinate on the host's susceptibility to viral infection. DWV titers in adult bees and uninfested pupae remained higher in treated colonies than in untreated colonies. The titers of SBV and BQCV did not show any direct relationship with mite infestation and showed a variety of possible effects of the acaricide treatment. The results indicate that other factors besides
Varroa
mite infestation may be important to the development and maintenance of damaging DWV titers in colonies. Possible biochemical explanations for the observed synergistic effects between tau-fluvalinate and virus infections are discussed.
Functional Analysis of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Pili in Relation to Adhesion and Immunomodulatory Interactions with Intestinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Lebeer Sarah , Claes Ingmar , Tytgat Hanne L. P. , Verhoeven Tine L. A. , Marien Eyra , von Ossowski Ingemar , Reunanen Justus , Palva Airi , de Vos Willem M. , De Keersmaecker Sigrid C. J. , Vanderleyden Jos
Published: October 2011

Lactobacillus rhamnosus
GG, a probiotic with good survival capacity in the human gut, has well-documented adhesion properties and health effects. Recently,
spaCBA
-encoded pili that bind to human intestinal mucus were identified on its cell surface. Here, we report on the phenotypic analysis of a
spaCBA
pilus knockout mutant in comparison with the wild type and other adhesin mutants. The SpaCBA pilus of
L. rhamnosus
GG showed to be key for efficient adherence to the Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) line and biofilm formation. Moreover, the
spaCBA
mutant induces an elevated level of interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA in Caco-2 cells compared to the wild type, possibly involving an interaction of lipoteichoic acid with Toll-like receptor 2. In contrast, an
L. rhamnosus
GG mutant without exopolysaccharides but with an increased exposure of pili leads to the reduced expression of IL-8. Using Transwells to partition bacteria from Caco-2 cells, IL-8 induction is blocked completely regardless of whether wild-type or mutant
L. rhamnosus
GG cells are used. Taken together, our data suggest that
L. rhamnosus
GG SpaCBA pili, while promoting strong adhesive interactions with IECs, have a functional role in balancing IL-8 mRNA expression induced by surface molecules such as lipoteichoic acid.
Identification and Characterization of the Rhizobium sp. Strain GIN611 Glycoside Oxidoreductase Resulting in the Deglycosylation of Ginsenosides
Authors: Kim Eun-Mi , Kim Juhan , Seo Joo-Hyun , Park Jun-Seong , Kim Duck-Hee , Kim Byung-Gee
Published: October 2011

Using enrichment culture,
Rhizobium
sp. strain GIN611 was isolated as having activity for deglycosylation of a ginsenoside, compound K (CK). The purified heterodimeric protein complex from
Rhizobium
sp. GIN611 consisted of two subunits with molecular masses of 63.5 kDa and 17.5 kDa. In the genome, the coding sequence for the small subunit was located right after the sequence for the large subunit, with one nucleotide overlapping. The large subunit showed CK oxidation activity, and the deglycosylation of compound K was performed via oxidation of ginsenoside glucose by glycoside oxidoreductase. Coexpression of the small subunit helped soluble expression of the large subunit in recombinant
Escherichia coli
. The purified large subunit also showed oxidation activity against other ginsenoside compounds, such as Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, F2, CK, Rh2, Re, F1, and the isoflavone daidzin, but at a much lower rate. When oxidized CK was extracted and incubated in phosphate buffer with or without enzyme, (
S
)-protopanaxadiol [PPD(S)] was detected in both cases, which suggests that deglycosylation of oxidized glucose is spontaneous.
A Highly Organized Structure Mediating Nuclear Localization of a Myb2 Transcription Factor in the Protozoan Parasite Trichomonas vaginalis
Authors: Chu Chien-Hsin , Chang Lung-Chun , Hsu Hong-Ming , Wei Shu-Yi , Liu Hsing-Wei , Lee Yu , Kuo Chung-Chi , Indra Dharmu , Chen Chinpan , Ong Shiou-Jeng , Tai Jung-Hsiang
Published: October 2011

Nuclear proteins usually contain specific peptide sequences, referred to as nuclear localization signals (NLSs), for nuclear import. These signals remain unexplored in the protozoan pathogen,
Trichomonas vaginalis
. The nuclear import of a Myb2 transcription factor was studied here using immunodetection of a hemagglutinin-tagged Myb2 overexpressed in the parasite. The tagged Myb2 was localized to the nucleus as punctate signals. With mutations of its polybasic sequences, 48KKQK51 and 61KR62, Myb2 was localized to the nucleus, but the signal was diffusive. When fused to a C-terminal non-nuclear protein, the Myb2 sequence spanning amino acid (aa) residues 48 to 143, which is embedded within the R2R3 DNA-binding domain (aa 40 to 156), was essential and sufficient for efficient nuclear import of a bacterial tetracycline repressor (TetR), and yet the transport efficiency was reduced with an additional fusion of a firefly luciferase to TetR, while classical NLSs from the simian virus 40 T-antigen had no function in this assay system. Myb2 nuclear import and DNA-binding activity were substantially perturbed with mutation of a conserved isoleucine (I74) in helix 2 to proline that altered secondary structure and ternary folding of the R2R3 domain. Disruption of DNA-binding activity alone by point mutation of a lysine residue, K51, preceding the structural domain had little effect on Myb2 nuclear localization, suggesting that nuclear translocation of Myb2, which requires an ordered structural domain, is independent of its DNA binding activity. These findings provide useful information for testing whether myriad Mybs in the parasite use a common module to regulate nuclear import.
Identification of Tissue Cyst Wall Components by Transcriptome Analysis of
In Vivo
and In Vitro Toxoplasma gondii Bradyzoites
Authors: Buchholz Kerry R. , Fritz Heather M. , Chen Xiucui , Durbin-Johnson Blythe , Rocke David M. , Ferguson David J. , Conrad Patricia A. , Boothroyd John C.
Published: October 2011

The
Toxoplasma gondii
bradyzoite is essential to establish persistent infection, yet little is known about what factors this developmental form secretes to establish the cyst or interact with its host cell. To identify candidate bradyzoite-secreted effectors, the transcriptomes of
in vitro
tachyzoites 2 days postinfection,
in vitro
bradyzoites 4 days postinfection, and
in vivo
bradyzoites 21 days postinfection were interrogated by microarray, and the program SignalP was used to identify signal peptides indicating secretion. One hundred two putative bradyzoite-secreted effectors were identified by this approach. Two candidates, bradyzoite pseudokinase 1 and microneme adhesive repeat domain-containing protein 4, were chosen for further investigation and confirmed to be induced and secreted by bradyzoites
in vitro
and
in vivo
. Thus, we report the first analysis of the transcriptomes of
in vitro
and
in vivo
bradyzoites and identify two new protein components of the
Toxoplasma
tissue cyst wall.
Zygotic Expression of the Double-Stranded RNA Binding Motif Protein Drb2p Is Required for DNA Elimination in the Ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila
Authors: Motl Jason A. , Chalker Douglas L.
Published: October 2011

Double-stranded RNA binding motif (DSRM)-containing proteins play many roles in the regulation of gene transcription and translation, including some with tandem DSRMs that act in small RNA biogenesis. We report the characterization of the genes for double-stranded RNA binding proteins 1 and 2 (
DRB1
and
DRB2
), two genes encoding nuclear proteins with tandem DSRMs in the ciliate
Tetrahymena thermophila.
Both proteins are expressed throughout growth and development but exhibit distinct peaks of expression, suggesting different biological roles. In support of this, we show that expression of
DRB2
is essential for vegetative growth while
DRB1
expression is not. During conjugation, Drb1p and Drb2p localize to distinct nuclear foci. Cells lacking all
DRB1
copies are able to produce viable progeny, although at a reduced rate relative to wild-type cells. In contrast, cells lacking germ line
DRB2
copies, which thus cannot express Drb2p zygotically, fail to produce progeny, arresting late into conjugation. This arrest phenotype is accompanied by a failure to organize the essential DNA rearrangement protein Pdd1p into DNA elimination bodies and execute DNA elimination and chromosome breakage. These results implicate zygotically expressed Drb2p in the maturation of these nuclear structures, which are necessary for reorganization of the somatic genome.
Abdominal symptoms during physical exercise and the role of gastrointestinal ischaemia: a study in 12 symptomatic athletes
Authors: ter Steege Rinze WF , Geelkerken Robert H , Huisman Ad B , Kolkman Jeroen J
Published: October 2011

Background

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms during exercise may be caused by GI ischaemia. The authors report their experience with the diagnostic protocol and management of athletes with symptomatic exercise-induced GI ischaemia. The value of prolonged exercise tonometry in the diagnostic protocol of these patients was evaluated.

Methods

Patients referred for GI symptoms during physical exercise underwent a standardised diagnostic protocol, including prolonged exercise tonometry. Indicators of GI ischaemia, as measured by tonometry, were related to the presence of symptoms during the exercise test (S+ and S− tests) and exercise intensity.

Results

12 athletes were specifically referred for GI symptoms during exercise (five males and seven females; median age 29 years (range 15–46 years)). Type of sport was cycling, long-distance running and triathlon. Median duration of symptoms was 32 months (range 7–240 months). Splanchnic artery stenosis was found in one athlete. GI ischaemia was found in six athletes during submaximal exercise. All athletes had gastric and jejunal ischaemia during maximum intensity exercise. No significant difference was found in gastric and jejunal Pco2or gradients between S+ and S− tests during any phase of the exercise protocol. In S+ tests, but not in S− tests, a significant correlation between lactate and gastric gradient was found. In S+ tests, the regression coefficients of gradients were higher than those in S− tests. Treatment advice aimed at limiting GI ischaemia were successful in reducing complaints in the majority of the athletes.

Conclusion

GI ischaemia was present in all athletes during maximum intensity exercise and in 50% during submaximal exercise. Athletes with GI symptoms had higher gastric gradients per mmol/l increase in lactate, suggesting an increased susceptibility for the development of ischaemia during exercise. Treatment advice aimed at limiting GI ischaemia helped the majority of the referred athletes to reduce their complaints. Our results suggest an important role for GI ischaemia in the pathophysiology of their complaints.
Feasibility of precompetition medical assessment at FIFA World Cups for female youth players
Authors: Dvorak Jiri , Grimm Katharina , Schmied Christian , Junge Astrid
Published: October 2011

Background

Although most experts agree that preparticipation screening is important to prevent sudden cardiac death in sport, only a few reports have been published on the feasibility of its practical implementation.

Methods

The football associations participating in the U-17 and U-20 Women's World Cups 2010 were asked to perform a standardised precompetition medical assessment (PCMA) of their players (in total 672).

Results

Compliance with the requirement for performing the PCMA was high among all teams, particularly from African, Asian and Central/South American countries. No relevant abnormal findings in personal history and clinical cardiological examination were reported. Athletic ECG patterns were frequent, but very few findings were considered to require further investigation. All players were declared as eligible to play.

Conclusions

Based on the demonstrated feasibility of performing a comprehensive PCMA in elite female youth players, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Executive Committee decided to make the PCMA a compulsory requirement for all FIFA competitions.
Procedure competence versus number performed: a survey of graduate emergency medicine specialists in a developing nation: Table 1
Authors: Wen Leana S , Nagurney J Tobias , Geduld Heike I , Wen Angela P , Wallis Lee A
Published: October 2011

Background

Emergency medicine (EM) training programmes are being conducted around the world but no study has assessed the procedural competence of developing nations' EM trainees.

Objectives

To quantify the number of core procedures and resuscitations performed and describe the perceived procedural competency of graduates of Africa's first EM registrarship at the University of Cape Town/Stellenbosch University (UCT/SUN) in Cape Town, South Africa.

Methods

All 30 graduates from the first four classes in the UCT/SUN EM programme (2007–10) were asked to complete a written, self-administered survey on the number of procedures needed for competency, the number of procedures performed during registrarship and the perceived competence in each procedure ranked on a five-point Likert scale. The procedures selected were the 10 core procedures and four types of resuscitations as defined by the US-based Residency Review Committee. Results were compiled and analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Twenty-seven (90%) completed surveys. For most core procedures and all resuscitations, the number of procedures reported by respondents far exceeded the Residency Review Committee minimum. The three procedures not meeting the minimum were internal cardiac pacing, cricothyrotomy and periocardiocentesis. Respondents reported perceived competence in most procedures and all resuscitations.

Conclusions

EM trainees in a South Africa registrarship report a high number of procedures performed for most procedures and all resuscitations. As medical education moves to the era of direct observation and other methods of assessment, more studies are needed to define and ensure procedural competence in trainees of nascent EM programmes.
Good website design – not just a pretty face
Authors: Taylor Angela
Published: October 2011

As internet use increases and clients become accustomed to visiting increasingly impressive websites, it is now more important than ever that the practice website boasts an excellent design. Here, Angela Taylor suggests ways to ensure that the practice website is effective at meeting the needs of clients.
Postoperative management of gastrointestinal cases
Authors: Charlesworth Tim
Published: October 2011

An article in the September issue of In Practice (volume 33, pp 374–378) reviewed the normal physiology and healing of the gastrointestinal tract in small animals after undergoing surgery, and discussed the options for providing analgesia and intravenous fluid support in these patients. This article discusses the nutritional requirements and use of antibiotics in animals recovering from gastrointestinal surgery, and explains how to monitor for and diagnose the most common postoperative complications to maximise the chances of a successful outcome.
PROXIMAL PHALANX INJECTION FOR TRIGGER FINGER: RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
Authors: Pataradool K. , Buranapuntaruk T.
Published: October 2011

Trigger finger is one of the most common upper extremity problems in the outpatient department. Conservative treatment is the mainstay for management of trigger digits especially steroid injection with highly satisfactory outcome and minimal complication. Conventional injection technique (CI) that approaches flexor tendon sheath over metacarpal head directly causes pain for most patients. The proximal phalanx injection technique (P1I) at palmar surface of midproximal phalanx is simple and less painful for the patients. We compared pain result and effectiveness between these two methods. Forty patients with primary trigger fingers were placed in a prospective randomized study to receive steroid injection with either the CI or P1I techniques. Demographic data were recorded. Immediately after the injection, pain score was recorded for each patient using the pain visual analog scale. The patients were followed every month for three months to determine recurrent symptoms. Student's t-test, chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used for data analysis. The mean pain VAS scores immediately post-injection were 7.3 ± 1.3 and 3.2 ± 2.2 in the CI and P1I techniques, respectively. The P1I technique group had a significantly lower pain score than CI technique group (p < 0.001). The recurrence rate was 15% in the CI technique when compared to 25% in the P1I technique which was not significant (p = 0.685). We concluded that the P1I technique is less painful than the CI technique without any significant difference in recurrence rate between the two groups at three months follow-up.
FREE FIBULAR GRAFT RECONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING RESECTION OF CHONDROSARCOMA IN THE FIRST METACARPAL
Authors: Dhinsa Baljinder Singh , Mann Bhupinder Singh , Nawaz Syed Zuhair , Jalgaonkar Azal , Briggs Tim W. R. , Skinner John A.
Published: October 2011

Chondrosarcoma is most frequently present in the pelvis and long bones and rarely seen in the bones of the hand. Traditionally the treatment of choice for involvment of the hand is ray amputation, however this causes significant functional deficit if there is thumb involvement. There are limited cases in literature of resection of thumb chondrosarcoma with restoration of function. We present a case of high grade chondrosarcoma of the first metacarpal treated with resection and free fibular graft reconstruction. We report excellent functional outcome with this procedure.
MULTIPLE LOCALIZED GIANT CELL TUMOR OF THE TENDON SHEATH (GCTTS) AFFECTING A SINGLE TENDON: A VERY RARE CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF RECENT CASES
Authors: Singh Talvinder , Noor Saqib , Simons Adrian W.
Published: October 2011

Introduction Giant cell tumors of the tendon sheath (GCTTS) are very common. More recently, a small number of case reports have identified the presence of multifocal GCTTS in the hand. These case reports have identified the presence of a maximum of two simultaneous lesions of a giant cell tumor affecting the same tendon sheath. We present an exceptionally rare case of simultaneous multiple localized GCTTS in which five lesions were identified on a single tendon simultaneously. This number of lesions on a single tendon has never been previously reported.

Case: A 37-year-old tree surgeon initially complained of pain in the region of the base of the ring and little fingers. A month later, he developed multiple soft tissue swellings at these sites and a soft tissue mass in the center of the palm relating to the left ring finger. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan suggested multiple GCTTS. These masses were excised completely without MRI evidence of a recurrence. Multiple GCTTS should be a differential diagnosis of multiple soft tissue swellings in the hand with an MRI scan and complete excision being the appropriate imaging and treatment modality respectively.
THE "LOCAL DORSAL ADIPOFASCIAL FLAP" FOR VOLAR DIGITAL DEFECTS: A CASE REPORT
Authors: Estrella Emmanuel P. , Padua Ruth A.
Published: October 2011

The coverage of volar digital defects can be achieved by a variety of surgical options. Although frequently used and reliable, these procedures entail the need for a second stage for flap release, meticulous dissection, sacrifice of a digital artery of the uninvolved digit, or delayed mobilization resulting in digital stiffness. The ideal surgical procedure for such defects should be a simple, single-stage surgery that allows early mobilization and return to function and at the same time avoiding unnecessary donor site morbidity from an uninvolved digit. The "local dorsal adipofascial flap" is a simple procedure that does not need a secondary procedure for flap release and affords early range of motion and return to function. We used this new flap technique in two digits with volar defects in a single patient. At ten months after flap coverage, the fingers were fully functional with good healing of the "local dorsal adipofascial flap."
NAIL HYPERTROPHY AFTER ELECTIVE SURGERY ON THE LITTLE FINGER: A CASE REPORT
Authors: Gong Hyun Sik , Chun Sae Hyung , Baek Goo Hyun
Published: October 2011

The authors present a case that developed acute painful nail hypertrophy of the ipsilateral four fingers which resembled finger clubbing after undergoing elective hand surgery on the little finger. The patient was diagnosed as having complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), and the nail hypertrophy subsided gradually on pain control, and completely normalized one year after onset. Recognizing this phenomenon may help initiate early treatment for CRPS and avoid unnecessary antibiotic or antifungal medications for postoperative infection.