bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does gastric dilation predict adverse perinatal or surgical outcome in fetuses with gastroschisis?
Authors: Alfaraj M. A. , Ryan G. , Langer J. C. , Windrim R. , Seaward P. G. R. , Kingdom J.
Published: October 2010

Objective

To compare perinatal and infant surgical outcomes in fetuses with gastroschisis with and without gastric dilation in a single‐center cohort.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of all singleton pregnancies with a prenatal diagnosis of gastroschisis managed at University of Toronto perinatal centers between January 2001 and February 2010. Digital prenatal ultrasound images were reviewed to determine fetal gastric size within 2 weeks of delivery. Perinatal and surgical outcomes were compared in fetuses with and without gastric dilation including: gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery, indication for Cesarean section, meconium‐stained amniotic fluid, birth weight percentile, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min, umbilical artery pH, time to full enteral feeding, length of hospital stay, bowel atresia or necrosis and need for bowel resection.

Results

Ninety‐eight fetuses with prenatally diagnosed gastroschisis managed at our center were included in the study, of which 32 (32.7%) were found to have gastric dilation. Gastric dilation predicted meconium‐stained amniotic fluid at delivery (53% vs. 24%;P= 0.017), but no other adverse perinatal outcome. Surgical morbidity rates (bowel atresia, bowel necrosis, perforation diagnosed postnatally, need for bowel resection, total time to full enteral feeding and length of hospital stay) were unaffected by gastric dilation.

Conclusions

In gastroschisis, fetal gastric dilation is associated with meconium‐stained amniotic fluid at delivery, but is not predictive of any serious perinatal or postnatal complications. Fetal growth and well‐being should be serially evaluated on ultrasound using biophysical and Doppler assessment to decide on the optimal timing and mode of delivery. Copyright © 2010 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An efflux pump is involved in secretion of newly synthesized siderophore by Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Hannauer Mélissa , Yeterian Emilie , Martin Lois W. , Lamont Iain L. , Schalk Isabelle J.
Published: October 2010

Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes the fluorescent siderophore, pyoverdine (PVD), to enable iron acquisition. Epifluorescence microscopy and cellular fractionation were used to investigate the role of an efflux pump, PvdRT‐OpmQ, in PVD secretion. Bacteria lacking this efflux pump accumulated PVD, or a fluorescent precursor, in the periplasm, due to their inability to efficiently secrete into the media newly synthesized PVD. PvdRT‐OpmQ is only the second system identified for secretion of newly synthesized siderophores by Gram negative bacteria.
DHHC protein‐dependent palmitoylation protects regulator of G‐protein signaling 4 from proteasome degradation
Authors: Wang Jincheng , Xie Yan , Wolff Dennis W. , Abel Peter W. , Tu Yaping
Published: October 2010

MINT‐8049215: Rgs4 (uniprotkb:P49799) physically interacts (MI:0915) with DHHC3 (uniprotkb:Q8R173) by anti‐tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007)
ON DENSE EMBEDDINGS INTO MOORE SPACES WITH THE BAIRE PROPERTY
Authors: FEARNLEY DAVID L. , FEARNLEY LAWRENCE
Published: October 2010

We demonstrate a construction that will densely embed a Moore space into a Moore space with the Baire property when this is possible. We also show how this technique generates a new ‘if and only if’ condition for determining when Moore spaces can be densely embedded in Moore spaces with the Baire property, and briefly discuss how this condition can can be used to generate new proofs that certain Moore spaces cannot be densely embedded in Moore spaces with the Baire property.
The professional voice
Authors: Benninger M S
Published: October 2010

The human voice is not only the key to human communication but also serves as the primary musical instrument. Many professions rely on the voice, but the most noticeable and visible are singers. Care of the performing voice requires a thorough understanding of the interaction between the anatomy and physiology of voice production, along with an awareness of the interrelationships between vocalisation, acoustic science and non-vocal components of performance. This review gives an overview of the care and prevention of professional voice disorders by describing the unique and integrated anatomy and physiology of singing, the roles of development and training, and the importance of the voice care team.
Isolated itching of external auditory canal: clinicopathological study with immunohistochemical determination of antimicrobial peptides
Authors: Acar B , Simsek G Güler , Oguztuzun S , Zaim M , Karasen R Murat
Published: October 2010

Objective:

This study aimed to demonstrate the histological and immunohistological features of skin biopsy specimens from patients complaining of isolated itching of the external auditory canal.

Materials and methods:

A prospective, case–control study was performed of 24 patients undergoing evaluation for contact dermatitis of the external auditory canal, and 24 controls. Skin biopsies were examined histologically by a single, blinded dermatopathologist, using light microscopy, to determine histopathological characteristics. The immunohistological presence of the antimicrobial peptides human β-defensin-3 and LL-37 cathelicidin was also assessed. Findings for patients and controls were compared.

Results:

There was a statistically significant difference in the degree of inflammation, comparing patients and controls (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the presence of spongiotic changes, comparing patients and controls (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the patients' skin biopsies did not show pronounced expression of human β-defensin-3 or LL-37 cathelicidin.

Conclusion:

Histological and immunohistological examination of skin biopsies from cases of isolated itching of the external auditory canal did not support a diagnosis of dermatitis.
Persistent otorrhoea with an abnormal tympanic membrane secondary to squamous cell carcinoma of the tympanic membrane
Authors: de Zoysa N , Stephens J , Mochloulis G M D , Kothari P B D S
Published: October 2010

Objective:

The authors present an extremely rare case of carcinoma of the tympanic membrane.

Method:

A case report and review of the literature concerning carcinoma of the tympanic membrane and temporal bone are presented and discussed.

Results:

The authors present a patient with recurrent otorrhoea and an abnormal tympanic membrane. Biopsy was inconclusive, but resection demonstrated squamous cell carcinoma of the tympanic membrane. We also discuss the investigation, diagnosis, natural history and management of this rare condition, as well as the staging and management of tumours of the temporal bone and the differences between these closely related but prognostically different entities.

Conclusion:

This rare entity can be managed by primary surgical resection if there is no evidence of metastasis.
Heresy and Sufism in the Arabic-Islamic world, 1550–1750: Some preliminary observations
Authors: El-Rouayheb Khaled
Published: October 2010

The present paper is an attempt to throw preliminary light on heretical Sufi groups in the Arabic-Islamic world in the early-modern period (sixteenth to eighteenth centuries). Previous scholarship on antinomian Sufism has tended to focus on earlier centuries and on Persian- and Turkish-speaking groups. Evidence suggests that there is also a history to be written of antinomian mystical groups in the Arabic-speaking world in later centuries. On the eve of modernity in the Arabic-speaking Middle East, groups and individuals existed who rejected or ignored the prevalent scholarly interpretation of Islam and challenged the authority of the class of religious scholars (ʿulamā'). A number of sources from the period, usually hostile and/or satirical, attest to the existence of such groups and allow us to reconstruct the overall contours of their outlook.
The Dreamer and the Yogin: On the relationship between Buddhist and Śaiva idealisms
Authors: Ratié Isabelle
Published: October 2010

The Pratyabhijñā system, elaborated in the tenth and eleventh centuries by the Kashmiri philosophers Utpaladeva and Abhinavagupta, presents a rational justification of the metaphysical principles contained in the Śaiva nondualistic scriptures. However, contrary to what one might expect, many arguments to which Utpaladeva and Abhinavagupta resort when defending their idealism belong to Buddhist rather than Śaiva sources. This article examines the profound influence, in this respect, of the Buddhist “logico-epistemological school” on the Pratyabhijñā system. But it also shows that Utpaladeva and Abhinavagupta are not unknowingly or unwittingly influenced by their Buddhist opponents: they systematically emphasize this influence, thus taking full responsibility for appropriating their rivals' concepts. Moreover, they highlight their fundamental divergence regarding the way consciousness manifests a seemingly external and diverse universe, most notably by replacing the Vijñānavādins' traditional analogy: according to the Śaivas, perceived objects should not be compared to dreamt objects, but to yogins' creations.
Learning to liaise and elidecomme il faut: evidence from bilingual children*
Authors: NICOLADIS ELENA , PARADIS JOHANNE
Published: October 2010

Liaison and elision in French are phonological phenomena that apply across word boundaries. French-speaking children make errors in contexts where liaison/elision typically occurs in adult speech. In this study, we asked if acquisition of French liaison/elision can be explained in a constructivist framework. We tested if children's liaison/elision was sensitive to co-occurrence and meaning. We expected children's use of liaison/elision to correlate with their experience with French (estimated by vocabulary). Thirty-one French-speaking children (twenty-five bilingual) between three and five years old produced familiar vowel-initial words, following four words: (1)un, (2)deux, (3)un petitand (4)beaucoup de. The children with smaller French vocabularies produced many vowel-initial words and some consonant-initial chunks. The children with larger French vocabularies produced liaison/elision correctly across several frames while associating a number interpretation with liaised consonants. These results suggest that children use a variety of cues to construct the appropriate use of liaison/elision.
High-dose vitamin C supplement use is associated with self-reported histories of breast cancer and other illnesses in the UK Women’s Cohort Study
Authors: Hutchinson Jayne , Burley Victoria J , Greenwood Darren C , Thomas James D , Cade Janet E
Published: October 2010

Objective

To determine whether frequent vitamin C supplement use is associated with healthier behaviours, and a history of cancer and other illnesses in UK women.

Design

The present cross-sectional analysis examines the odds of taking supplements containing vitamin C as recorded in 4 d food diaries, based on lifestyle characteristics and morbidity history self-reported by questionnaire.

Setting

A large national UK cohort study.

Subjects

A total of 12 453 women aged between 37 and 79 years.

Results

Women frequently taking supplements containing vitamin C, compared to those who did not, had healthier behaviours, including higher consumption of fruit and vegetables. Frequent high-dose vitamin C users (≥1000 mg) had a higher socio-economic status, visited alternative practitioners more often than family or private doctors, and were more likely to be ex-smokers and to drink little or no alcohol. Women who self-reported having had cancer (OR = 1·33, 95 % CI 1·00, 1·76) or specifically breast cancer (OR = 1·70, 95 % CI 1·14, 2·55), or reported a family history of cancer (OR = 1·16, 95 % CI 0·95, 1·41) or breast cancer (OR = 1·26, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·58) had increased odds of being frequent high-dose users after adjusting for sociodemographic and health behaviours. Women with personal or family histories of some cardiovascular or intestinal disorders were more likely to take supplements containing vitamin C, though not necessarily at high doses.

Conclusions

High-dose vitamin C intake by UK women was associated with healthier behaviours and a history of breast cancer, total cancer and other illnesses. Consequences of high-dose vitamin C supplement intake are not clear at the population level.
Sociodemographic correlates of obesity among Ghanaian women
Authors: Dake Fidelia AA , Tawiah Emmanuel O , Badasu Delali M
Published: October 2010

Objective

To examine the sociodemographic correlates of obesity among Ghanaian women.

Design

The 2003 and 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey data sets were used to examine the sociodemographic characteristics and the BMI of women aged 15–49 years using descriptive statistics, bivariate and multivariate analyses.

Setting

Ghana is a West African country which is divided into ten administrative regions. The country is further divided into the northern and southern sectors. The northern sector includes the three northern regions (Northern, Upper East and Upper Westen regions) and the seven remaining regions form the southern sector.

Subjects

Women aged 15–49 years whose BMI values were available.

Results

The overall prevalence of obesity and overweight increased from 25·5 % in 2003 to 30·5 % in 2008. Obesity varied directly with age from 20 to 44 years. Women with higher education had the highest rate of obesity. Obesity was more common among women from wealthy households compared to women from poor households.

Conclusions

Obesity and overweight were found to be more common among older women, urban women, married women, women with higher education and women from rich households. Adoption of healthy lifestyles and the implementation of policies that promote healthy living can help reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity.
Political Science in Japan: Looking Back and Forward
Authors: INOGUCHI TAKASHI
Published: October 2010

The aim of the article is to review Japanese Political Studies in Japan (JPSJ) circa 2000 for the purpose of identifying the trends of JPSJ and gauging its scope, subject areas, and methods. I then identify the key questions asked in JPSJ, i.e. for the third quarter of the last century: (1) What went wrong for Japan in the 1930s and 1940s, which had been seemingly making progress in the scheme of ‘enlightenment and entrepreneurship’ and was ‘a rich country’ with a ‘strong army’? (2) What is the secret of Western democracy in excelling itself in terms of keeping freedom and accumulating wealth? For the last quarter of the last century: (1) Why is Japanese politics shaped so heavily by bureaucracy? (2) Why are its citizens so weakly partisan in their voting choice? (3) How are politics and economics intertwined in policy making and electoral behavior? Following these trends in JPSJ in the latter half of the last century, I identify the three trends that have emerged in the first quarter of this century: (1) historicizing the normative and institutional origins of Japanese politics, (2) putting Japanese politics in comparative perspective, (3) the new self-conscious impetus for data collection and theory construction. Despite the steady tide of globalization and the strong influence of American political science, market size, long tradition, and language facility, lead political scientists in Japan to think and write more autonomously.
The Evolution of Japanese Studies of International Relations
Authors: MURATA KOJI
Published: October 2010

This paper aims to examine the evolution of Japanese studies of international relations since the end of World War II. In so doing, in particular, this paper first looks at the dominant trends and characteristics of Japanese scholarship in this field, and, second, the correlations between the scholarship and Japan's experiences in real international relations. In discussing the evolution of Japanese studies of international relations, I shall divide the years since 1945 into three separate periods: (1) 1945–60, (2) 1961–89, and (3) 1990 and after. Then, taking the current US–Japan relationship as a case study, I will examine the contemporary characteristics of Japanese scholarship in this field.
Sixty Years of PRC Research on Sino-Japanese Relations (1949–2009)
Authors: JIANGYONG LIU
Published: October 2010

Research on Sino-Japanese Relations is an important part of the field of Japanese Studies in China. This article offers an overview of research on Sino-Japanese relations over 60 years of PRC history. It focuses on research since the end of the Cold War, and especially on progress in the field since the beginning of the twenty-first century. On the basis of this overview, the author discusses gaps in the literature and directions for future research. The author would also like to express in advance his regret that due to limited space it is not possible to mention every piece of important scholarship in the field.
Active integrity constraints and revision programming
Authors: CAROPRESE LUCIANO , TRUSZCZYŃSKI MIROSŁAW
Published: October 2010

We study active integrity constraints and revision programming, two formalisms designed to describe integrity constraints on databases and to specify policies on preferred ways to enforce them. Unlike other more commonly accepted approaches, these two formalisms attempt to provide a declarative solution to the problem. However, the original semantics of founded repairs for active integrity constraints and justified revisions for revision programs differ. Our main goal is to establish a comprehensive framework of semantics for active integrity constraints, to find a parallel framework for revision programs, and to relate the two. By doing so, we demonstrate that the two formalisms proposed independently of each other and based on different intuitions when viewed within a broader semantic framework turn out to be notational variants of each other. That lends support to the adequacy of the semantics we develop for each of the formalisms as the foundation for a declarative approach to the problem of database update and repair. In the paper, we also study computational properties of the semantics we consider and establish results concerned with the concept of the minimality of change and the invariance under the shifting transformation.
Space‐borne radar interferometry techniques for the generation of deformation time series: An advanced tool for Earth's surface displacement analysis
Authors: Sansosti E. , Casu F. , Manzo M. , Lanari R.
Published: October 2010

This work is focused on advanced differential SAR interferometry (DInSAR) techniques for the generation of deformation time series from sequences of SAR images. We first present the basic rationale of these techniques providing some details of the most well known algorithms. Subsequently, through the analysis of selected case studies focused on the available C‐band SAR data archives, we show the relevance of the retrieved spatially dense deformation time series for the comprehension of several geophysical phenomena. We finally introduce, again via a real case study, the advances brought in by the new generation X‐band space‐borne SAR sensors, highlighting new investigation possibilities for fast varying deformation phenomena.
Further investigations of lightning‐induced transient emissions in the OH airglow layer
Authors: Huang Tai‐Yin , Kuo C. L. , Chiang C. Y. , Chen A. B. , Su H. T. , Hsu R. R.
Published: October 2010

A previous study of lightning‐induced transient emissions in and below the OH airglow layer using observations by the Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning (ISUAL) CCD camera onboard the FORMOSAT‐II satellite showed that intensity enhancements occurred more frequently in the OH airglow layer. Here we show the results of new observations made in December 2009 and January 2010 using a narrowband 630 nm filter and spectrophotometer and present further analysis. We estimated the N21P intensity enhancements to be ∼65% and 53% of the total intensity enhancements for the two events we analyzed using ISUAL and the spectrophotometer data in conjunction with a model for emissions of light and VLF perturbations from electromagnetic pulse sources (elves). Our analysis indicates that there is still somewhat considerable intensity enhancement (∼1.25 kR) unaccounted for after the N21P contribution has been removed. Our study suggests that there might be OH emissions in elves and that OH species might also be involved in the lightning‐induced process and contribute to the intensity enhancements that we observed.
Lateritic paleoweathering profiles in French Massif Central: Paleomagnetic datings
Authors: Ricordel‐Prognon Caroline , Lagroix France , Moreau Marie‐Gabrielle , Thiry Médard
Published: October 2010

Geological records of the history of ancient land surfaces are scarce and often fragmented by unconformities. Determining the age of these surfaces has long been the limiting factor in correlating continental paleosurfaces with marine basin deposits. Age determination of the weathering product of continental paleosurfaces as well as weathered material within the crystalline basement, is of prime importance for geodynamic reconstruction in general and more so for assessing differential dynamics between basin and basement areas, erosion rates, etc. In this paper, we examine layers of ferruginous kaolinitic paleoweathering products overlying the basement rocks of the French Massif Central. These layers, which are mainly formed in situ and are azoic (devoid of fossils), have been classically related to the “siderolithic” (Eocene‐Oligocene) period because of their geographic ties with Tertiary deposits. The paleomagnetic ages of these paleoweathered surfaces have been obtained by comparing their acquired remanent magnetization, converted into paleomagnetic poles, with the APWP (apparent polar wander path) of the Eurasian plate. Recovered ages indicate late Jurassic to early Cretaceous ages (140–160 Ma with a confidence limit of 10 Ma) which are much older than the previously assumed Tertiary age. The ages obtained in this study considerably alter the present knowledge of the geodynamic evolution of the French Massif Central. Our results suggest a lack of sedimentary cover at the Jurassic‐Cretaceous boundary. This implies that at the time of deposition of the siderolithic formations, the basement was cropping out and devoid of any Mesozoic cover. Furthermore, the profiles are not compacted, indicating that they have never been buried beneath a significant sedimentary cover. The obtained ages point to a great stability of French Massif Central throughout the Mesozoic, with very low ablation‐erosion, while neighbouring basins (Aquitaine and Paris) were subsiding about 2000 m.
Surface circulation of the eastern Mediterranean Levantine basin: Insights from analyzing 14 years of satellite altimetry data
Authors: Amitai Yael , Lehahn Yoav , Lazar Ayah , Heifetz Eyal
Published: October 2010

The complex multiscale system circulation of the Levantine Eastern Mediterranean (EM) basin is analyzed by applying various spatiotemporal statistical methods on the AVISO 14 years (1993–2006) data set of satellite altimetry sea level anomalies. The Rossby deformation radius at the EM is at the order of 10 km, which is also the horizontal satellite resolution. Therefore, the geostrophic currents, derived from the satellite altimetry measurements, represent well the basin and the mesoscale circulations. The long‐term averaged mean dynamic topography (MDT) is found to capture the different eddy activity regions in the EM; however, these regions are highly turbulent. The instantaneous currents in these regions can be different from the MDT‐derived currents, by the same order of magnitude. Furthermore, the turbulence intensity appears to be nonperiodic, despite of the seasonal and long‐term steric periodic variability. Because these eddies interact with the basin circulation flow, they modify it continuously. The major exception of this sporadic behavior is the Ierapetra eddy, southeast of Crete. It appears to be forced by shear of the summer Etesian winds, created when the Crete mountain ridges block these winds and cause a funneling effect. It has a persistent seasonal signature that dominates the variance of the entire Levantine basin.
Detecting opaque and nonopaque tropical upper tropospheric ice clouds: A trispectral technique based on the MODIS 8–12 μm window bands
Authors: Hong Gang , Yang Ping , Heidinger Andrew K. , Pavolonis Michael J. , Baum Bryan A. , Platnick Steven E.
Published: October 2010

A trispectral technique is developed for detecting tropical upper tropospheric opaque (τ > 6) and nonopaque (τ < 6) ice clouds over ocean based on the brightness temperature differences between the MODIS 8.5 and 11 μm bands and between the 11 and 12 μm bands together with the MODIS detected cloud thermodynamic phase. The brightness temperature differences provide robust information for classifying ice clouds, as illustrated by the observations made by a lidar, a radar, and the MODIS Airborne Simulator over tropical ice anvil systems during the Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers‐Florida Area Cirrus Experiment. The trispectral technique for detecting tropical upper tropospheric opaque and nonopaque ice clouds is developed based on the analysis of 1 year of data, including MODIS infrared brightness temperatures at 8.5, 11, and 12 μm bands, MODIS‐derived ice cloud optical thicknesses, and cloud top heights from CALIPSO and CloudSat over a region (140°E–180°E, 0°N–20°N) in the Western Pacific Warm Pool. The accuracy of the present trispectral technique is above 80%. A 27 July 2007 MODIS granule over the chosen region is used to verify the trispectral technique. It is found that the classification from the trispectral technique is consistent with a classification based directly on the MODIS ice cloud optical thicknesses. The effects of the variations in the MODIS viewing zenith angle on the detection are found to be negligible. The CALIPSO and CloudSat observations used to develop the classification are more sensitive than MODIS to the height and presence of optically thin cirrus. These differences in cloud heights were found to have a negligible impact on the final detection results.
Molecular epidemiology of invasive stomatitis due to Aspergillus flavus in patients with acute leukemia
Authors: Myoken Yoshinari , Sugata Tatsumi , Fujita Yoshinori , Kyo Tai‐ichi , Fujihara Megumu , Kohara Tadahiro , Katsu Masakazu , Mikami Yuzuru
Published: October 2010

Background:  Invasive oral aspergillosis is a rare complication and only little information on the epidemiology of Aspergillus flavus infection is available. We present here the molecular analysis of the epidemiology of invasive stomatitis due to Aspergillus flavus in patients with acute leukemia.

Methods:  During a 5‐year period (1992–1996), six isolates of A. flavus were obtained from leukemic patients with invasive Aspergillus stomatitis. Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with three different PCR primers was carried out to investigate the DNA typing of the isolates.

Results:  The molecular analysis using RAPD revealed that three isolates of A. flavus obtained in 1992 from three patients were of the same type, whereas each of the isolates from the other three patients had a distinct unique band, resulting in four groups of A. flavus.

Conclusion:  As the three patients with invasive oral aspergillosis detected in 1992 were infected by a single strain of A. flavus, the strain was suspected to have caused a nosocomial outbreak of invasive oral aspergillosis in the hematology unit.
Cyclic guanosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase activity in human gingival carcinoma
Authors: Spoto Giuseppe , Fioroni Massimiliano , Rubini Corrado , Contento Alessandro , Di Nicola Maurizio , Forcella Sabrina , Piattelli Adriano
Published: October 2010

Background: Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) is an essential second messenger metabolized by phosphodiesterases (PDEs).

Objectives: We looked for a possible correlation of PDE activities in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with and without lymph node metastases.

Materials and methods: The analysis of phosphodiesterase activity and the cGMP assay were done by reverse‐phase HPLC on samples of fresh or frozen gingival tissues. Analysis of cGMP was confirmed with the enzyme‐linked immunoabsorption assay.

Results and conclusions: cGMP PDE activity was 34.92 ± 7.17 SD, 12.89 ± 4.43 SD, and 35.88 ± 8.76 SD (nmols/mg of protein), respectively, in controls, samples without lymph node involvement (N−), and specimens with lymph node metastases (N+). cGMP values were 1.97 ± 0.63 SD, 3.30 ± 1.47 SD, and 3.49 ± 1.47 SD (nmols/mg of protein). Our data support the hypothesis of a role for cGMP and PDE in the progression of OSCC.
Detection of HHV‐8 sequences and antigens in a MALT lymphoma associated with Sjögren's syndrome
Authors: Klussmann Jens Peter , Wagner Mathias , Guntinas‐Lichius Orlando , Müller Andreas
Published: October 2010

We describe the case of a bilateral parotid mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma associated with 2 years history of Sjögren's syndrome (SS), which was linked to human herpes virus 8 (HHV‐8) infection. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay HHV‐8 sequences were detectable in the lymphoma tissue of both sides. Serologic testing of the patient revealed HHV‐8 antibodies in enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Immunohistologic staining with two antibodies against open reading frame (ORF) 26 and v‐cyclin homologues of HHV‐8 revealed positive staining of the salivary acinic cells whereas the lymphoma cells were negative. The potential influence of HHV‐8 infection for MALT lymphoma development in this case and possible parallels to gastric MALT lymphoma are discussed.
Ganglion cyst of the temporomandibular joint
Authors: Kim Seong‐Gon , Cho Byoung‐Ouck , Lee Yong‐Chan , Hong Sam‐Pyo , Chae Chang‐Hoon
Published: October 2010

We report a case of cystic lesion in a 37‐year‐old woman. The patient had an oval‐shaped lesion adjacent to the temporomandibular joint. Thick fibrotic tissue and muscle were observed microscopically, but the epithelium lining was not observed. The lesion was diagnosed as a ganglion cyst. The patient's general medical history was non‐contributory. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrophotometry (MS) revealed some proteins from the fluid in the lesion, such as a filaggrin precursor, dystroglycan, a polyprotein of the hepatitis C virus, and proteins originating from bacteria. The follow‐up examinations revealed no recurrence. The probable pathogenesis of the lesion is discussed.
Phagocytic functions of salivary neutrophils in oral mucous membrane diseases
Authors: Lukač J. , Mravak‐Stipetić M. , Knežević M. , Vrček J. , Sistig S. , Ledinsky M. , Kusić Z.
Published: October 2010

Background and purpose:  Phagocytic functions of salivary polymorphonuclear neutrophils (sPMNs) have not been comprehensively studied in patients with oral mucous membrane diseases, although available data suggest the role of immunity in their pathogenesis.

Subjects and methods:  Phagocytic functions of sPMN were determined in 15 patients with acute recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU), 11 patients with oral lichen planus (OLP) and 20 healthy volunteers. In healthy subjects, the same parameters were also determined in peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophils (bPMNs). Phagocytic activity (proportion of ingesting cells, PA), ingestion ability (number of ingested targets per 100 phagocytes, IA) and intracellular microbicidity (proportion of killed targets, IM) of PMNs separated from peripheral blood and the whole unstimulated saliva were determined by acridine orange method with living yeast cells as targets.

Results:  Salivary PMNs in healthy individuals showed significant reduction in PA (33% vs. 76%; P < 0.009) and IA (0.47% vs. 2.93%; P < 0.009) and significant increase in IM (12.0% vs. 5.5%; P = 0.011) in comparison with bPMNs. In RAU patients, reduced PA (27% vs. 37%; P = 0.035) and IA (0.25% vs. 0.47%; P = 0.05) were detected, while in OLP patients enhanced IM was detected (12% vs. 19%; P = 0.033) in comparison with healthy controls.

Conclusion:  Salivary PMNs present functional features distinct from those in peripheral blood. Some phagocytic functions of sPMNs are reduced in RAU and enhanced in OLP, indicating their role in pathogenesis or reflecting clinical changes in these conditions.
Cyclin D1 genotype in areca‐associated oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Wong Yong‐Kie , Lin Shu‐Chun , Chang Che‐Shoa , Tseng Yu‐Hsin , Liu Chung‐Ji , Lin Huey‐Ching , Chang Kuo‐Wei
Published: October 2010

Background:  Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy in areca‐chewing regions, accounting for up to 50% of malignant tumors in some South Asian countries. Amplification and/or over‐expression of cyclin D1 (CCND1) is a frequent event in human malignancies, including OSCC. CCND1 G870A polymorphism (codon 242) gives rise to two isoforms of the protein. The objective of the present study was to evaluate if the risk, onset, and prognosis of areca‐associated OSCC is related to CCND1 genotypes.

Methods:  We analyzed the CCND1 genotype in 70 OSCC cases and 93 control Taiwanese using single‐strand conformation polymorphism techniques.

Results:  Statistical analysis showed that CCND1 genotype had no impact on the risk, onset, or survival of areca‐associated OSCC. However, buccal squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) appeared to be less frequently associated with AA genotype than non‐BSCC (P = 0.02). In addition, amplification of CCND1 was significantly more prevalent in OSCC cases (22%) than in control subjects (2%, P < 0.01).

Conclusion:  This study demonstrates that the CCND1 genotype may confer different risks for BSCC and non‐BSCC.
Accumulation of oligoclonal T cells in the infiltrating lymphocytes in oral lichen planus
Authors: Kawamura E. , Nakamura S. , Sasaki M. , Ohyama Y. , Kadena T. , Kumamaru W. , Shirasuna K.
Published: October 2010

Background:  Identification of a disease‐specific and possibly pathogenic T‐cell receptor (TCR) in oral lichen planus (OLP) is one of the most important steps to reveal the pathogenic antigen recognized by the T cells and thereby elucidate the pathogenesis and etiology of OLP.

Methods:  In buccal mucosa biopsy specimens and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from seven patients with OLP, the TCR Vβ gene usage was examined by polymerase chain reaction‐based and single‐strand conformation polymorphism analyses.

Results:  The Vβ families expressed in the biopsy specimens were markedly heterogeneous, but they were restricted in comparison to those observed in the PBMC. The Vβ families predominantly expressed in the biopsy specimens in comparison with the PBMC were still heterogeneous in individual patients and differed from patient to patient; however, Vβ2, Vβ6, and Vβ19 were commonly predominant in the biopsy specimens from more than half of the patients. Among the Vβ families predominantly expressed in the biopsy specimens, the accumulation of T‐cell clonotypes was observed in the majority of the Vβ families including Vβ6 and Vβ19; however, it was not observed in the minority of the Vβ families including Vβ2.

Conclusions:  These results suggest that unique T‐cell populations bearing Vβ2, Vβ6, or Vβ19 gene products tend to expand in OLP lesions as a consequence of in situ stimulation with a restricted epitope of either a nominal antigen on the MHC molecule for the majority of the Vβ families, even if only in minor populations, or of a common superantigen for the minority of the Vβ families.
Histopathology of the teeth in segmental odontomaxillary dysplasia: new findings
Authors: Armstrong Conor , Napier Séamus S. , Boyd Robert C. , Gregg Terry A.
Published: October 2010

Histological examination of the deciduous teeth in two cases of segmental odontomaxillary dysplasia (SOMD) showed fibrous enlargement of the pulps, an irregular pulp/dentine interface displaying many pseudoinclusions and pulp stones. There were tubular defects in the coronal dentine from pulp horn to cusp tip, an irregular tubular structure to the circumpulpal dentine of the apical half, a focally deficient odontoblast layer and widespread external resorption. Together with the clinical features of unilateral maxillary enlargement, upper alveolar expansion in the distal segment, increased spacing and delayed eruption of the deciduous molars and absence of premolar teeth, these histological appearances allow distinction of this condition from fibrous dysplasia (FD), segmental hemifacial hypertrophy (SHH) and regional odontodysplasia (ROD).
Publishing Interactive Articles: Integrating Journals And Biological Databases
Authors: Cherry Mike , Faelten Sharon , Gelbart William , Skrzypek Marek , Chan Juancarlos , Marygold Steven , Haenel Stephen , Yook Karen , Rangarajan Arun , Muller Hans-Michael , Sternberg Paul , DePellegrin-Connelly Tracey , Otis Lolly , Schedl Tim
Published: October 2010

In collaboration with the journal GENETICS, we've developed and launched a pipeline by which interactive full-text HTML/PDF journal articles are published with named entities linked to corresponding resource pages in "WormBase":http://www.wormbase.org/ (WB). Our interactive articles allow a reader to click on over ten different data type objects (gene, protein, transgene, etc.) and be directed to the relevant webpage. This seamless connection from the article to summaries of data types promotes a deeper level of understanding for the naïve reader, and incisive evaluation for the sophisticated reader. Further, this collaboration allows us to identify and collect information before the publication of the article. The pipeline uses automated recognition scripts to identify entities that already exist in the database and a self-reporting form we created at WB that is sent to the author by GENETICS for submitting entities that do not already exist in our database. We include a manual quality control step to make sure ambiguous links are corrected, and that all new entities have been reported and linked properly. The automated entity recognition scripts allows us to potentially link any object found in a database as well as to expand this pipeline to other databases. We have already adapted this pipeline for linking Saccharomyces cerevisiae GENETICS articles to the "Saccharomyces Genome Database":http://www.yeastgenome.org/ (SGD) and are currently expanding this pipeline for linking genes in Drosophila articles to "FlyBase":http://flybase.org/. By integrating journals and databases, we are integrating the major modes of communication in the biological sciences, which will undoubtedly increase the pace of discovery.
Reactive oxygen species derived from Nox4 mediateBMP2gene transcription and osteoblast differentiation
Authors: Mandal Chandi C. , Ganapathy Suthakar , Gorin Yves , Mahadev Kalyankar , Block Karen , Abboud Hanna E. , Harris Stephen E. , Ghosh-Choudhury Goutam , Ghosh-Choudhury Nandini
Published: October 2010

BMP-2 (bone morphogenetic protein-2) promotes differentiation of osteoblast precursor cells to mature osteoblasts that form healthy bone. In the present study, we demonstrate a novel mechanism of BMP-2-induced osteoblast differentiation. The antioxidant NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) and the flavoprotein enzyme NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor DPI (diphenyleneiodonium) prevented BMP-2-stimulated alkaline phosphatase expression and mineralized bone nodule formation in mouse 2T3 pre-osteoblasts. BMP-2 elicited a rapid generation of ROS (reactive oxygen species) concomitant with increased activation of NAD(P)H oxidase. NAC and DPI inhibited BMP-2-induced ROS production and NAD(P)H oxidase activity respectively. NAD(P)H oxidases display structurally similar catalytic subunits (Nox1–5) with differential expression in various cells. We demonstrate that 2T3 pre-osteoblasts predominantly express the Nox4 isotype of NAD(P)H oxidase. To extend this finding, we tested the functional effects of Nox4. Adenovirus-mediated expression of dominant-negative Nox4 inhibited BMP-2-induced alkaline phosphatase expression. BMP-2 promotes expression of BMP-2 for maintenance of the osteoblast phenotype. NAC and DPI significantly blocked BMP-2-stimulated expression of BMP2 mRNA and protein due to a decrease in BMP2 gene transcription. Dominant-negative Nox4 also mimicked this effect of NAC and DPI. Our results provide the first evidence for a new signalling pathway linking BMP-2-stimulated Nox4-derived physiological ROS to BMP-2 expression and osteoblast differentiation.
Reduction ofNω-hydroxy-L-arginine by the mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component (mARC)
Authors: Kotthaus Jürke , Wahl Bettina , Havemeyer Antje , Kotthaus Joscha , Schade Dennis , Garbe-Schönberg Dieter , Mendel Ralf , Bittner Florian , Clement Bernd
Published: October 2010

NOSs (nitric oxide synthases) catalyse the oxidation of L-arginine to L-citrulline and nitric oxide via the intermediate NOHA (Nω-hydroxy-L-arginine). This intermediate is rapidly converted further, but to a small extent can also be liberated from the active site of NOSs and act as a transportable precursor of nitric oxide or potent physiological inhibitor of arginases. Thus its formation is of enormous importance for the nitric-oxide-generating system. It has also been shown that NOHA is reduced by microsomes and mitochondria to L-arginine. In the present study, we show for the first time that both human isoforms of the newly identified mARC (mitochondrial amidoxime reducing component) enhance the rate of reduction of NOHA, in the presence of NADH cytochrome b5 reductase and cytochrome b5, by more than 500-fold. Consequently, these results provide the first hints that mARC might be involved in mitochondrial NOHA reduction and could be of physiological significance in affecting endogenous nitric oxide levels. Possibly, this reduction represents another regulative mechanism in the complex regulation of nitric oxide biosynthesis, considering a mitochondrial NOS has been identified. Moreover, this reduction is not restricted to NOHA since the analogous arginase inhibitor NHAM (Nω-hydroxy-Nδ-methyl-L-arginine) is also reduced by this system.
Molecular mechanisms of substrate recognition and specificity of botulinum neurotoxin serotype F
Authors: Chen Sheng , Wan Hoi Ying
Published: October 2010

BoNTs (botulinum neurotoxins) are both deadly neurotoxins and natural toxins that are widely used in protein therapies to treat numerous neurological disorders of dystonia and spinal spasticity. Understanding the mechanism of action and substrate specificity of BoNTs is a prerequisite to develop antitoxin and novel BoNT-derived protein therapy. To date, there is a lack of detailed information with regard to how BoNTs recognize and hydrolyse the substrate VAMP-2 (vesicle-associated membrane protein 2), even though it is known to be cleaved by four of the seven BoNT serotypes, B, D, F, G and TeNT (tetanus neurotoxin). In the present study we dissected the molecular mechanisms of VAMP-2 recognition by BoNT serotype F for the first time. The initial substrate recognition was mediated through sequential binding of VAMP-2 to the B1, B2 and B3 pockets in LC/F (light chain of BoNT serotype F), which directed VAMP-2 to the active site of LC/F and stabilized the active site substrate recognition, where the P2, P1′ and P2′ sites of VAMP-2 were specifically recognized by the S2, S1′ and S2′ pockets of LC/F to promote substrate hydrolysis. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms of LC/F substrate recognition provides insights into the development of antitoxins and engineering novel BoNTs to optimize current therapy and extend therapeutic interventions.
Chromatin regulation landscape of embryonic stem cell identity
Authors: Lee Yun Hwa , Wu Qiang
Published: October 2010

ES cells (embryonic stem cells) derived from the ICM (inner cell mass) of blastocysts are pluripotent and are capable of giving rise to most cell types. The ES cell identity is mainly maintained by the Oct4 (octamer-binding transcription factor 4) and Nanog transcriptional networks. Recently, a tremendous amount of work has focused on deciphering how ES cell identity is regulated epigenetically. It has been shown that histone methylation/demethylation, histone acetylation/deacetylation, histone variants and chromatin remodelling play crucial roles in ES cell maintenance and differentiation. Moreover, perturbation of those chromatin regulators results in loss of ES cell identity or aberrant differentiation. Therefore, it is important to fully understand the chromatin regulation landscape of ES cells. The knowledge gained will help us to harness the unique characteristics of ES cells for stem cell-related therapy and regenerative medicine. In the present review, we will discuss recent proceedings that provide novel insights into chromatin regulation of ES cell identity.
ABO blood group antigens in oral mucosa. What is new?
Authors: Dabelsteen Erik
Published: October 2010

Histo‐blood group ABH (O) antigens are major alloantigens in humans. These antigens are widely distributed in human tissues and undergo changes in expression during cellular differentiation and malignant development. The ABH antigens have been characterized as terminal disaccharide determinants which represent secondary gene products. They are synthesized in a stepwise fashion from a precursor by the action of different glycosyltransferases. In non‐keratinized oral mucosa, a sequential elongation of the carbohydrates is associated with differentiation of epithelial cells, resulting in expression of precursors on basal cells and A/B antigens on spinous cells. Reduction or complete deletion of A/B antigen expression in oral carcinomas has been reported, a phenotypic change that is correlated with invasive and metastatic potential of the tumours and with the mortality rates of the patients. Disappearance of the antigens is ascribed to the absence of A or B transferase gene expression. Several studies have shown that loss of A and B antigen expression is associated with increased cell motility, invasion in matrigel, and tumourigenecity in syngenic animals. In vivo studies of human oral wound healing show similarly decreased expression of A/B antigens on migrating epithelial cells. Some studies suggest that the relationship between expression of blood group antigens and cell motility can be explained by different degrees of glycosylation of integrins. Changes in ABO expression in tumours have, in some cases, been due to the A/B gene promoter, although little is known about the regulation of A, and B expression, in normal tissue.