bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ENZYME HISTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF NON‐HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMAS
Authors: Harigaya Kenichi
Published: January 2009

Fourteen cases of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma were investigated by both light and electron microscopic enzyme histochemical methods. These cases included 3 mycosis fungoides (MF), 1 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), 1 hairy cell leukemia (HCL), 5 diffuse histiocytic (DH), 1 nodular histiocytic (NH) and 3 diffuse lymphocytic, poorly differentiated (DLPD) lymphomas. All of these cases except 2 MF and 1 DH were further characterized by an identification of surface markers. Enzymes studied were alkaline phosphatase (AlPase), acid phosphatase (AcPase), β‐glucuroddase (β‐Gase), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), 5'‐nucleotidase (YNase), α‐naphthyl acetate esterase (α‐N. acet eat), naphthol AS‐D chloroacetate esterase (N. AS‐D chlor eat), naphthol AS acetate esterase (N. AS acet eat) and α‐naphthyl butyrate esterase (α‐N. but eat). Strong ATPase activity was observed in 4 DH bearing B‐cell markers. Four lymphomas (lMF, 2DPLD and 1DH) having T‐cell markers never revealed such an ATPase activity. However, lymphomas with T‐cell character showed stronger eccentrically localized activity of β‐Gase and/or AcPase in the majority of neoplastic cells. One DLPD with B‐cell markers showed AlPase activity. Localized α‐N. acet eat activity was demonstrated in 2MF, 1DH and 1DLPD. No activity of S'Nase, N. AS‐D chlor eat, N. AS acet eat and α‐N. but eat was found in the neoplastic cells of all cases. It is suggested that ATPase, β‐Gase and AcPase are considered to be an easy method for differentiating either T‐ or B‐cell nature and useful in the classification of non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas.
PATHOLOGY OF ACUTE ISCHEMIC MYOCARDIUM SPECIAL REFERENCES TO (I) EVALUATION OF MORPHOLOGICAL METHODS FOR DETECTION OF EARLY MYOCARDIAL INFARCTS, AND (II) LIPID METABOLISM IN INFARCTED MYOCARDIUM
Authors: Sakurai Isamu
Published: January 2009

Morphological changes of early myocardial infarction within 24 hours after the onset of the acute attack were described together with a review of the literatures. For the practical purpose in detecting very early infarcts, enzymatic histochemistry is the most reliable method. Other methods previously reported such as wavy pattern of the muscle fibers and fuchsinophilia are still controversial.

Lipid metabolism in the infarcted myocardium of dogs was studied both morphologically and biochemically. Up to 3 hours, after the coronary ligation, the tissue lipids accumulated in the necrotic areas with a rise of triglyceride, but later than 6 hours the lipids decreased and were lost from the necrotic tissue, while the surrounding living cells were accumulated with neutral lipids. Serum free fatty acids were elevated in the coronary sinus blood in 6 hours after the ligation. Linolic acids were contained in high proportion in both coronary venous blood after 6 hours, and normal myocardial phospholipid. These results may lead to another possible factor in addition to catecholamine activity to elevate serum FFA in acute myocardial infarction that fatty acids may be released partly from tissue phospholipid and once ever accumulated triglyceride. ACTA PATH. JAP. 27: 587˜603, 1977.
PATHOLOGICAL STUDY ON EXPERIMENTAL HEINZ BODY ANEMIA: INTRACELLULAR CHANGES OF PHAGOCYTIZED RED CELLS IN MACROPHAGES OF THE SPLEEN AND LIVER
Authors: Adachi Hironobu
Published: January 2009

Heinz body anemia was experimentally produced in mice by phenylhydrazine injection and the mechanism of hemolysis was investigated. Both in acute and chronic experiments, the ‘culling’ function of the spleen was more important in removing the red cells containing Heinz bodies than the ‘pitting’ function. In addition to extravascular hemolysis, intravascular hemolysis in the spleen, liver and in the peripheral circulation was evident as manifested by the presence of ghost cells and hemosiderin deposition in the kidney. In the absence of the spleen, the liver can replace the function of the spleen to a certain extent and selective removal of Heinz bodies by the Kupffer cell was occasionally demonstrated. Deposition of yellowish‐brown pigments was noted in the cordal macrophages and the Kupffer cells, but the precise nature of these pigments is unknown. ACTA PATH. JAP. 27: 657 ˜ 675,1977.
FIBRONECTIN IN HUMAN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA (HCC) and HCC CELL LINES
Authors: Tsumagari Jun‐ichi
Published: January 2009

The localization of fibronectin (FN) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was studied in thirty‐six HCC tumors (19 autopsy and 17 surgical specimens), two xenografted tumors of HCC to BALB/c mice and three HCC cell lines. The synthesis of FN was also examined in three HCC cell lines. FN was demonstrated on the endothelial surface of the blood spaces of cancerous tissue. Cytoplasmic and intercellular localization of FN was also observed. But there was no correlation between the localization pattern of FN and metastasis. In the two xenografted HCC tumors, FN was found in association with the blood vessels of the tumor tissue and between the HCC tumor cells. In all 3 HCC cell lines, FN was localized on the surface and in the cytoplasm of some HCC cells. FN was detected in the serum‐free culture media of three HCC cell lines by immunoelectroblotting. The electrophoretic pattern of FN synthesized by these cell lines was different from that of plasma‐FN and resembled that of cellular‐FN synthesized by normal liver fibroblasts.
HUMAN TESTICULAR GERM CELL TUMORS IN VITRO and IN ATHYMIC NUDE MICE
Authors: Motoyama Teiichi , Watanabe Hidenobu , Yamamoto Takahiko , Sekiguchi Morimasa
Published: January 2009

Four cell lines derived from pure and mixed types of human testicular germ cell tumors in vitro and in nude mice were examined by light and electron microscopies. The NEC8 and NEC15 cell lines in vitro were composed of embryonal carcinoma cells with potentiality of trophoblastic differentiation. All of the tumors formed in nude mice by both cell lines were pure embryonal carcinomas. On the other hand, the NEC14 and ITO‐II cell lines showed morphological differentiation from embryonal carcinoma cells to trophoblastic cells and to yolk sac tumor cells in vitro. In nude mice, these cell lines formed mixed tumors which consisted of embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, immature teratoma or trophoblastic cells. Our data suggest that some embryonal carcinomas have multipotentiality of morphological differentiation but that others have little such potentiality.
PRODUCTION OF ALPHA‐FETOPROTEIN BY HUMAN GERM CELL TUMORS IN VIVO AND IN VITRO
Authors: Motoyama Teiichi , Watanabe Hidenobu , Yamamoto Takahiko , Sekiguchi Morimasa
Published: January 2009

The production of alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) by human germ cell tumors was studied in surgical specimens, cultured cells and transplanted tumors in nude mice. AFP was detected most frequently in yolk sac (endodermal sinus) tumors, and it was also detected, though only occasionally, in embryonal carcinomas and in teratomas. AFP‐positive cells in teratomas presented a glandular or hepatoid appearanece. Our experimental data suggest that AFP production in embryonal carcinomas is due to the functional expression of yolk sac differentiation preceding its morphologic expression. Although the transplanted tumors maintained the productivity of AFP, the cultured cells were not successful in maintaing a continuous AFP production.
Critical consumer issues in St. Lucia: an examination of consumer challenges and related learning among rural adults according to income levels
Authors: Clement Peter
Published: January 2009

Consumer education is a relatively new and growing interest in St. Lucia. Neither the government nor the National Consumer Association has established a consumer education programme to address the growing consumer concerns in the country. The purpose of this study was to examine critical consumer issues, related learning challenges and strategies among rural adults in St. Lucia according to income levels. Rural adult consumers are most disadvantaged in terms of levels of education, income and access to resources, which may help to prevent and mediate consumer concerns. The specific research questions examined were: (1) What is the nature of problems experienced by rural St. Lucian adult consumers in the marketplace? (2) How do rural St. Lucian adult consumers solve the challenges they encounter in the marketplace? (3) What is it like for rural St. Lucian adult consumers as they go about trying to learn to solve the consumer issues they face? and (4) What do rural St. Lucian adult consumers perceive to be the requisites for effective decision making in the marketplace? Data were collected using a questionnaire comprising of 29 questions divided into four sections (problems, strategies, solving consumer problems and making effective decisions) and two biographical questions. A total of 500 rural adult consumers were surveyed verbally through door‐to‐door contact. The findings of this study revealed that middle‐income rural adult consumers experience more problems in the marketplace than those with each lower or higher level of income. Middle‐income rural adult St. Lucian consumers in particular seek more information and are comfortable with using more strategies than the lower‐ and higher‐income rural adult consumers. This research gives us a better understanding of the problems faced by rural adult consumers based on their income. Research results will be useful to the government of St. Lucia and the National Consumer Association when they decide to establish an adult consumer education programme for St. Lucia.
The G-Alpha Protein GNA3 of
Hypocrea jecorina
(Anamorph
Trichoderma reesei
) Regulates Cellulase Gene Expression in the Presence of Light
Authors: Schmoll Monika , Schuster André , Silva Roberto do Nascimento , Kubicek Christian P.
Published: January 2009

Although the enzymes enabling
Hypocrea jecorina
(anamorph
Trichoderma reesei
) to degrade the insoluble substrate cellulose have been investigated in some detail, little is still known about the mechanism by which cellulose signals its presence to the fungus. In order to investigate the possible role of a G-protein/cyclic AMP signaling pathway, the gene encoding GNA3, which belongs to the adenylate cyclase-activating class III of G-alpha subunits, was cloned.
gna3
is clustered in tandem with the mitogen-activated protein kinase gene
tmk3
and the glycogen phosphorylase gene
gph1
. The
gna3
transcript is upregulated in the presence of light and is almost absent in the dark. A strain bearing a constitutively activated version of GNA3 (
gna3
QL) exhibits strongly increased cellulase transcription in the presence of the inducer cellulose and in the presence of light, whereas a
gna3
antisense strain showed delayed cellulase transcription under this condition. However, the
gna3
QL mutant strain was unable to form cellulases in the absence of cellulose. The necessity of light for stimulation of cellulase transcription by GNA3 could not be overcome in a mutant which expressed
gna3
under control of the constitutive
gpd1
promoter also in darkness. We conclude that the previously reported stimulation of cellulase gene transcription by light, but not the direct transmission of the cellulose signal, involves the function and activation of GNA3. The upregulation of
gna3
by light is influenced by the light modulator ENVOY, but GNA3 itself has no effect on transcription of the light regulator genes
blr1
,
blr2
, and
env1
. Our data for the first time imply an involvement of a G-alpha subunit in a light-dependent signaling event in fungi.
Heterologous Expression of Mycobacterial Proteins in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Reveals Two Physiologically Functional 3-Hydroxyacyl-Thioester Dehydratases, HtdX and HtdY, in Addition to HadABC and HtdZ
Authors: Gurvitz Aner , Hiltunen J. Kalervo , Kastaniotis Alexander J.
Published: January 2009

We report on
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Rv0241c and Rv3389c, representing two physiologically functional 3-hydroxyacyl-thioester dehydratases (Htd). These enzymes are potentially entrained in type 2 fatty acid synthase (FASII). Mycobacterial FASII is involved in the synthesis of mycolic acids, which are the major constituents of the protective layer around the pathogen, shielding it from noxious chemicals and the host's immune system. Mycolic acids are additionally associated with the virulence and resilience of
M. tuberculosis
. Here, Rv0241c and Rv3389c, which are distinct from the previously identified heterodimers Rv0635-Rv0636 (HadAB) and Rv0636-Rv0637 (HadBC) but also the homodimer Rv0130 (HtdZ), were identified by expressing the corresponding candidate open reading frames in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae htd2
Δ cells lacking mitochondrial 3-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein dehydratase activity, followed by scoring for phenotype rescue. The
htd2
Δ mutant fails to produce sufficient levels of lipoic acid and does not respire or grow on nonfermentable carbon sources. Soluble protein extracts made from mutant
htd2
Δ cells expressing mitochondrially targeted Rv0241c or Rv3389c contained 3-hydroxyacyl-thioester hydratase activity. Moreover, mutant yeast cells expressing Rv0241c or Rv3389c were able to recover their respiratory growth on glycerol medium and efficiently reduce 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride. Additionally, expression of mitochondrial Rv0241c or Rv3389c in
htd2
Δ cells also restored de novo lipoic acid synthesis to 92 and 40% of the level in the wild-type strain, respectively. We propose naming Rv0241c and Rv3389c as HtdX and HtdY, respectively, and discuss the implications of our finding with reference to Rv0098, a candidate mycobacterial FabZ homologue with intrinsic thioesterase and hydratase activities that lacks the eukaryotic-like hydratase-2 motif.
Autogenous Regulation ofEscherichia coliPolynucleotide Phosphorylase Expression Revisited
Authors: Carzaniga Thomas , Briani Federica , Zangrossi Sandro , Merlino Giuseppe , Marchi Paolo , Dehò Gianni
Published: January 2009

TheEscherichia colipolynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase; encoded bypnp), a phosphorolytic exoribonuclease, posttranscriptionally regulates its own expression at the level of mRNA stability and translation. Its primary transcript is very efficiently processed by RNase III, an endonuclease that makes a staggered double-strand cleavage about in the middle of a long stem-loop in the 5′-untranslated region. The processedpnpmRNA is then rapidly degraded in a PNPase-dependent manner. Two non-mutually exclusive models have been proposed to explain PNPase autogenous regulation. The earlier one suggested that PNPase impedes translation of the RNase III-processedpnpmRNA, thus exposing the transcript to degradative pathways. More recently, this has been replaced by the current model, which maintains that PNPase would simply degrade the promoter proximal small RNA generated by the RNase III endonucleolytic cleavage, thus destroying the double-stranded structure at the 5′ end that otherwise stabilizes thepnpmRNA. In our opinion, however, the first model was not completely ruled out. Moreover, the RNA decay pathway acting upon thepnpmRNA after disruption of the 5′ double-stranded structure remained to be determined. Here we provide additional support to the current model and show that the RNase III-processedpnpmRNA devoid of the double-stranded structure at its 5′ end is not translatable and is degraded by RNase E in a PNPase-independent manner. Thus, the role of PNPase in autoregulation is simply to remove, in concert with RNase III, the 5′ fragment of the cleaved structure that both allows translation and prevents the RNase E-mediated PNPase-independent degradation of thepnptranscript.
Analysis by Mutagenesis of a Chromosomal Integron Integrase from
Shewanella amazonensis
SB2BT
Authors: Larouche André , Roy Paul H.
Published: January 2009

Integrons are mobile genetic elements that can integrate and disseminate genes as cassettes by a site-specific recombination mechanism. Integrons contain an integrase gene (
intI
) that carries out recombination by interacting with two different target sites; the
attI
site in
cis
with the integrase and the palindromic
attC
site of a cassette. The plasmid-specified IntI1 excises a greater variety of cassettes (principally antibiotic resistance genes), and has greater activity, than chromosomal integrases. The aim of this study was to analyze the capacity of the chromosomal integron integrase SamIntIA of the environmental bacterium
Shewanella amazonensis
SB2BT to excise various cassettes and to compare the properties of the wild type with those of mutants that substitute consensus residues of active integron integrases. We show that the SamIntIA integrase is very weakly active in the excision of various cassettes but that the V206R, V206K, and V206H substitutions increase its efficiency for the excision of cassettes. Our results also suggest that the cysteine residue in the β-5 strand is essential to the activity of
Shewanella
-type integrases, while the cysteine in the β-4 strand is less important for the excision activity.
The Rcs Two-Component System Regulates Expression of Lysozyme Inhibitors and Is Induced by Exposure to Lysozyme
Authors: Callewaert Lien , Vanoirbeek Kristof G. A. , Lurquin Ine , Michiels Chris W. , Aertsen Abram
Published: January 2009

The
Escherichia coli
Rcs regulon is triggered by antibiotic-mediated peptidoglycan stress and encodes two lysozyme inhibitors, Ivy and MliC. We report activation of this pathway by lysozyme and increased lysozyme sensitivity when Rcs induction is genetically blocked. This lysozyme sensitivity could be alleviated by complementation with Ivy and MliC.
Involvement of the Cra Global Regulatory Protein in the Expression of the
iscRSUA
Operon, Revealed during Studies of Tricarballylate Catabolism in
Salmonella enterica
Authors: Lewis Jeffrey A. , Boyd Jeffrey M. , Downs Diana M. , Escalante-Semerena Jorge C.
Published: January 2009

In
Salmonella enterica
, tricarballylate (Tcb) catabolism requires function of TcuB, a membrane-bound protein that contains [4Fe-4S] clusters and heme. TcuB transfers electrons from reduced flavin adenine dinucleotide in the Tcb dehydrogenase (TcuA) to electron acceptors in the membrane. We recently showed that functions needed to assemble [Fe-S] clusters (i.e., the
iscRSUA-hscBA-fdx
operon) compensate for the lack of ApbC during growth of an
apbC
strain on Tcb. ApbC had been linked to [Fe-S] cluster metabolism, and we showed that an
apbC
strain had decreased TcuB activity. Here we report findings that expand our understanding of the regulation of expression of the
iscRSUA
genes in
Salmonella enterica
. We investigated why low levels of glucose or other saccharides restored growth of an
apbC
strain on Tcb. Here we report the following findings. (i) A ≤1 mM concentration of glucose, fructose, ribose, or glycerol restores growth of an
apbC
strain on Tcb. (ii) The saccharide effect results in increased levels of TcuB activity. (iii) The saccharide effect depends on the global regulatory protein Cra. (iv) Putative Cra binding sites are present in the regulatory region of the
iscRSUA
operon. (v) Cra protein binds to all three sites in the
iscRSUA
promoter region in a concentration-dependent fashion. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the involvement of Cra in [Fe-S] cluster assembly.
African 1, an Epidemiologically Important Clonal Complex of
Mycobacterium bovis
Dominant in Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad
Authors: Müller Borna , Hilty Markus , Berg Stefan , Garcia-Pelayo M. Carmen , Dale James , Boschiroli M. Laura , Cadmus Simeon , Ngandolo Bongo Naré Richard , Godreuil Sylvain , Diguimbaye-Djaibé Colette , Kazwala Rudovick , Bonfoh Bassirou , Njanpop-Lafourcade Betty M. , Sahraoui Naima , Guetarni Djamel , Aseffa Abraham , Mekonnen Meseret H. , Razanamparany Voahangy Rasolofo , Ramarokoto Herimanana , Djønne Berit , Oloya James , Machado Adelina , Mucavele Custodia , Skjerve Eystein , Portaels Francoise , Rigouts Leen , Michel Anita , Müller Annélle , Källenius Gunilla , van Helden Paul D. , Hewinson R. Glyn , Zinsstag Jakob , Gordon Stephen V. , Smith Noel H.
Published: January 2009

We have identified a clonal complex of
Mycobacterium bovis
present at high frequency in cattle in population samples from several sub-Saharan west-central African countries. This closely related group of bacteria is defined by a specific chromosomal deletion (RDAf1) and can be identified by the absence of spacer 30 in the standard spoligotype typing scheme. We have named this group of strains the African 1 (Af1) clonal complex and have defined the spoligotype signature of this clonal complex as being the same as the
M. bovis
BCG vaccine strain but with the deletion of spacer 30. Strains of the Af1 clonal complex were found at high frequency in population samples of
M. bovis
from cattle in Mali, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Chad, and using a combination of variable-number tandem repeat typing and spoligotyping, we show that the population of
M. bovis
in each of these countries is distinct, suggesting that the recent mixing of strains between countries is not common in this area of Africa. Strains with the Af1-specific deletion (RDAf1) were not identified in
M. bovis
isolates from Algeria, Burundi, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. Furthermore, the spoligotype signature of the Af1 clonal complex has not been identified in population samples of bovine tuberculosis from Europe, Iran, and South America. These observations suggest that the Af1 clonal complex is geographically localized, albeit to several African countries, and we suggest that the dominance of the clonal complex in this region is the result of an original introduction into cows naïve to bovine tuberculosis.
ClpX Inhibits FtsZ Assembly in a Manner That Does Not Require Its ATP Hydrolysis-Dependent Chaperone Activity
Authors: Haeusser Daniel P. , Lee Amy H. , Weart Richard B. , Levin Petra Anne
Published: January 2009

ClpX is a well-characterized bacterial chaperone that plays a role in many processes, including protein turnover and the remodeling of macromolecular complexes. All of these activities require ATP hydrolysis-dependent, ClpX-mediated protein unfolding. Here we used site-directed mutagenesis in combination with genetics and biochemistry to establish that ClpX inhibits assembly of the conserved division protein FtsZ through a noncanonical mechanism independent of its role as an ATP-dependent chaperone.
Complete and Draft Genome Sequences of Six Members of theAquificales
Authors: Reysenbach Anna-Louise , Hamamura N. , Podar M. , Griffiths E. , Ferreira S. , Hochstein R. , Heidelberg J. , Johnson J. , Mead D. , Pohorille A. , Sarmiento M. , Schweighofer K. , Seshadri R. , Voytek M. A.
Published: January 2009

TheAquificalesare widespread in marine and terrestrial hydrothermal environments. Here, we report the complete and draft genome sequences of six new members of theAquificales: two marine species,Persephonella marinastrain EX-H1 andHydrogenivirgastrain 128-5-R1 (from the East Pacific Rise, 9°50.3′N, 104°17.5′W, and the Eastern Lau Spreading Center, 176°11.5′W, 20°45.8′S, respectively), and four terrestrial isolates,Sulfurihydrogenibium azorensestrain Az-Fu1,Sulfurihydrogenibium yellowstonensestrain SS-5, andSulfurihydrogenibiumstrain Y03AOP1 (from Furnas, Azores, Portugal, and Calcite Springs and Obsidian Pool in Yellowstone National Park, United States, respectively), and the only thermoacidophilic isolate,Hydrogenobaculumstrain Y04AAS1 (from a stream adjacent to Obsidian Pool). Significant differences among the different species exist that include nitrogen metabolism, hydrogen utilization, chemotaxis, and signal transduction, providing insights into their ecological niche adaptations.
Melting Curve Analysis for Rapid Detection of Topoisomerase Gene Mutations inHaemophilus influenzae
Authors: Nakamura Shigeki , Yanagihara Katsunori , Morinaga Yoshitomo , Izumikawa Koichi , Seki Masafumi , Kakeya Hiroshi , Yamamoto Yoshihiro , Kamihira Shimeru , Kohno Shigeru
Published: January 2009

We established a real-time PCR assay with melting curve analysis to rapidly genotype quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrase A and topoisomerase IV genes inHaemophilus influenzae. This assay is a useful tool for the detection of fluoroquinolone resistance and for the early detection of preexisting QRDR mutations.
Impact of mode of transportation on dyslipidaemia in working people in Beijing
Authors: Guo X , Jia Z , Zhang P , Yang S , Wu W , Sang L , Luo Y , Lu X , Dai H , Zeng Z , Wang W
Published: January 2009

Objective:

This study aims to investigate the association between mode of transportation to work and dyslipidaemia.

Methods:

During the period between January and February 2006, telephone interviews were conducted with 2506 randomly selected urban residents aged 18 years or older in the 8 districts of Beijing, using a multiple stratified random sampling technique. Of the selected individuals, 1024 (40.86%) members of the workforce were subsequently tested for biomarkers (ie, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)). Multiple logistic regression modelling was used, adjusted for potential confounders.

Results:

The probability of dyslipidaemia in workers who travel to work by bus, car or taxi is higher than that of workers who walk to work, with prevalence odds ratios (PORs) of 1.99 (95% CI 1.33 to 2.97) and 2.21 (95% CI 1.28 to 3.84), respectively. There is no significant difference in the risk of experiencing dyslipidaemia when workers who ride bicycles are compared with those who walk to work (POR = 1.22, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.78).

Conclusions:

These findings indicate that modes of transportation to work are significantly associated with the prevalence of dyslipidaemia. Prevention education should be emphasised among higher-risk people who usually go to work by car, bus or taxi.
Need for perceptual display hierarchies in visualization
Authors: Sawant Amit Prakash , Healey Christopher G.
Published: January 2009

The advent of computers with high processing power has led to the generation of large, multidimensional collections of data. Visualization lends itself well to the challenge of exploring and analyzing these information spaces by harnessing the strengths of the human visual system. Most visualization techniques are based on the assumption that the display device has sufficient resolution, and that our visual acuity is adequate for completing the analysis tasks. However, this may not be true, particularly for specialized display devices (e.g., PDAs or large-format projection walls).

In this article, we propose to: (1) determine the amount of information a particular display environment can encode; (2) design visualizations that maximize the information they represent relative to this upper-limit; and (3) dynamically update a visualization when the display environment changes to continue to maintain high levels of information content. To our knowledge, there are no visualization systems that do this type of information addition/removal based on perceptual guidelines. However, there are systems that attempt to increase or decrease the amount of information based on some level-of-detail or zooming rules. For example, semantic zooming tags objects with "details" and adds or removes them as the user zooms in and out. Furnas's original fisheye lens system [9] used semantic details to determine how much zoom was necessary to include certain details. Thus, while zooming for detail, you see not only a more detailed graphic representation, but also more text details (e.g., more street names on the zoomed-in portion of a map). Level-of-detail hierarchies have also been used in computer graphics to reduce geometric complexity where full resolution models are unnecessary and can be replaced with low-detail models where the resulting error cannot be easily recognized. Our approach is motivated by all these ideas, but our key contribution is that we use human perception constraints to define when to add or remove information.
Use of motion field warping to generate cardiac images
Authors: Gao Gang , Cockshott Paul
Published: January 2009

In this study, we developed an algorithmic method to analyze late contrast-enhanced (CE) magnetic resonance (MR) images, revealing the so-called hibernating myocardium. The algorithm is based on an efficient and robust image registration algorithm. Using our method, we are able to integrate the static late CE MR image with its corresponding cardiac cine MR images, constructing cardiac motion CE MR images, which are referred to as cardiac cine CE MR images. This method appears promising as an improved cardiac viability assessment tool
Trends in real-time rendering
Authors: Stewart James
Published: January 2009

Fans of PC role-playing games need no introduction to Bioware-the Edmonton, Alberta based developer of Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Jade Empire, among others. The company recently opened a studio in Austin, Texas to develop a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG, or simply MMO) for an unannounced intellectual property. Ben Earhart, client technology lead on the new project, took a few hours out of his busy schedule to discuss with Crossroads the future of real-time rendering-3-D graphics that render fast enough to respond to user input, such as those required for video games.
The Damocles Sword of Academic Publishing
Authors: Larsen Kai
Published: January 2009

Doctoral students often find it hard to understand at what level of productivity they should be. Through an analysis of resums of doctoral students in the Management Information Systems (MIS) field, a better understanding of what is expected of current students as compared to former students is achieved. Both conference presentations and publications in journals are examined. Finally, there is an examination of whether the quantity of publications can be related to the ranking of the school that a student attends.
Cardiac fibroblasts require focal adhesion kinase for normal proliferation and migration
Authors: Manso Ana Maria , Kang Seok-Min , Plotnikov Sergey V. , Thievessen Ingo , Oh Jaewon , Beggs Hilary E. , Ross Robert S.
Published: January 2009

Migration and proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) play an important role in the myocardial remodeling process. While many factors have been identified that regulate CF growth and migration, less is known about the signaling mechanisms involved in these processes. Here, we utilized Cre-LoxP technology to obtain focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-deficient adult mouse CFs and studied how FAK functioned in modulating cell adhesion, proliferation, and migration of these cells. Treatment of FAKflox/floxCFs with Ad/Cre virus caused over 70% reduction of FAK protein levels within a cell population. FAK-deficient CFs showed no changes in focal adhesions, cell morphology, or protein expression levels of vinculin, talin, or paxillin; proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) expression and activity were increased. Knockdown of FAK protein in CFs increased PDGF-BB-induced proliferation, while it reduced PDGF-BB-induced migration. Adhesion to fibronectin was not altered. To distinguish between the function of FAK and Pyk2, FAK function was inhibited via adenoviral-mediated overexpression of the natural FAK inhibitor FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK). Ad/FRNK had no effect on Pyk2 expression, inhibited the PDGF-BB-induced migration, but did not change the PDGF-BB-induced proliferation. FAK deficiency had only modest effects on increasing PDGF-BB activation of p38 and JNK MAPKs, with no alteration in the ERK response vs. control cells. These results demonstrate that FAK is required for the PDGF-BB-induced migratory response of adult mouse CFs and suggest that FAK could play an essential role in the wound-healing response that occurs in numerous cardiac pathologies.
Variable stretch pattern enhances surfactant secretion in alveolar type II cells in culture
Authors: Arold Stephen P. , Bartolák-Suki Erzsébet , Suki Béla
Published: January 2009

Secretion of pulmonary surfactant that maintains low surface tension within the lung is primarily mediated by mechanical stretching of alveolar epithelial type II (AEII) cells. We have shown that guinea pigs ventilated with random variations in frequency and tidal volume had significantly larger pools of surfactant in the lung than animals ventilated in a monotonous manner. Here, we test the hypothesis that variable stretch patterns imparted on the AEII cells results in enhanced surfactant secretion. AEII cells isolated from rat lungs were exposed to equibiaxial strains of 12.5, 25, or 50% change in surface area (ΔSA) at 3 cycles/min for 15, 30, or 60 min. 3H-labeled phosphatidylcholine release and cell viability were measured 60 min following the onset of stretch. Whereas secretion increased following 15-min stretch at 50% ΔSA and 30-min stretch at 12.5% ΔSA, 60 min of cyclic stretch diminished surfactant secretion regardless of strain. When cells were stretched using a variable strain profile in which the amplitude of each stretch was randomly pulled from a uniform distribution, surfactant secretion was enhanced both at 25 and 50% mean ΔSA with no additional cell injury. Furthermore, at 50% mean ΔSA, there was an optimum level of variability that maximized secretion implying that mechanotransduction in these cells exhibits a phenomenon similar to stochastic resonance. These results suggest that application of variable stretch may enhance surfactant secretion, possibly reducing the risk of ventilator-induced lung injury. Variable stretch-induced mechanotransduction may also have implications for other areas of mechanobiology.
IL-1β-induced cortisol stimulates lung fluid absorption in fetal guinea pigs via SGK-mediated Nedd4-2 inhibition
Authors: Li Tianbo , Koshy Shyny , Folkesson Hans G.
Published: January 2009

We tested the hypothesis that interleukin (IL)-1β-induced cortisol synthesis stimulates distal lung fluid absorption in fetal guinea pigs via induction of serum- and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase (SGK) and inhibition of neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated protein 4-2 (Nedd4-2). IL-1β was subcutaneously administered daily to timed-pregnant guinea pigs over 3 days. Fetuses were obtained by abdominal hysterotomy at gestation day (GD)61 and GD68 and instilled with an isosmolar 5% albumin solution into the lungs. Distal lung fluid movement was measured over 1 h from the change in distal air space protein concentration. Fetal lungs were secreting lung fluid at GD61 while absorbing lung fluid at GD68. Distal lung fluid absorption was induced at GD61 by IL-1β but unaffected at GD68. Plasma cortisol concentrations were increased by IL-1β at GD61 and endogenously at GD68. Distal lung fluid absorption was measured and correlated to SGK and Nedd4-2 expression and to α-epithelial Na channel (ENaC) expression. SGK was increased by IL-1β and late during gestation (GD68), while Nedd4-2 was decreased by IL-1β and late during gestation. α-ENaC was induced by IL-1β at GD61 and increased late during gestation. Thus our study suggests that cortisol-stimulated fetal lung fluid absorption is mediated by increased ENaC expression and may be governed by the SGK/Nedd4-2 pathway. These observations may explain why babies delivered preterm after intrauterine inflammation have a reduced risk of developing severe respiratory distress.
The Google Online Marketing Challenge and Research Opportunities
Authors: Neale Larry , Treiblmaier Horst , Henderson Vani , Hunter Lee , Hudson Karen , Murphy Jamie
Published: January 2009

The Google Online Marketing Challenge is an ongoing collaboration between Google and academics, to give students experiential learning. The Challenge gives student teams US$200 in AdWords, Google's flagship advertising product, to develop online marketing campaigns for actual businesses. The end result is an engaging in-class exercise that provides students and professors with an exciting and pedagogically rigorous competition. Results from surveys at the end of the Challenge reveal positive appraisals from the three—students, businesses, and professors—main constituents; general agreement between students and instructors regarding learning outcomes; and a few points of difference between students and instructors. In addition to describing the Challenge and its outcomes, this article reviews the postparticipation questionnaires and subsequent datasets. The questionnaires and results are publicly available, and this article invites educators to mine the datasets, share their results, and offer suggestions for future iterations of the Challenge.
Severe Hemorrhage From a Hypodermoclysis Site
Authors: O'Hanlon Shane , Sheahan Patricia , McEneaney Robert
Published: January 2009

Hypodermoclysis, or subcutaneous infusion of fluids, is an alternative means of administration of fluid. It is sometimes used in older patients in whom there is difficulty achieving intravenous access, or who are entering the terminal stage. It is considered a relatively low-risk procedure. We report a case where a patient's death may have resulted from its use.
Perspectives of Mothers in Farmworker Households on Reducing the Take-Home Pathway of Pesticide Exposure
Authors: Strong Larkin L. , Starks Helene E. , Meischke Hendrika , Thompson Beti
Published: January 2009

Farmworkers carry pesticide residue home on their clothing, boots, and skin, placing other household members at risk, particularly children. Specific precautions are recommended to reduce this take-home pathway, yet few studies have examined the perspectives of farmworkers and other household members regarding these behaviors and the reasons for or against adoption. The authors conducted semistructured interviews with 37 Mexican/Mexican-American women in farmworker households to explore the family and cultural context in which pesticide safety practices are performed and to identify factors that facilitate or hinder their adoption. Whereas women could describe the take-home pathway, they were less able to connect it with their family’s susceptibility to pesticide exposure. Women experienced difficulty integrating the prevention behaviors into their everyday lives because of competing responsibilities, conflicts with their husbands’ intentions and with cultural health beliefs, perceived lack of control, and community barriers that interfered with women’s motivations. Implications for practice are discussed.
If Parents Establish a No-Smoking Agreement With Their Offspring, Does This Prevent Adolescents From Smoking? Findings From Three Dutch Studies
Authors: den Exter Blokland Endy A. W. , Engels Rutger C. , Harakeh Zeena , Hale William W. , Meeus Wim
Published: January 2009

Data from three studies were used to investigate whether the establishment of a no-smoking agreement is related to lower odds of adolescent smoking. The prevalence of a no-smoking agreement was first explored by using a national sample involving 4,501 Dutch adolescents. Second, data from a longitudinal study among 595 early adolescents and their parents were used to test whether establishing a no-smoking agreement prevents adolescents from smoking. Third, the authors tested among 856 early- and mid-adolescents and their parents, whether in addition to the establishment of a no-smoking agreement, the frequency and quality of communication on smoking issues had an effect on adolescent smoking. The findings do not support that establishing a no-smoking agreement is an effective deterrent with regard to adolescent smoking. Parents who want to prevent smoking might consider focusing their efforts on establishing a good quality of communication on smoking issues whereas parents who just talk a lot about smoking issues without considering the quality of their communication might do more harm than good.
Tarsal Tunnel Surgery Secondary to a Tarsal Ganglion
Authors: Cione Joseph A. , Cozzarelli John , Mullin Christopher J. , Dellon A. Lee
Published: January 2009

Tarsal tunnel surgery complicated with ganglia or any other type of cystic mass can be a very challenging operation. Preoperative planning before any tarsal tunnel surgery involving a soft-tissue mass is imperative. Plans to reconstruct the posterior tibial nerve and/or artery should be in place. The authors will present a case study that involved tarsal tunnel syndrome with an associated ganglion in the tarsal canal. They will review what microsurgical techniques and equipment should be on hand prior to performing this complicated surgical procedure.
T-cell responses associated with neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia: isolation of HPA-1a–specific, HLA-DRB3*0101–restricted CD4+ T cells
Authors: Ahlen Maria Therese , Husebekk Anne , Killie Mette Kjær , Skogen Bjørn , Stuge Tor B.
Published: January 2009

T-cell responses have been implicated in the development of HPA-1a–induced neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT). However, HPA-1a–specific T cells have neither been isolated nor characterized. Here, we aimed to determine whether HPA-1a–specific T cells could be isolated from HPA-1a–immunized women. In the present study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from an HPA-1a–alloimmunized woman were cultured for weeks in the presence of HPA-1a peptide, labeled with CFSE, and assayed for antigen-specific proliferation. Individual proliferating cells were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and expanded in culture. Antigen specificity and HLA restriction were determined by cytokine secretion (enzyme-linked immunospot [ELISPOT]) and proliferation assays. Several CD3+CD4+ T-cell clones were isolated that proliferated and secreted cytokines in response to HPA-1a peptide. Two of these clones have been established in long-term culture in our laboratory. Both of these recognize synthetic as well as naturally processed HPA-1a antigen, and the recognition is restricted by the MHC molecule HLA-DRB3*0101 that is strongly associated with NAIT. These HPA-1a–specific T-cell clones represent unambiguous evidence for the association of T-cell responses with NAIT, and they will serve as unique tools to elucidate the cellular immune response that may result in NAIT.
Role for MKL1 in megakaryocytic maturation
Authors: Cheng Ee-chun , Luo Qing , Bruscia Emanuela M. , Renda Matthew J. , Troy James A. , Massaro Stephanie A. , Tuck David , Schulz Vincent , Mane Shrikant M. , Berliner Nancy , Sun Yi , Morris Stephan W. , Qiu Caihong , Krause Diane S.
Published: January 2009

Megakaryoblastic leukemia 1 (MKL1), identified as part of the t(1;22) translocation specific to acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, is highly expressed in differentiated muscle cells and promotes muscle differentiation by activating serum response factor (SRF). Here we show that Mkl1 expression is up-regulated during murine megakaryocytic differentiation and that enforced overexpression of MKL1 enhances megakaryocytic differentiation. When the human erythroleukemia (HEL) cell line is induced to differentiate with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, overexpression of MKL1 results in an increased number of megakaryocytes with a concurrent increase in ploidy. MKL1 overexpression also promotes megakaryocytic differentiation of primary human CD34+ cells cultured in the presence of thrombopoietin. The effect of MKL1 is abrogated when SRF is knocked down, suggesting that MKL1 acts through SRF. Consistent with these findings in human cells, knockout of Mkl1 in mice leads to reduced platelet counts in peripheral blood, and reduced ploidy in bone marrow megakaryocytes. In conclusion, MKL1 promotes physiologic maturation of human and murine megakaryocytes.
SHIP limits immunoregulatory capacity in the T-cell compartment
Authors: Collazo Michelle M. , Wood Daniela , Paraiso Kim H. T. , Lund Erin , Engelman Robert W. , Le Cam-Tien , Stauch Diana , Kotsch Katja , Kerr William G.
Published: January 2009

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a pivotal role in preventing autoimmunity, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and organ graft rejection. We previously showed that either germline or induced SH2 domain–containing inositol 5-phosphatase (SHIP) deficiency in the host abrogates GVHD. Here we show that SHIP deficiency promotes an increase of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Tregs and CD4+CD25−FoxP3+“naive” T cells in the periphery that display increased CD103, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor–related protein (GITR), OX40, and FcγRII/III expression. SHIP deficiency does not compromise Treg function because SHIP-deficient CD3+CD4+CD25+ Tregs are as suppressive as wild-type (WT) CD3+CD4+CD25+ Treg. Interestingly, like conventional Tregs, SHIP−/− CD4+CD25− T cells are unresponsive to major histocompatibility complex (MHC)–mismatched stimulators and suppress allogeneic responses by T cells in vitro. In addition, SHIP−/− CD4+CD25− T cells mediate reduced lethal GVHD on adoptive transfer to MHC-mismatched hosts. Furthermore, hosts with induced SHIP deficiency exhibit delayed rejection of MHC-mismatched cardiac grafts. Thus, SHIP is required for robust graft-versus-host and host-versus-graft responses by CD4+ T cell and limits their immunoregulatory capacity. These findings further define the immunosuppressive mechanisms that result from SHIP deficiency and provide additional justification for targeting SHIP in clinical transplantation.
Typing Clostridium difficile strains based on tandem repeat sequences
Authors: Zaiß N Henning , Rupnik Maja , Kuijper Ed J , Harmanus Celine , Michielsen Dolf , Janssens Koen , Nübel Ulrich
Published: January 2009

Background

Genotyping of epidemicClostridium difficilestrains is necessary to track their emergence and spread. Portability of genotyping data is desirable to facilitate inter-laboratory comparisons and epidemiological studies.

Results

This report presents results from a systematic screen for variation in repetitive DNA in the genome ofC. difficile. We describe two tandem repeat loci, designated 'TR6' and 'TR10', which display extensive sequence variation that may be useful for sequence-based strain typing. Based on an investigation of 154C. difficileisolates comprising 75 ribotypes, tandem repeat sequencing demonstrated excellent concordance with widely used PCR ribotyping and equal discriminatory power. Moreover, tandem repeat sequences enabled the reconstruction of the isolates' largely clonal population structure and evolutionary history.

Conclusion

We conclude that sequence analysis of the two repetitive loci introduced here may be highly useful for routine typing ofC. difficile. Tandem repeat sequence typing resolves phylogenetic diversity to a level equivalent to PCR ribotypes. DNA sequences may be stored in databases accessible over the internet, obviating the need for the exchange of reference strains.