bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The hidden food
Authors: Ugelvik Thomas
Published: January 2011

How can prisoners’ blatant aversion for the official prison food be understood? And what can we make of the various covert practices of illegal or semi-legal alternative food making that goes on behind closed cell doors? Are prisoners picky and difficult people, or is the food truly as horrible as they claim? Or could this best be understood on levels other than that of individual taste? The article will argue that prisoners experience the official prison food as a continuation of the more general attacks on their identity that imprisonment entails, denying them status as a person with competence and agency and forcefully removing them from family, friends and positioning them on the margins of the larger community outside. The daily meals thus serve as painful bodily manifestations of the power the institution holds over the individual. As Foucault reminds us, however, power may be conceptualized as a fluctuating relationship of forces, not a property of powerful groups or individuals. In such a perspective, the prison food also works as arena for prisoner identity work through practices of hidden resistance.
Lexical Analysis of Words on Commonly Used Standardized Spelling Assessments
Authors: Calhoon Mary Beth , Masterson Julie J.
Published: January 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine the morphological characteristics (i.e., number of morphemes in each word, degree of transparency between a derived morpheme and its root word) and frequency data (i.e., the standard frequency index; SFI) of six commonly used standardized spelling assessments and their alternate forms (when available). Results indicate high variability among the assessments and their alternate forms on the use of multimorphemic transparent and opaque words. Variability based on the SFI index between tests and their alternate forms was relatively low. Findings are discussed in regard to providing researchers and practitioners with a deeper understanding diagnostically of the morphological and frequency requirements and complexities of these standardized spelling assessments.
Advances in Assessment Through Research: What Have We Learned in the Past 3 Years?
Authors: Burns Matthew K. , Scholin Sarah E. , Zaslofsky Anne F.
Published: January 2011

The current article reviews research published in Assessment for Effective Intervention during the past 3 years. A total of 57 research articles were published during that period, with a current rejection rate of approximately 78%. A close examination of the pool of articles revealed seven overarching themes: behavioral assessment tools, group differences, interventions to improve student outcomes, legal and professional issues, conceptual models for practice, predictive validity, and psychometric properties of assessment tools. Although the category with the most articles ( n = 19, 33%) was interventions to improve student outcomes, only 2 studies provided assessment data that evaluated the effectiveness of interventions. There were considerable data regarding the potential instructional implications of spelling assessment during this 3-year period, as well as an increase in studies that examined the diagnostic accuracy of various measures. The review of research and the proposed conceptual models for practice suggest that assessment data as gathered in schools should be used within a problem-solving framework to improve student outcomes.
Challenges in the design and conduct of controlled clinical effectiveness trials in schizophrenia
Authors: Rosenheck Robert A , Krystal John H , Lew Robert , Barnett Paul G , Thwin Soe Soe , Fiore Louis , Valley Danielle , Huang Grant D , Neal Carla , Vertrees Julia E , Liang Matthew H ,   for the CSP 555 Research Group
Published: January 2011

Background The introduction of antipsychotic medication has been a major advance in the treatment of schizophrenia and allows millions of people to live outside of institutions. It is generally believed that long-acting intramuscular antipsychotic medication is the most effective approach to increasing medication adherence and thereby reduce relapse in high-risk patients with schizophrenia, but the data are scant.

Purpose To report the design of a study to assess the effect of long-acting injectable risperidone in unstable patients and under more realistic conditions than previously studied and to evaluate the effect of this medication on psychiatric inpatient hospitalization, schizophrenia symptoms, quality of life, medication adherence, side effects, and health care costs.

Methods The trial was an open randomized clinical comparative effectiveness trial in patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorders in which parenteral risperidone was compared to an oral antipsychotic regimen selected by each control patient’s psychiatrist. Participants had unstable psychiatric disease defined by recent hospitalization or exhibition of unusual need for psychiatric services. The primary endpoint was hospitalization for psychiatric indications; the secondary endpoint was psychiatric symptoms.

Results Overall, 382 patients were randomized. Determination of a persons’ competency to understand the elements of informed consent was addressed. The use of a closed-circuit TV interview for psychosocial measures provided an economical, high quality, reliable means of collecting data. A unique method for insuring that usual care was optimal was incorporated in the follow-up of all subjects.

Limitations Patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorders and with the common co-morbid illnesses seen in the VA are a challenging group of subjects to study in long-term trials. Some techniques unique in the VA and found useful may not be generalizable or applicable in other research or treatment settings.

Conclusions The trial tested a new antipsychotic medication early in its adoption in the Veterans Health Administration. The VA has a unique electronic medical record and database which can be used to identify the endpoint, that is, first hospitalization due to a psychiatric problem, with complete ascertainment. Several methodologic solutions addressed competency to understand elements of consent, the costs and reliability of collecting interview data gathering, and insuring usual care.
Planning and core analyses for periodic aggregate safety data reviews
Authors: Xia H Amy , Crowe Brenda J , Schriver Robert C , Oster Manfred , Hall David B
Published: January 2011

Background In 2009, the Safety Planning, Evaluation and Reporting Team gave detailed recommendations for a well-planned and systematic approach for safety data collection and analysis. Important aspects of this approach included regular reviews of aggregate data by a multidisciplinary team focusing on safety.

Purpose This article provides information to facilitate the planning and implementation of aggregate data reviews.

Methods Our recommendations are based on experience of the authors and review of relevant literature.

Results We present information regarding the planning of aggregate data reviews as well as examples of data displays that are useful for many different compounds. A subset of these data displays could form a set of ‘core’ analyses to be generated for aggregate data reviews.
Class, Culture, and Consumption: Representations of Stratification in Post-communist Latvia
Authors: Eglitis Daina
Published: January 2011

Using the country of Latvia as a case study, I argue that socioeconomic classes and class stratification constituted in the context of post-communist capitalism are simultaneously denied and distinguished. Class was a central component of discourse in Soviet communism even though classes in their capitalist incarnation did not exist. With the advent of post-communism’s neoliberal capitalist order and the concurrent rise in stratification, the critical discourse of class has virtually disappeared from the mainstream. This silence is linked to a widespread rejection of the legacies of Soviet communism and associated institutions, symbols, and vocabularies. At the same time, stratified class positions are rendered apparent through the means of consumption. They are presented not in terms of class, but in terms of distinction, style, and lifestyle. The post-communist socioeconomic hierarchy is represented through a discourse derived from an uncritical (or anti-critical) consumer culture, which has produced a new cultural legitimacy for stratification.
Public Sphere and Symbolic Power: ‘Woman’s Voice’ as a Case of Cultural Citizenship
Authors: Sanli Solen
Published: January 2011

This study discusses Habermas’s notions of ‘public sphere‘ and ‘power’, and suggests a novel approach by complementing Habermas’s limited take on the ‘political’ with Bourdieu’s notion of ‘symbolic power’. To this end, ‘cultural citizenship’ is used as a helpful concept. The study draws on the analysis of a Turkish talk show format ‘woman’s voice’ (WV) and its audience. It is proposed that viewing WV should be considered a political activity. An analysis of women’s first-hand narrations of the domestic and symbolic violence in their lives reveals that many women continue to live under the patriarchal authority of the ‘honour code’ and the Turkish ruling elite have until recently neglected the needs of these women. WV provides a sphere where the needs and problems of these women are discussed for the first time in Turkish broadcasting history. It is shown with examples from field research that WV may potentially create subversive subject-positions among the disadvantaged groups of women, such as rural-urban migrants.
Breaking the Rules to Rise to Power
Authors: Van Kleef Gerben A. , Homan Astrid C. , Finkenauer Catrin , Gündemir Seval , Stamkou Eftychia
Published: January 2011

Powerful people often act at will, even if the resulting behavior is inappropriate—hence the famous proverb “power corrupts.” Here, we introduce the reverse phenomenon—violating norms signals power. Violating a norm implies that one has the power to act according to one’s own volition in spite of situational constraints, which fuels perceptions of power. Four studies support this hypothesis. Individuals who took coffee from another person’s can (Study 1), violated rules of bookkeeping (Study 2), dropped cigarette ashes on the floor (Study 3), or put their feet on the table (Study 4) were perceived as more powerful than individuals who did not show such behaviors. The effect was mediated by inferences of volitional capacity, and it replicated across different methods (scenario, film clip, face-to-face interaction), different norm violations, and different indices of power (explicit measures, expected emotions, and approach/inhibition tendencies). Implications for power, morality, and social hierarchy are discussed.
Pitavastatin: finding its place in therapy
Authors: Ose Leiv
Published: January 2011

Dyslipidaemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease. Despite the widespread availability of effective lipid-lowering agents, an unacceptably large proportion of patients fail to attain their target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level in clinical practice. Reasons for this include undertreatment, poor adherence/persistence with therapy and failure to address non-LDL-C residual risk factors such as high levels of triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations and raised apolipoprotein B : apolipoprotein A1 ratios. Pitavastatin is a novel, well-tolerated statin with a noninferior or superior lipid-lowering efficacy to comparable doses of atorvastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin in a wide range of patients with hypercholesterolemia or combined dyslipidaemia. Compared with other statins, pitavastatin produces consistently greater increases in HDL-C levels that are sustained over the long term. In addition to pitavastatin’s potent effects on lipid profiles, a number of pleiotropic benefits have been identified that may contribute to a reduction in residual cardiovascular risk in people with dyslipidaemia and could partly account for pitavastatin’s ability to regress coronary plaques in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Pitavastatin’s unique metabolic profile results in a high efficacy at low (1–4 mg) doses and minimal drug interactions with cytochrome CYP3A4 substrates, making it an excellent choice for people requiring multiple medications. Although future trials are required to assess the impact of pitavastatin treatment on CV morbidity and mortality, studies to date suggest that pitavastatin will play an important role in the future management of dyslipidaemia and in the overall reduction of CV risk.
Deficiency of SATB1 expression in Sézary cells causes apoptosis resistance by regulating FasL/CD95L transcription
Authors: Wang Yang , Su Mingwan , Zhou Liang L. , Tu Ping , Zhang Xuejun , Jiang Xiaoyan , Zhou Youwen
Published: January 2011

Sézary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that is characterized by circulating leukemic Sézary cells. The accumulation of these malignant cells has been shown to be the result of the resistance to apoptosis, in particular, activation-induced cell death. However, the mechanism of apoptosis resistance remains unknown. By characterizing the gene transcription profiles of purified CD4+CD7− Sézary cells from patients with SS and cultured Sézary cells, it was found that Sézary cells are deficient in the expression of special AT-rich region binding protein 1 (SATB1), a key regulator of T-cell development and maturation. Retrovirus-mediated gene transduction revealed that SATB1 restoration in cultured Sézary cells (Hut78) triggered spontaneous cell death and sensitized Hut78 cells to activation-induced cell death, with associated activation of caspase 8 and caspase 3. Furthermore, endogenous expression of FasL in Sézary cells was increased in transcriptional and translational levels on restoration of SATB1 expression in cultured Sézary cells. These results suggest that deficiency in SATB1 expression in Sézary cells plays an important role in SS pathogenesis by causing apoptosis resistance. Thus, restoration of SATB1 expression may represent a potential molecular targeted therapy for SS, which does not have a cure at present.
Definition and characterization of the systemic T-cell dysregulation in untreated indolent B-cell lymphoma and very early CLL
Authors: Christopoulos Petros , Pfeifer Dietmar , Bartholomé Kilian , Follo Marie , Timmer Jens , Fisch Paul , Veelken Hendrik
Published: January 2011

Epidemiologic data show that the immune system may control or promote the emergence and growth of neoplastic lymphomatous clones. Conversely, systemic lymphomas, especially myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), are associated with clinical immunodeficiency. This prospective controlled study demonstrates substantially reduced circulating T helper cells, predominantly naive CD4+ cells, in patients with nonleukemic follicular lymphoma and extranodal marginal zone lymphoma, but not in monoclonal gammopathy and early CLL. These changes were correlated with a preactivated phenotype, hyperreactivity in vitro, presenescence, and a T helper 2 shift of peripheral T helper cells. No prominent alterations existed in the regulatory T-cell compartment. Gene expression profiling of in vitro–stimulated CD4+ cells revealed an independent second alteration of T helper cell physiology, which was most pronounced in early CLL but also detectable in follicular lymphoma/extranodal marginal zone lymphoma. This pattern consisted of down-regulation of T-cell receptor signaling cascades and globally reduced cytokine secretion. Both types of T-cell dysfunction may contribute to significant immunodeficiency in nonleukemic indolent B-cell lymphomas as demonstrated by unresponsiveness to hepatitis B vaccination. The precise definition of systemic T-cell dysfunction serves as the basis to study its prognostic impact, its relationship to the established influence of the lymphoma microenvironment, and its therapeutic manipulation.
Results from a randomized trial of salvage chemotherapy followed by lestaurtinib for patients with FLT3 mutant AML in first relapse
Authors: Levis Mark , Ravandi Farhad , Wang Eunice S. , Baer Maria R. , Perl Alexander , Coutre Steven , Erba Harry , Stuart Robert K. , Baccarani Michele , Cripe Larry D. , Tallman Martin S. , Meloni Giovanna , Godley Lucy A. , Langston Amelia A. , Amadori Sergio , Lewis Ian D. , Nagler Arnon , Stone Richard , Yee Karen , Advani Anjali , Douer Dan , Wiktor-Jedrzejczak W. , Juliusson Gunnar , Litzow Mark R. , Petersdorf Stephen , Sanz Miguel , Kantarjian Hagop M. , Sato Takashi , Tremmel Lothar , Bensen-Kennedy Debra M. , Small Donald , Smith B. Douglas
Published: January 2011

In a randomized trial of therapy for FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) mutant acute myeloid leukemia in first relapse, 224 patients received chemotherapy alone or followed by 80 mg of the FLT3 inhibitor lestaurtinib twice daily. Endpoints included complete remission or complete remission with incomplete platelet recovery (CR/CRp), overall survival, safety, and tolerability. Correlative studies included pharmacokinetics and analysis of in vivo FLT3 inhibition. There were 29 patients with CR/CRp in the lestaurtinib arm and 23 in the control arm (26% vs 21%; P = .35), and no difference in overall survival between the 2 arms. There was evidence of toxicity in the lestaurtinib-treated patients, particularly those with plasma levels in excess of 20μM. In the lestaurtinib arm, FLT3 inhibition was highly correlated with remission rate, but target inhibition on day 15 was achieved in only 58% of patients receiving lestaurtinib. Given that such a small proportion of patients on this trial achieved sustained FLT3 inhibition in vivo, any conclusions regarding the efficacy of combining FLT3 inhibition with chemotherapy are limited. Overall, lestaurtinib treatment after chemotherapy did not increase response rates or prolong survival of patients with FLT3 mutant acute myeloid leukemia in first relapse. This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00079482.
Comparative analysis and supragenome modeling of twelve Moraxella catarrhalis clinical isolates
Authors: Davie Jeremiah J , Earl Josh , de Vries Stefan PW , Ahmed Azad , Hu Fen Z , Bootsma Hester J , Stol Kim , Hermans Peter WM , Wadowsky Robert M , Ehrlich Garth D , Hays John P , Campagnari Anthony A
Published: January 2011

Background

M. catarrhalis is a gram-negative, gamma-proteobacterium and an opportunistic human pathogen associated with otitis media (OM) and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With direct and indirect costs for treating these conditions annually exceeding $33 billion in the United States alone, and nearly ubiquitous resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics among M. catarrhalis clinical isolates, a greater understanding of this pathogen's genome and its variability among isolates is needed.

Results

The genomic sequences of ten geographically and phenotypically diverse clinical isolates of M. catarrhalis were determined and analyzed together with two publicly available genomes. These twelve genomes were subjected to detailed comparative and predictive analyses aimed at characterizing the supragenome and understanding the metabolic and pathogenic potential of this species. A total of 2383 gene clusters were identified, of which 1755 are core with the remaining 628 clusters unevenly distributed among the twelve isolates. These findings are consistent with the distributed genome hypothesis (DGH), which posits that the species genome possesses a far greater number of genes than any single isolate. Multiple and pair-wise whole genome alignments highlight limited chromosomal re-arrangement.

Conclusions

M. catarrhalis gene content and chromosomal organization data, although supportive of the DGH, show modest overall genic diversity. These findings are in stark contrast with the reported heterogeneity of the species as a whole, as wells as to other bacterial pathogens mediating OM and COPD, providing important insight into M. catarrhalis pathogenesis that will aid in the development of novel therapeutic regimens.
Characterization of the past and current duplication activities in the human 22q11.2 region
Authors: Guo Xingyi , Freyer Laina , Morrow Bernice , Zheng Deyou
Published: January 2011

Background

Segmental duplications (SDs) on 22q11.2 (LCR22), serve as substrates for meiotic non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR) events resulting in several clinically significant genomic disorders.

Results

To understand the duplication activity leading to the complicated SD structure of this region, we have applied the A-Bruijn graph algorithm to decompose the 22q11.2 SDs to 523 fundamental duplication sequences, termed subunits. Cross-species syntenic analysis of primate genomes demonstrates that many of these LCR22 subunits emerged very recently, especially those implicated in human genomic disorders. Some subunits have expanded more actively than others, and young Alu SINEs, are associated much more frequently with duplicated sequences that have undergone active expansion, confirming their role in mediating recombination events. Many copy number variations (CNVs) exist on 22q11.2, some flanked by SDs. Interestingly, two chromosome breakpoints for 13 CNVs (mean length 65 kb) are located in paralogous subunits, providing direct evidence that SD subunits could contribute to CNV formation. Sequence analysis of PACs or BACs identified extra CNVs, specifically, 10 insertions and 18 deletions within 22q11.2; four were more than 10 kb in size and most contained young AluY s at their breakpoints.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that AluY s are implicated in the past and current duplication events, and moreover suggests that DNA rearrangements in 22q11.2 genomic disorders perhaps do not occur randomly but involve both actively expanded duplication subunits and Alu elements.
Analysis of nucleosome positioning determined by DNA helix curvature in the human genome
Authors: Liu Hongde , Duan Xueye , Yu Shuangxin , Sun Xiao
Published: January 2011

Background

Nucleosome positioning has an important role in gene regulation. However, dynamic positioning in vivo casts doubt on the reliability of predictions based on DNA sequence characteristics. What role does sequence-dependent positioning play? In this paper, using a curvature profile model, nucleosomes are predicted in the human genome and patterns of nucleosomes near some key sites are investigated.

Results

Curvature profiling revealed that in the vicinity of a transcription start site, there is also a nucleosome-free region. Near transcription factor binding sites, curvature profiling showed a trough, indicating nucleosome depletion. The trough of the curvature profile corresponds well to the high binding scores of transcription factors. Moreover, our analysis suggests that nucleosome positioning has a selective protection role. Target sites of miRNAs are occupied by nucleosomes, while single nucleotide polymorphism sites are depleted of nucleosomes.

Conclusions

The results indicate that DNA sequences play an important role in nucleosome positioning, and the positioning is important not only in gene regulation, but also in genetic variation and miRNA functions.
Distinctive mitochondrial genome of Calanoid copepod Calanus sinicus with multiple large non-coding regions and reshuffled gene order: Useful molecular markers for phylogenetic and population studies
Authors: Minxiao Wang , Song Sun , Chaolun Li , Xin Shen
Published: January 2011

Background

Copepods are highly diverse and abundant, resulting in extensive ecological radiation in marine ecosystems.Calanus sinicusdominates continental shelf waters in the northwest Pacific Ocean and plays an important role in the local ecosystem by linking primary production to higher trophic levels. A lack of effective molecular markers has hindered phylogenetic and population genetic studies concerning copepods. As they are genome-level informative, mitochondrial DNA sequences can be used as markers for population genetic studies and phylogenetic studies.

Results

The mitochondrial genome ofC. sinicusis distinct from other arthropods owing to the concurrence of multiple non-coding regions and a reshuffled gene arrangement. Further particularities in the mitogenome ofC. sinicusinclude low A + T-content, symmetrical nucleotide composition between strands, abbreviated stop codons for several PCGs and extended lengths of the genesatp6andatp8relative to other copepods. The monophyletic Copepoda should be placed within the Vericrustacea. The close affinity between Cyclopoida and Poecilostomatoida suggests reassigning the latter as subordinate to the former. Monophyly of Maxillopoda is rejected. Within the alignment of 11C. sinicusmitogenomes, there are 397 variable sites harbouring three 'hotspot' variable sites and three microsatellite loci.

Conclusion

The occurrence of thecircular subgenomic fragmentduring laboratory assays suggests that special caution should be taken when sequencing mitogenomes using long PCR. Such a phenomenon may provide additional evidence of mitochondrial DNA recombination, which appears to have been a prerequisite for shaping the present mitochondrial profile ofC. sinicusduring its evolution. The lack of synapomorphic gene arrangements among copepods has cast doubt on the utility of gene order as a useful molecular marker for deep phylogenetic analysis. However, mitochondrial genomic sequences have been valuable markers for resolving phylogenetic issues concerning copepods. The variable site maps ofC. sinicusmitogenomes provide a solid foundation for population genetic studies.
AtRabD2b and AtRabD2c have overlapping functions in pollen development and pollen tube growth
Authors: Peng Jianling , Ilarslan Hilal , Wurtele Eve Syrkin , Bassham Diane C
Published: January 2011

Background

Rab GTPases are important regulators of endomembrane trafficking, regulating exocytosis, endocytosis and membrane recycling. Many Rab-like proteins exist in plants, but only a subset have been functionally characterized.

Results

Here we report that AtRabD2b and AtRabD2c play important roles in pollen development, germination and tube elongation. AtrabD2b and AtrabD2c single mutants have no obvious morphological changes compared with wild-type plants across a variety of growth conditions. An AtrabD2b/2c double mutant is also indistinguishable from wild-type plants during vegetative growth; however its siliques are shorter than those in wild-type plants. Compared with wild-type plants, AtrabD2b/2c mutants produce deformed pollen with swollen and branched pollen tube tips. The shorter siliques in the AtrabD2b/2c double mutant were found to be primarily due to the pollen defects. AtRabD2b and AtRabD2c have different but overlapping expression patterns, and they are both highly expressed in pollen. Both AtRabD2b and AtRabD2c protein localize to Golgi bodies.

Conclusions

These findings support a partially redundant role for AtRabD2b and AtRabD2c in vesicle trafficking during pollen tube growth that cannot be fulfilled by the remaining AtRabD family members.
Image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy with helical tomotherapy for postoperative treatment of high-risk oral cavity cancer
Authors: Hsieh Chen-Hsi , Kuo Ying-Shiung , Liao Li-Jen , Hu Kawang-Yu , Lin Shih-Chiang , Wu Le-Jung , Lin Yu-Chin , Chen Yu-Jen , Wang Li-Ying , Hsieh Yen-Ping , Lin Shoei Long , Chen Chun-Yi , Chen Chien-An , Shueng Pei-Wei
Published: January 2011

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the treatment results and toxicity profiles of helical tomotherapy (HT) for postoperative high-risk oral cavity cancer.

Methods

From December 6, 2006 through October 9, 2009, 19 postoperative high-risk oral cavity cancer patients were enrolled. All of the patients received HT with (84%) or without (16%) chemotherapy.

Results

The median follow-up time was 17 months. The 2-year overall survival, disease-free survival, locoregional control, and distant metastasis-free rates were 94%, 84%, 92%, and 94%, respectively. The package of overall treatment time > 13 wk, the interval between surgery and radiation ≤ 6 wk, and the overall treatment time of radiation ≤ 7 wk was 21%, 84%, and 79%, respectively. The percentage of grade 3 mucositis, dermatitis, and leucopenia was 42%, 5% and 5%, respectively.

Conclusions

HT achieved encouraging clinical outcomes for postoperative high-risk oral cavity cancer patients with high compliance. A long-term follow-up study is needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Mortality from suicide and other external cause injuries in China: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Rebholz Casey M , Gu Dongfeng , Yang Wenjie , Chen Jing , Wu Xigui , Huang Jian-feng , Chen Ji-chun , Chen Chung-Shiuan , Kelly Tanika N , Duan Xiufang , Bazzano Lydia A , He Jiang
Published: January 2011

Background

Premature death from suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. However, the pattern and risk factors for suicide and other external cause injuries are not well understood. This study investigates mortality from suicide and other injuries and associated risk factors in China.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of 169,871 Chinese adults aged 40 years and older was conducted. Mortality due to suicide or other external cause injuries was recorded.

Results

Mortality from all external causes was 58.7/100,000 (72.3 in men and 44.4 in women): 14.1/100,000 (14.2 in men and 14.2 in women) for suicide and 44.6/100,000 (58.1 in men and 30.2 in women) for other external cause injuries. Transport accidents (17.2/100,000 overall, 23.4 in men and 10.8 in women), accidental poisoning (7.5/100,000 overall, 10.2 in men and 4.8 in women), and accidental falls (5.7/100,000 overall, 6.5 in men and 5.0 in women) were the three leading causes of death from other external cause injuries in China. In the multivariable analysis, male sex (relative risk [RR] 1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-2.38), age 70 years and older (2.27, 1.29-3.98), living in north China (1.68, 1.20-2.36) and rural residence (2.82, 1.76-4.51) were associated with increased mortality from suicide. Male sex (RR 2.50, 95% CI 1.95-3.20), age 60-69 years (1.93, 1.45-2.58) and 70 years and older (3.58, 2.58-4.97), rural residence (2.29, 1.77-2.96), and having no education (1.56, 1.00-2.43) were associated with increased mortality from other external cause injuries, while overweight (0.60, 0.43-0.83) was associated with decreased risk of mortality from other external cause injuries.

Conclusions

External cause mortality has become a major public health problem in China. Developing an integrated national program for the prevention of mortality due to external cause injuries in China is warranted.
Activation of the dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors increase skeletal muscle mass and force production under non-atrophying and atrophying conditions
Authors: Reichart Deborah L , Hinkle Richard T , Lefever Frank R , Dolan Elizabeth T , Dietrich Jeffrey A , Sibley David R , Isfort Robert J
Published: January 2011

Background

Control of skeletal muscle mass and force production is a complex physiological process involving numerous regulatory systems. Agents that increase skeletal muscle cAMP levels have been shown to modulate skeletal muscle mass and force production. The dopamine 1 receptor and its closely related homolog, the dopamine 5 receptor, are G-protein coupled receptors that are expressed in skeletal muscle and increase cAMP levels when activated. Thus we hypothesize that activation of the dopamine 1 and/or 5 receptor will increase skeletal muscle cAMP levels thereby modulating skeletal muscle mass and force production.

Methods

We treated isolated mouse tibialis anterior (TA) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles in tissue bath with the selective dopamine 1 receptor and dopamine 5 receptor agonist SKF 81297 to determine if activation of skeletal muscle dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors will increase cAMP. We dosed wild-type mice, dopamine 1 receptor knockout mice and dopamine 5 receptor knockout mice undergoing casting-induced disuse atrophy with SKF 81297 to determine if activation of the dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors results in hypertrophy of non-atrophying skeletal muscle and preservation of atrophying skeletal muscle mass and force production.

Results

In tissue bath, isolated mouse TA and MG muscles responded to SKF 81297 treatment with increased cAMP levels. Treating wild-type mice with SKF 81297 reduced casting-induced TA and MG muscle mass loss in addition to increasing the mass of non-atrophying TA and MG muscles. In dopamine 1 receptor knockout mice, extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus muscle mass and force was not preserved during casting with SKF 81297 treatment, in contrast to significant preservation of casted wild-type mouse EDL and soleus mass and EDL force with SKF 81297 treatment. Dosing dopamine 5 receptor knockout mice with SKF 81297 did not significantly preserve EDL and soleus muscle mass and force although wild-type mouse EDL mass and force was significantly preserved SKF 81297 treatment.

Conclusions

These data demonstrate for the first time that treatment with a dopamine 1/5 receptor agonist results in (1) significant preservation of EDL, TA, MG and soleus muscle mass and EDL muscle force production during periods of atrophy and (2) hypertrophy of TA and MG muscle. These effects appear to be mainly mediated by both the dopamine 1 and dopamine 5 receptors.
Virus-derived transgenes expressing hairpin RNA give immunity to Tobacco mosaic virus and Cucumber mosaic virus
Authors: Hu Qiong , Niu Yanbing , Zhang Kai , Liu Yong , Zhou Xueping
Published: January 2011

Background

An effective method for obtaining resistant transgenic plants is to induce RNA silencing by expressing virus-derived dsRNA in plants and this method has been successfully implemented for the generation of different plant lines resistant to many plant viruses.

Results

Inverted repeats of the partial Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) movement protein (MP) gene and the partial Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) replication protein (Rep) gene were introduced into the plant expression vector and the recombinant plasmids were transformed into Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was carried out and three transgenic tobacco lines (MP16-17-3, MP16-17-29 and MP16-17-58) immune to TMV infection and three transgenic tobacco lines (Rep15-1-1, Rep15-1-7 and Rep15-1-32) immune to CMV infection were obtained. Virus inoculation assays showed that the resistance of these transgenic plants could inherit and keep stable in T4 progeny. The low temperature (15℃) did not influence the resistance of transgenic plants. There was no significant correlation between the resistance and the copy number of the transgene. CMV infection could not break the resistance to TMV in the transgenic tobacco plants expressing TMV hairpin MP RNA.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated that transgenic tobacco plants expressed partial TMV movement gene and partial CMV replicase gene in the form of an intermolecular intron-hairpin RNA exhibited complete resistance to TMV or CMV infection.
Bone Mass in Subjects with Klinefelter Syndrome: Role of Testosterone Levels and Androgen Receptor Gene CAG Polymorphism
Authors: Ferlin Alberto , Schipilliti Mirko , Vinanzi Cinzia , Garolla Andrea , Di Mambro Antonella , Selice Riccardo , Lenzi Andrea , Foresta Carlo
Published: January 2011

Context:

Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is a chromosomal alteration characterized by supernumerary X-chromosome(s), primary hypogonadism, decreased pubertal peak bone mineral density (BMD), and accelerated bone loss during adulthood. Decreased bone mass has been traditionally related to low testosterone levels. However, testosterone replacement therapy does not necessarily increase bone mass in these patients, and low BMD can be observed also in patients with normal testosterone levels. The androgen receptor (AR) gene CAG polymorphism seems to modulate the sensitivity to testosterone and previous studies have related it to some clinical aspects of KS, to include BMD, gynecomastia, testes and prostate volume, and hemoglobin concentration.

Objective:

To analyze the relation between bone mass, testosterone, and AR CAG polymorphism in men with KS.

Design:

Cross-sectional cohort study.

Setting:

University department.

Patients:

One hundred twelve consecutive treatment-naïve 47,XXY Klinefelter patients (mean age 33.5 ± 4.7 yr) and 51 age-matched normal male controls.

Main Outcome Measures:

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, CAG repeat length polymorphism, X-chromosome inactivation, and testosterone levels.

Results:

Forty-nine of 112 KS subjects (42.5%) had low bone mass (osteopenia or osteoporosis). Lumbar and/or femoral T-scores were lower in KS patients compared with controls. No significant relationship was observed between testosterone levels and bone parameters, and the prevalence of osteopenia/osteoporosis was similar in subjects with normal and low testosterone levels (43.7% and 40.5%, respectively). The mean CAG repeat length calculated after X-chromosome inactivation analysis showed no differences between patients with normal and low bone mass.

Conclusions:

Testosterone levels and AR CAG polymorphism are not associated with bone mass phenotype in KS.
Stage-specific signaling through TGFβ family members and WNT regulates patterning and pancreatic specification of human pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Nostro M. Cristina , Sarangi Farida , Ogawa Shinichiro , Holtzinger Audrey , Corneo Barbara , Li Xueling , Micallef Suzanne J. , Park In-Hyun , Basford Christina , Wheeler Michael B. , Daley George Q. , Elefanty Andrew G. , Stanley Edouard G. , Keller Gordon
Published: January 2011

The generation of insulin-producing β-cells from human pluripotent stem cells is dependent on efficient endoderm induction and appropriate patterning and specification of this germ layer to a pancreatic fate. In this study, we elucidated the temporal requirements for TGFβ family members and canonical WNT signaling at these developmental stages and show that the duration of nodal/activin A signaling plays a pivotal role in establishing an appropriate definitive endoderm population for specification to the pancreatic lineage. WNT signaling was found to induce a posterior endoderm fate and at optimal concentrations enhanced the development of pancreatic lineage cells. Inhibition of the BMP signaling pathway at specific stages was essential for the generation of insulin-expressing cells and the extent of BMP inhibition required varied widely among the cell lines tested. Optimal stage-specific manipulation of these pathways resulted in a striking 250-fold increase in the levels of insulin expression and yielded populations containing up to 25% C-peptide+ cells.
Origin of muscle satellite cells in the Xenopus embryo
Authors: Daughters Randall S. , Chen Ying , Slack Jonathan M. W.
Published: January 2011

We have studied the origin of muscle satellite cells in embryos of Xenopus laevis. Fate mapping at the open neural plate stage was carried out using orthotopic grafts from transgenic embryos expressing GFP. This shows that most satellite cells originate from the dorsolateral plate rather than from the paraxial mesoderm. Specification studies were made by isolation of explants from the paraxial and dorsolateral regions of neurulae and these also indicated that the satellite cell progenitors arise from the dorsolateral plate. Muscle satellite cells express Pax7, but overexpression of Pax7 in blastomeres of whole embryos that populate the myogenic areas does not induce the formation of additional satellite cells. Moreover, a dominant-negative construct, Pax7EnR, does not reduce satellite cell formation. Neither Pax7 nor other myogenic transcription factor genes will induce satellite cell formation in animal caps treated with FGF. However, BMP RNA or protein will do so, both for FGF-treated animal caps and for paraxial neurula explants. Conversely, the induction of Noggin in dorsolateral explants from HGEM-Noggin transgenic neurulae will block formation of satellite cells, showing that BMP signaling is required in vivo for satellite cell formation. We conclude that satellite cell progenitors are initially specified in the dorsal part of the lateral plate mesoderm and later become incorporated into the myotomes. The initial specification occurs at the neurula stage and depends on the ventral-to-dorsal BMP gradient in the early embryo.
Dlx5 and Dlx6 expression in the anterior neural fold is essential for patterning the dorsal nasal capsule
Authors: Gitton Yorick , Benouaiche Laurence , Vincent Christine , Heude Eglantine , Soulika Marina , Bouhali Kamal , Couly Gérard , Levi Giovanni
Published: January 2011

Morphogenesis of the vertebrate facial skeleton depends upon inductive interactions between cephalic neural crest cells (CNCCs) and cephalic epithelia. The nasal capsule is a CNCC-derived cartilaginous structure comprising a ventral midline bar (mesethmoid) overlaid by a dorsal capsule (ectethmoid). Although Shh signalling from the anterior-most region of the endoderm (EZ-I) patterns the mesethmoid, the cues involved in ectethmoid induction are still undefined. Here, we show that ectethmoid formation depends upon Dlx5 and Dlx6 expression in a restricted ectodermal territory of the anterior neural folds, which we name NF-ZA. In both chick and mouse neurulas, Dlx5 and Dlx6 expression is mostly restricted to NF-ZA. Simultaneous Dlx5 and Dlx6 inactivation in the mouse precludes ectethmoid formation, while the mesethmoid is still present. Consistently, siRNA-mediated downregulation of Dlx5 and Dlx6 in the cephalic region of the early avian neurula specifically prevents ectethmoid formation, whereas other CNCC-derived structures, including the mesethmoid, are not affected. Similarly, NF-ZA surgical removal in chick neurulas averts ectethmoid development, whereas grafting a supernumerary NF-ZA results in an ectopic ectethmoid. Simultaneous ablation or grafting of both NF-ZA and EZ-I result, respectively, in the absence or duplication of both dorsal and ventral nasal capsule components. The present work shows that early ectodermal and endodermal signals instruct different contingents of CNCCs to form the ectethmoid and the mesethmoid, which then assemble to form a complete nasal capsule.
Brassinosteroid perception in the epidermis controls root meristem size
Authors: Hacham Yael , Holland Neta , Butterfield Cristina , Ubeda-Tomas Susana , Bennett Malcolm J. , Chory Joanne , Savaldi-Goldstein Sigal
Published: January 2011

Multiple small molecule hormones contribute to growth promotion or restriction in plants. Brassinosteroids (BRs), acting specifically in the epidermis, can both drive and restrict shoot growth. However, our knowledge of how BRs affect meristem size is scant. Here, we study the root meristem and show that BRs are required to maintain normal cell cycle activity and cell expansion. These two processes ensure the coherent gradient of cell progression, from the apical to the basal meristem. In addition, BR activity in the meristem is not accompanied by changes in the expression level of the auxin efflux carriers PIN1, PIN3 and PIN7, which are known to control the extent of mitotic activity and differentiation. We further demonstrate that BR signaling in the root epidermis and not in the inner endodermis, quiescent center (QC) cells or stele cell files is sufficient to control root meristem size. Interestingly, expression of the QC and the stele-enriched MADS-BOX gene AGL42 can be modulated by BRI1 activity solely in the epidermis. The signal from the epidermis is probably transmitted by a different component than BES1 and BZR1 transcription factors, as their direct targets, such as DWF4 and BRox2, are regulated in the same cells that express BRI1. Taken together, our study provides novel insights into the role of BRs in controlling meristem size.
The 25th Anniversary of BUA for the Assessment of Osteoporosis: Time for a New Paradigm?
Authors: Langton C M
Published: January 2011

The measurement of broadband ultrasonic attenuation (BUA) in cancellous bone at the calcaneus for the assessment of osteoporosis was first described within this journal 25 years ago. It was recognized in 2006 by Universities UK as being one of the ‘100 discoveries and developments in UK Universities that have changed the world’ over the past 50 years. In 2008, the UK's Department of Health also recognized BUA assessment of osteoporosis in a publication highlighting 11 projects that have contributed to ‘60 years of NHS research benefiting patients’. The BUA technique has been extensively clinically validated and is utilized worldwide, with at least seven commercial systems currently providing calcaneal BUA measurement. However, there is still no fundamental understanding of the dependence of BUA upon the material and structural properties of cancellous bone. This review aims to provide an ‘engineering in medicine’ perspective and proposes a new paradigm based upon phase cancellation due to variation in propagation transit time across the receive transducer face to explain the non-linear relationship between BUA and bone volume fraction in cancellous bone.
Noise Robustness Comparison for near Infrared Prediction Models
Authors: Roussel Sylvie A. , Igne Benoît , Funk David B. , Hurburgh Charles R.
Published: January 2011

The effect of six artificial noises added to near infrared spectra on the predictive robustness of ten calibration algorithms was investigated for the prediction of whole corn moisture. White noise, multiplicative noise, baseline shift, wavelength shift, spectral stretch/ shrink and stray light were independently added to a set of whole corn near infrared spectra used to validate various regression models based on partial least squares regression, locally weighted regression, variable selection, artificial neural networks and least-squares support vector machines. The quantitative increase in the root mean square error of prediction relative to a unit of noise was used as the robustness criterion. The effectiveness of standard normal variate (SNV) was also tested to remove artificial noises for all models. All models were highly sensitive to white noise and stray light (0.92% pt increase in error for 0.1% of white noise; 3.01% pt increase in error for 0.1% of stray light added to the data, with partial least squares regression). Model robustness was improved by the use of SNV. Variable selection techniques were particularly sensitive to wavelength shift, white noise and stray light. However, SNV pre-treatment before modelling improved the results.
Working with a Set of Filter near Infrared Instruments
Authors: Gatius Fernando , Llovera Antoni , Lloveras Jaume , Puy Jaume
Published: January 2011

There is an increasing need for using a set of near infrared (NIR) instruments in industrial activities. In this study, three methodologies of working with a set of NIR instruments are reviewed: the standardisation of the predicted values, the standardisation of the absorbances and the modelling of the instrument differences. Modelling the NIR differences is performed by including in the calibration/validation sets spectra recorded in any of the different instruments of the set without any pre-treatment or after transfer by orthogonal projection (TOP) pre-transformation. In the latter case, TOP calculations from different sets of products are assayed. The methods are briefly presented and discussed through the results of a set of four InfraAlyzer 2000 instruments, 19-filter spectrometers which are used in the quality control of fresh alfalfa. Although the optimal procedure depends on the particular conditions of the industrial work (number of products, number of properties, number of instruments, etc.), all the above methods have been found to be suitable for operating with a set of NIR instruments. The present results also indicate an independence of the TOP results from the product used to compute the TOP factors, at least for the present set of NIR instruments which all belong to the same model and company.