bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and incidence rates of pressure ulcers in an Emergency Department
Authors: Dugaret Elodie , Videau Marie‐Neige , Faure Isabelle , Gabinski Claude , Bourdel‐Marchasson Isabelle , Salles Nathalie
Published: October 2012

Older patients represent an increasing population in emergency department (ED) with underlying diseases and longer ED length of stay, which are potential risk factors of pressure ulcers (PUs). The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and incidence rates of PUs in an Emergency Department and to analyse variables related to PUs occurrence. The study was carried out in the Emergency Department of Bordeaux (France), and included 602 patients from 1 to 15 June 2010. All the potential body sites of pressure were examined at admission and discharge for all the patients by trained nurses. Comorbidity score, list of treatment, length of stay (hours), PUs (including stage I) and C‐reactive protein (CRP) level were systematically recorded. A total of 47 (7·8%) patients had prevalent PUs at admission and 74 (12·3%) at discharge. The cumulative incidence was 4·9% and the incidence density was 5·4 per 1000 patients per hour. In multivariate analysis, higher comorbidities (OR 1·3; P = 0·014) and CRP levels (OR 1·005; P = 0·017) were both independent risk factors for developing PU. In conclusion, these data show that even a very short stay to the ED is sufficient to induce PUs especially stage I.
Unions at the Crossroads
Authors: Masters Marick F.
Published: October 2012

Despite tough problems, labor can expand its numbers and power if it reallocates resources to make organizing and politics top priorities
The Fast Track to Globalization: Can Labor Slow It Down?
Authors: Faux Jeff
Published: October 2012

The Asian and Mexican bailouts discredited our system of global economic management. Unions must fight for an alternative that stops workers from bearing all the costs.
Mexican Unions: Will Turmoil Lead to Independence?
Authors: Brooks David , Cason Jim
Published: October 2012

For decades Mexican workers have had unions dominated by the ruling PRI party. But now economic and political upheaval may lead to new labor militancy there.
Beyond Mobilization: How Labor Can Transform Itself
Authors: Eisenscher Michael
Published: October 2012

Unions need to expand rank‐and‐file participation and articulate a vision based on values different from those of the “free” market: solidarity, equality, community, and democracy.
The New Social Inequality and Affirmative Opportunity
Authors: Wilson William Julius
Published: October 2012

We need a new, multi‐ethnic coalition to overcome America's deep racial divisions.
Class Struggle Aboard the Titanic
Authors: Lichtenstein Nelson
Published: October 2012

Titanic: A James Cameron film from Paramount Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Building the Rainbow
Authors: Reynolds David
Published: October 2012

Unions in Connecticut and Wisconsin use insurgent politics to create labor‐community coalitions. The result: electoral and legislative victories.
Dangers for European Workers in the U.S. Economic Model
Authors: Schmitt John , Mishel Lawrence , Bernstein Jared
Published: October 2012

Europe's high unemployment won't be solved by weakening unions, cutting social benefits, or expanding so‐called “flexibility.”
Reviving Pay Equity: New Strategies for Attacking the Wage Gap
Authors: Kahn Peggy , Figart Deborah M.
Published: October 2012

To find relevance in today's economy, the effort to win pay equity must be recast as part of the fight for a living wage.
Just Transition: A New Approach to Jobs v. Environment
Authors: Young Jim
Published: October 2012

The Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers (OCAW) Union wants a GI Bill for workers who lose jobs because of necessary environmental regulation.
Kyoto Auction: Polluters Should Fund Job Adjustment Benefits
Authors: Barrett James P.
Published: October 2012

Coal miners and other workers will lose jobs as a result of the global warming treaty. Here's a plan to cushion the blow.
TwentyFourSeven, The Full Monty, and Brassed Off Examine HowThatcherism DestroyedJobs, Culture, and Hope
Authors: Aufderheide Pat
Published: October 2012

TwentyFourSeven, The Full Monty, and Brassed Off Examine How Thatcherism Destroyed Jobs, Culture, and Hope
The New Labor Movement and the Politics of Living Standards
Authors: Kusnet David
Published: October 2012

A look back provides insights into unions' push for a living wage.
FICTION: The Union Rep
Authors: Shreve Anita
Published: October 2012

In an excerpt from the stunning new novel, The Pilot's Wife, the man from the union delivers the bad news.
The Merger Fails—What Next for Education Unions?
Authors: Pizzigati Sam
Published: October 2012

Without NEA‐AFT unity, can the American labor movement save public education?
What Does Labor Stand For?
Authors: Mantsios Gregory
Published: October 2012

New union leaders, who have advocated a more socially conscious agenda, should offer a sharper critique of corporate domination and class inequity.
The Road to Union Cities
Authors: Ness Immanuel
Published: October 2012

Labor seeks to transform the culture and structure of central labor councils.
Saving Social Security in Three Steps
Authors: Baker Dean
Published: October 2012

The biggest risk comes from “fixing” Social Security by cutting benefits and privatizing a basically sound program.
American Labor's Stake in Cuba's Future
Authors: Faux Jeff , Allen Marjorie
Published: October 2012

Will multinationals dominate a post‐Castro market economy based on low‐wage exports? There's a better alternative.
Organizing Wal‐Mart: An Anti‐Union Company Bests Labor
Authors: Ortega Bob
Published: October 2012

Founder Sam Walton avoided unionization with ruthless tactics. But Wal‐Mart workers keep trying to organize.
Bye‐Bye to Pinkie Rings: Working Women Transform Unions
Authors: Nussbaum Karen
Published: October 2012

Difficult struggles remain ahead, but women today are key to labor organizing, bargaining, and political action.
Locked Out but Holding Together in Ravenswood
Authors: Juravich Tom , Bronfenbrenner Kate
Published: October 2012

The first in a two‐part series that details the Steelworkers' victory at Ravenswood Aluminum—one of labor's biggest wins in the ′90s.
Which Way for the Global Economy?
Authors: Unterweger Peter
Published: October 2012

Regulation of international financial markets is essential to prevent future crises and promote sustainable growth.
Can Conduct Codes and Monitoring Combat America's Sweatshops?
Authors: Esbenshade Jill , Bonacich Edna
Published: October 2012

The apparel industry uses public relations tactics to appease concerned consumers. But strong unions are what workers really need.
Why Unions Can't Support the Apparel Industry Sweatshop Code
Authors: Howard Alan
Published: October 2012

Labor pulled out of the Apparel Industry Partnership because its plan does too little to empower workers.
Steelworkers' Victory at Ravenswood: Picket Line Around the World
Authors: Juravich Tom , Bronfenbrenner Kate
Published: October 2012

The second in a two‐part series details the sophisticated international campaign and grass‐roots activism that gave labor one of its biggest wins in the ′90s.
Lessons from South Africa: Unions, Democracy, and Economic Liberalization
Authors: Adler Glenn , Webster Eddie
Published: October 2012

Labor seeks to counter government's neoliberalism.
The Living Wage Movement Sweeps the Nation
Authors: Reynolds David
Published: October 2012

Coalitions created by living wage campaigns are building a broader base for a progressive social movement.
WTO Accession: China Can Wait
Authors: Scott Robert E.
Published: October 2012

A deal to admit China to the World Trade Organization must include enforceable labor rights and commercial benefits.
Options for diagnosis and treatment of urachal carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Jianwen , Wu Jingbo
Published: October 2012

Urachal carcinoma (UrC) is a rare but highly malignant epithelial cancer and commonly found in the urachal remnant which connects the dome of the bladder to the umbilicus via the ligamentum commune. Because of the specificity of the tumor location and its rarity, the diagnosis of UrC is often difficult. Although surgery is the treatment of choice for UrC, it still has a high incidence of local recurrence and distant metastasis and there are few modestly standard chemotherapy regimens for these patients (response rate 30–40%). Thus, the treatment of local recurrence and distant metastasis of UrC following surgery has been a challenge. We review the clinical diagnosis and therapy of UrC and factors related to its prognosis.
Differential Roles of Arabidopsis Dynamin‐Related Proteins DRP3A, DRP3B, and DRP5B in Organelle DivisionF
Authors: Aung Kyaw , Hu Jianping
Published: October 2012

Dynamin‐related proteins (DRPs) are key components of the organelle division machineries, functioning as molecular scissors during the fission process. In Arabidopsis, DRP3A and DRP3B are shared by peroxisomal and mitochondrial division, whereas the structurally‐distinct DRP5B (ARC5) protein is involved in the division of chloroplasts and peroxisomes. Here, we further investigated the roles of DRP3A, DRP3B, and DRP5B in organelle division and plant development. Despite DRP5B's lack of stable association with mitochondria, drp5B mutants show defects in mitochondrial division. The drp3A‐2 drp3B‐2 drp5B‐2 triple mutant exhibits enhanced mitochondrial division phenotypes over drp3A‐2 drp3B‐2, but its peroxisomal morphology and plant growth phenotypes resemble those of the double mutant. We further demonstrated that DRP3A and DRP3B form a supercomplex in vivo, in which DRP3A is the major component, yet DRP5B is not a constituent of this complex. We thus conclude that DRP5B participates in the division of three types of organelles in Arabidopsis, acting independently of the DRP3 complex. Our findings will help elucidate the precise composition of the DRP3 complex at organelle division sites, and will be instrumental to studies aimed at understanding how the same protein mediates the morphogenesis of distinct organelles that are linked by metabolism.
Organelle Extensions in Plant CellsF
Authors: Mathur Jaideep , Mammone Alena , Barton Kiah A.
Published: October 2012

Cell walls lock each cell in a specific position within the supra‐organization of a plant. Despite its fixed location, each cell must be able to sense alterations in its immediate environment and respond rapidly to ensure the optimal functioning, continued growth and development, and eventual long‐term survival of the plant. The ultra‐structural detail that underlies our present understanding of the plant cell has largely been acquired from fixed and processed material that does not allow an appreciation of the dynamic nature of sub‐cellular events in the cell. In recent years, fluorescent protein‐aided imaging of living plant cells has added to our understanding of the dynamic nature of the plant cell. One of the major outcomes of live imaging of plant cells is the growing appreciation that organelle shapes are not fixed, and many organelles extend their surface transiently in rapid response to environmental stimuli. In many cases, the extensions appear as tubules extending from the main organelle. Specific terms such as stromules from plastids, matrixules from mitochondria, and peroxules from peroxisomes have been coined to describe the extensions. Here, we review our present understanding of organelle extensions and discuss how they may play potential roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis in plant cells.

image

[ Jaideep Mathur (Corresponding author)]
Gene Expression Analysis Using a High‐Resolution DNA Microarray of Peripheral Whole Blood Immediately Before and After Leukocytapheresis for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Kusaoi Makio , Yamaji Ken , Murayama Go , Yasui Misa , Yamada Risa , Hishinuma Ruka , Nemoto Takuya , Hohtatsu Katsura , Kageyama Michiaki , Kawamoto Toshio , Sugimoto Kaoru , Sekiya Fumio , Kon Takayuki , Ogasawara Michihiro , Kempe Kazuo , Tsuda Hiroshi , Takasaki Yoshinari
Published: October 2012

Leukocytapheresis (LCAP) is a safe, unique therapy pertaining to intractable rheumatoid arthritis (RA) even in cases of drug allergy or infectious states. To investigate how to represent LCAP efficacy, we have conducted gene expression analyses from the peripheral blood of RA patients treated with non‐woven polyethylene terephthalate filters. Peripheral blood samples were collected immediately before and after treatment from eight RA patients who received LCAP. Among these patients, all of them achieved 20% improvement in the core set of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR20), and thus, they were confirmed as LCAP responders. Gene expression analysis was done with a high‐resolution DNA microarray. The results of each of the two groups' gene expression values (immediately before and after LCAP) were calculated using Welch's t‐test. Calculations were performed with a statistical software R.basic package: if the P‐value was less than 0.05, this was seen as a significant change. In a comparison of 25 370 gene expressions, the number of genes showing a P‐value < 0.05 in the upregulating group was 2110, and in the downregulating group it was 1864. The results of pathway analysis using the MetaCore program indicate that gene groups work for cytoskeletal remodeling are upregulated, and genes related to immune responses, such as antigens presenting via major histocompatibility complex class I and II, are downregulated just after LCAP. These findings may relate to LCAP efficacy for RA patients, but this needs further investigation.
“Embedded regulation:” The migration of objects, scripts, and governance
Authors: Cloatre Emilie , Dingwall Robert
Published: October 2012

This paper asks why an officially unregulated market in pharmaceuticals in a least developed country, Djibouti, behaves as if it were strictly regulated, with limited access to a small number of high‐cost drugs. We use Actor‐Network Theory (ANT) to show that the explanation is more complex than critics of the international pharmaceutical industry have supposed. Regulation and property rights generated in developed countries have become embedded in the drugs and “black boxed” to the point of invisibility. This has allowed them to travel to Djibouti with the drugs, while maintaining their effects in action. This case study develops our understanding of the way in which materials that are not designated as regulatory agents may still have regulatory impacts through their ability to enrol complex networks of actors, rules, values, and practices. Finally, it argues against the notion of law as a fixed and distinctive space for action, as opposed to the ANT vision of a fluid and contingent order, where law is part of a socio‐technico‐legal alliance that happens to achieve certain effects.
Shall the law set them free? The formal and actual independence of regulatory agencies
Authors: Hanretty Chris , Koop Christel
Published: October 2012

Regulation by independent agencies, rather than ministries, is believed to result in better policy outcomes. Yet this belief requires one to accept a complex causal chain leading from formal independence to actual independence from politics, to policy decisions, and, ultimately, to policy outcomes. In this study, we analyze the link between the formal and actual independence of regulatory agencies in Western Europe. New data on the appointment of chief executives of these agencies is used to create a proxy for the actual independence of agencies from politics. The analysis demonstrates that formal independence is an important determinant of actual independence, but the rule of law and the number of veto players matter as well.
Thymosin β4 stabilizes hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α protein in an oxygen‐independent manner
Authors: Ock Mee Sun , Song Kyoung Seob , Kleinman Hynda , Cha Hee‐Jae
Published: October 2012

The small actin‐binding protein thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is understood to stimulate angiogenesis. Previously, we reported that Tβ4 induces angiogenesis by increasing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, but the mechanism underlying how Tβ4 upregulates VEGF expression remain unknown. To identify the mechanism of VEGF induction by Tβ4, we measured VEGF promoter activity and analyzed the effect of Tβ4 on VEGF RNA stability. The Tβ4 peptide had no effect on either VEGF promoter activity or VEGF RNA stability. We focused on the possibility that Tβ4 may indirectly induce VEGF expression via hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF)‐1α. We determined that Tβ4 increased the stability of HIF‐1α protein under normoxic conditions. These data suggest that Tβ4 indirectly induces VEGF expression by increasing the protein stability of HIF‐1α in an oxygen‐independent manner.
Thymosin β4 expression reveals intriguing similarities between fetal and cancer cells
Authors: Faa Gavino , Nemolato Sonia , Cabras Tiziana , Fanni Daniela , Gerosa Clara , Fanari Mattia , Locci Annalisa , Fanos Vassilios , Messana Irene , Castagnola Massimo
Published: October 2012

Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is highly expressed in saliva of human newborns but not in adults. Here preliminary immunohistochemical analyses on different human tissues are reported. Immunoreactivity for Tβ4 in human salivary glands show high quantities of Tβ4 before birth, followed by downregulation of expression in adulthood. In contrast, Tβ4 is detected in tumors of salivary glands, suggesting that tumor cells might utilize fetal programs, including Tβ4 synthesis. Immunohistochemical analyses in the gastrointestinal tract showed strong reactivity for Tβ4 in enterocytes during development, but weak immunostaining in mature enterocytes. In colorectal cancer, the association of a high expression of Tβ4 with epithelial–mesenchymal transition was observed. On the basis of these data, the process of epithelial–mesenchymal transition could represent the unifying process that explains the role of Tβ4 during fetal development and in cancer progression.
Single‐domain β‐thymosins: the family history
Authors: Edwards John
Published: October 2012

Evolution probably invented the β‐thymosin domain in a single‐celled close relative of multicellular animals. Expansion from single genes to the small family of monomeric β‐thymosins of present‐day vertebrates may have started with a very ancient duplication, before the rounds of whole‐genome duplications. In land vertebrates and fish, this family consists of the descendants of five genes of their jawed vertebrate common ancestor. Identifying this common ancestry depends on the genes possessing conserved sets of flanking sequences, as the relationships are not recognizable from amino‐acid sequences. One of these genes has given rise both to a group of fish β‐thymosins and to a hitherto unrecognized group of β‐thymosins of birds and reptiles. The resulting classification may prove useful in relation to the β‐thymosins of model organisms, such as the zebrafish, and for identifying important noncoding sequence elements, exemplified here by a conserved sequence in the 3′untranslated region of transcripts from the β4 subfamily.
Thymosin β4 is rapidly internalized by cells and does not induce intracellular Ca2+ elevation
Authors: Cierniewski Czeslaw S. , Sobierajska Katarzyna , Selmi Anna , Kryczka Jakub , Bednarek Radoslaw
Published: October 2012

Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a multifunctional protein that has pleiotropic activities both intracellularly and extracellularly. The mechanisms by which it influences cellular processes such as adhesion, migration, differentiation, or apoptosis are not yet understood. Calcium is a ubiquitous signal molecule that is involved in the regulation of almost all cellular functions. Our data indicate that the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores following stimulation of cells with Tβ4 does not occur. Interestingly, Tβ4 becomes rapidly internalized, supporting the concept that it may express its activities via intracellular receptors.
Molecular and cellular mechanisms of thymosin β4–mediated cardioprotection
Authors: Hinkel Rabea , Trenkwalder Teresa , Kupatt Christian
Published: October 2012

Coronary heart disease is still the leading cause of death in industrialized nations. Reduction of infarct size after acute myocardial infarction and, in addition, improvement of myocardial function and perfusion in acute and chronic myocardial ischemia would enhance cardiac survival. Thymosin β4, a 43‐amino acid water‐soluble peptide with pleiotropic abilities seems to be a promising candidate for the treatment of ischemic heart disease. During cardiac development, thymosin β4 is essential for vascularization of the myocardium, by targeting all three parts of vessel development, that is, vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, and arteriogenesis. In the adult, thymosin β4 is capable of inducing angiogenesis via activation of survival kinases in an actin‐dependent and ‐independent manner. In addition, thymosin β4 has anti‐inflammatory properties by reducing NF‐κB p65 activation. These protective effects are further enhanced through increased myocyte and endothelial cell survival accompanied by differentiation of epicardial progenitor cells.
Thymosin α1 and cancer: action on immune effector and tumor target cells
Authors: Garaci Enrico , Pica Francesca , Serafino Annalucia , Balestrieri Emanuela , Matteucci Claudia , Moroni Gabriella , Sorrentino Roberta , Zonfrillo Manuela , Pierimarchi Pasquale , Sinibaldi‐Vallebona Paola
Published: October 2012

Since it was first identified, thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) has been characterized to have pleiotropic effects on several pathological conditions, in particular as a modulator of immune response and inflammation. Several properties exerted by Tα1 may be attributable to a direct action on lymphoid cells. Tα1 has been shown to exert an immune modulatory activity on both T cell and natural killer cell maturation and to have an effect on functions of mature lymphocytes, including stimulating cytokine production and cytotoxic T lymphocyte–mediated cytotoxic responses. In previous studies we have shown that Tα1 increases the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I surface molecules in murine and human tumor cell lines and in primary cultures of human macrophages. In the present paper, we describe preliminary data indicating that Tα1 is also capable of increasing the expression of tumor antigens in both experimental and human tumor cell lines. This effect, which is exerted at the level of the target tumor cells, represents an additional factor increasing the antitumor activity of Tα1.
Controlled delivery of thymosin β4 for tissue engineering and cardiac regenerative medicine
Authors: Chiu Loraine L.Y. , Reis Lewis A. , Radisic Milica
Published: October 2012

Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a peptide with multiple biological functions. Here, we focus on the role of Tβ4 in vascularization, and review our studies of the controlled delivery of Tβ4 through its incorporation in biomaterials. Tβ4 promotes vascularization through VEGF induction and AcSDKP‐induced migration and differentiation of endothelial cells. We developed a collagen–chitosan hydrogel for the controlled release of Tβ4 over 28 days. In vitro, the Tβ4‐encapsulated hydrogel increased migration of endothelial cells and tube formation from epicardial explants that were cultivated on top of the hydrogel, compared to Tβ4‐free hydrogel and soluble Tβ4 in the culture medium. In vivo, subcutaneously injected Tβ4‐containing collagen–chitosan hydrogel in rats led to enhanced vascularization compared to Tβ4‐free hydrogel and collagen hydrogel with Tβ4. Furthermore, the injection of the Tβ4‐encapsulated hydrogel in the infarct region improved angiogenesis, reduced tissue loss, and retained left ventricular wall thickness after myocardial infarction in rats.
Mutation and functional analysis of ABCC2/multidrug resistance protein 2 in a Japanese patient with Dubin–Johnson syndrome
Authors: Uchiumi Takeshi , Tanamachi Hiroyuki , Kuchiwaki Kajiyo , Kajita Mitsuharu , Matsumoto Shinya , Yagi Mikako , Kanki Tomotake , Kang Dongchon
Published: October 2012

Dubin–Johnson syndrome (DJS) is a recessive inherited disorder characterized by conjugated hyperbilirubinemia. It is caused by dysfunction of adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette, sub‐family C, member 2 (ABCC2/MRP2) on the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes. We performed mutational analysis of the ABCC2/MRP2 gene in a Japanese female with DJS. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of the two identified DJS‐associated mutations on MRP2 function. We found a compound heterozygous mutation in the patient: W709R (c.2124T>C), a missense mutation in exon 17, and R1310X (c.3928C>T), a nonsense mutation in exon 28. DJS‐associated mutations have been shown to impair the protein maturation and transport activity of ABCC2/MRP2. We established HEK293 cell lines stably expressing one of the two identified DJS‐associated mutations. Expressed W709R MRP2 was mainly core‐glycosylated, predominantly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, and exhibited no transport activity, suggesting that this mutation causes deficient maturation and impaired protein sorting. No MRP2 protein was expressed from HEK293 cells transfected with an R1310X‐containing construct. This compound heterozygous mutation of the MRP2 gene causes dysfunction of the MRP2 protein and the hyperbilirubinemia seen in DJS.
Moderating Argos location errors in animal tracking data
Authors: Douglas David C. , Weinzierl Rolf , C. Davidson Sarah , Kays Roland , Wikelski Martin , Bohrer Gil
Published: October 2012

The Argos System is used worldwide to satellite‐track free‐ranging animals, but location errors can range from tens of metres to hundreds of kilometres. Low‐quality locations (Argos classes A, 0, B and Z) dominate animal tracking data. Standard‐quality animal tracking locations (Argos classes 3, 2 and 1) have larger errors than those reported in Argos manuals.

The Douglas Argos‐filter (DAF) algorithm flags implausible locations based on user‐defined thresholds that allow the algorithm's performance to be tuned to species' movement behaviours and study objectives. The algorithm is available in Movebank – a free online infrastructure for storing, managing, sharing and analysing animal movement data.

We compared 21,044 temporally paired global positioning system (GPS) locations with Argos location estimates collected from Argos transmitters on free‐ranging waterfowl and condors (13 species, 314 individuals, 54,895 animal‐tracking days). The 95th error percentiles for unfiltered Argos locations 0, A, B and Z were within 35·8, 59·6, 163·2 and 220·2 km of the true location, respectively. After applying DAF with liberal thresholds, roughly 20% of the class 0 and A locations and 45% of the class B and Z locations were excluded, and the 95th error percentiles were reduced to 17·2, 15·0, 20·9 and 18·6 km for classes 0, A, B and Z, respectively. As thresholds were applied more conservatively, fewer locations were retained, but they possessed higher overall accuracy.

Douglas Argos‐filter can improve data accuracy by 50–90% and is an effective and flexible tool for preparing Argos data for direct biological interpretation or subsequent modelling.
Male hypogonadism: an extended classification based on a developmental, endocrine physiology‐based approach
Authors: Rey R. A. , Grinspon R. P. , Gottlieb S. , Pasqualini T. , Knoblovits P. , Aszpis S. , Pacenza N. , Stewart Usher J. , Bergadá I. , Campo S. M.
Published: October 2012

Normal testicular physiology results from the integrated function of the tubular and interstitial compartments. Serum markers of interstitial tissue function are testosterone and insulin‐like factor 3 (INSL3), whereas tubular function can be assessed by sperm count, morphology and motility, and serum anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin B. The classical definition of male hypogonadism refers to testicular failure associated with androgen deficiency, without considering potential deficiencies in germ and Sertoli cells. Furthermore, the classical definition does not consider the fact that low basal serum testosterone cannot be equated to hypogonadism in childhood, because Leydig cells are normally quiescent. A broader clinical definition of hypogonadism that could be applied to male patients in different periods of life requires a comprehensive consideration of the physiology of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐testicular axis and its disturbances along development. Here we propose an extended classification of male hypogonadism based on the pathophysiology of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐testicular axis in different periods of life. The clinical and biochemical features of male hypogonadism vary according to the following: (i) the level of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐testicular axis primarily affected: central, primary or combined; (ii) the testicular cell population initially impaired: whole testis dysfunction or dissociated testicular dysfunction, and: (iii) the period of life when the gonadal function begins to fail: foetal‐onset or postnatal‐onset. The evaluation of basal testicular function in infancy and childhood relies mainly on the assessment of Sertoli cell markers (AMH and inhibin B). Hypergonadotropism should not be considered a sine qua non condition for the diagnosis of primary hypogonadism in childhood. Finally, the lack of elevation of gonadotropins in adolescents or adults with primary gonadal failure is indicative of a combined hypogonadism involving the gonads and the hypothalamic‐pituitary axis.
The Museum and Its Relationships as a Loosely Coupled System
Authors: Rounds Jay
Published: October 2012

Abstract  Currently dominant ideas about the social accountability of museums demand that museums produce “intended outcomes”: positive changes to visitors. Proponents commonly depict this process as a “logic model,” a tightly controlled sequence of events that moves from goal to intended outcome. A tightly coupled system obliges all elements to work toward a common goal. But studies in a variety of fields have shown that tightly coupled systems are achievable only under specific environmental conditions, which are not met within the network of relationships in which museums work. Instead, this article views the museum and its relationships as a loosely coupled system. Each element has its own purposes, and strives to maintain its own autonomy. Interests overlap, but are not identical. In the loosely coupled system, encounters generate a wide and unpredictable range of events. This approach offers advantages for the long‐term sustainability of museums.
Ventricular Fibrillation Induced by Spontaneous Hypothermia in a Patient with Early Repolarization Syndrome
Authors: FEDERMAN NICHOLAS J. , MECHULAN ALEXIS , KLEIN GEORGE J. , KRAHN ANDREW D.
Published: October 2012

Hypothermia and Early Repolarization Syndrome

Introduction

The early repolarization (ER) pattern on ECG was originally described in the context of hypothermia.

Case Summary

We present the case of a 34‐year‐old male with cardiac arrest in the context of spontaneous hypothalamic mediated thermal dysregulation after intracranial hemorrhage. Ventricular fibrillation with a marked ER pattern recurred with therapeutic hypothermia. Spontaneous hypothermia due to hypothalamic dysregulation was observed to enhance the amplitude of the ER pattern and was contemporaneous with recurrent ventricular fibrillation during follow‐up.

Conclusions

Hypothermia is an important trigger of VF in the setting of early repolarization syndrome, and warrants assessment as an environmental trigger of spontaneous events. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 24, pp. 586–588, May 2013)
Immune‐Induced Expression of Lipocalin‐2 in Brain Endothelial Cells: Relationship with Interleukin‐6, Cyclooxygenase‐2 and the Febrile Response
Authors: Hamzic N. , Blomqvist A. , Nilsberth C.
Published: October 2012

Interleukin (IL)‐6 is critical for the febrile response to peripheral immune challenge. However, the mechanism by which IL‐6 enables fever is still unknown. To characterise the IL‐6‐dependent fever generating pathway, we used microarray analysis to identify differentially expressed genes in the brain of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐treated IL‐6 wild‐type and knockout mice. Mice lacking IL‐6 displayed a two‐fold lower expression of the lipocalin‐2 gene (lcn2), and this difference was confirmed by real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. Conversely, the induction of lipocalin‐2 protein was observed in brain vascular cells following i.p. administration of recombinant IL‐6, suggesting a direct relationship between IL‐6 and lipocalin‐2. Immunohistochemical analysis also revealed that LPS‐induced lipocalin‐2 is expressed by brain endothelial cells and is partly co‐localised with cyclooxygenase‐2 (Cox‐2), the rate‐limiting enzyme for the production of inflammatory induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which is the key mediator of fever. The direct role of lipocalin‐2 in fever was examined in LPS‐challenged lipocalin‐2 knockout mice. In both male and female mice, normal fever responses were observed at near‐thermoneutral conditions (29–30 °C) but when recorded at normal room temperature (19–20 °C), the body temperature of lipocalin‐2 knockout female mice displayed an attenuated fever response compared to their wild‐type littermates. This difference was reflected in significantly attenuated mRNA expression of Cox‐2 in the brain of lipocalin‐2 knockout female mice, but not of male mice, following challenge with peripheral LPS. Our findings suggest that IL‐6 influences the expression of lipocalin‐2, which in turn may be involved in the control of the formation of Cox‐2, and hence central PGE2‐production. We have thus identified lipocalin‐2 as a new factor in the pathway of inflammatory IL‐6 signalling. However, the effect of lipocalin‐2 on fever is small, being sex‐dependent and ambient temperature‐specific, and thus lipocalin‐2 cannot be considered as a major mediator of the IL‐6‐dependent fever generating pathway.
MSX1 gene polymorphisms in non‐syndromic cleft lip and/or palate
Authors: Cardoso ML , Bezerra JF , Oliveira GHM , Soares CD , Oliveira SR , de Souza KSC , da Silva HPV , Silbiger VN , Luchessi AD , Fajardo CM , Hirata RDC , Almeida MG , Hirata MH , Rezende AA
Published: October 2012

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of 6 polymorphic variants of the MSX1 gene in non‐syndromic cleft lip and/or palate (NSCL/P).

Methods

Three hundred and fifty‐eight individuals (158 NSCL/P cases and 200 controls) were genotyped by TaqMan allelic discrimination using predesigned SNP assays. Statistical analyses were conducted using the software spss 15.0 and the r statistical suite. Haplotype block structure and haplotype frequencies were determined using the Haploview. A P‐value of 0.05 and confidence interval of 95% were used for all of statistical tests.

Results

The patients with non‐syndromic cleft lip and/or palate were characterized by similar distribution of MSX1 genotypes and allele in comparison to subjects without oral clefts (P > 0.05). Two haplotype blocks were constructed with polymorphisms of MSX1 gene and haplotypes formed showed a similar frequency in patients with and without oral clefts.

Conclusions

The present study provides no evidence that MSX1 polymorphisms (rs3775261, rs1042484, rs12532, rs6446693, rs4464513 and rs1907998) play a major role in NSCL/P.
Anesthetic implications of infants with mandibular hypoplasia treated with mandibular distraction osteogenesis
Authors: Frawley Geoff , Espenell Ainsley , Howe Peter , Shand Jocelyn , Heggie Andrew
Published: October 2012

Objectives

To document the incidence of difficult intubation following mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) in children with severe mandibular hypoplasia.

Background

Syndromes associated with significant mandibular hypoplasia, especially Pierre Robin sequence, provide a challenge in airway management both in and out of the operating room. Mandibular advancement using mandibular distraction osteogenesis devices has been used in infants in an attempt to reduce the incidence of acute life‐threatening airway obstruction. Whether MDO also reduces the incidence of difficult intubation has not been adequately described.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of 51 infants with upper airway obstruction secondary to mandibular hypoplasia who required MDO between January 2002 and 2012. The primary outcome was the incidence of difficult or failed intubation. Secondary outcomes were the relationship between syndrome type and the incidence of difficult intubation.

Results

Fifty‐one PRS infants were identified. Twenty‐eight patients had isolated PRS, six had syndromic PRS, seven had Treacher Collins syndrome, and 10 had another coexisting syndrome. Prior to mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO), the incidence of difficult intubation was 71%, with the highest incidence in patients with Treacher Collins syndrome (100%), sPRS syndrome (100%), and PRS (65%). Following MDO, the incidence of difficult intubation was 8.3%. The difference was statistically significant for all patients (Kruskal–Wallis rank test P = 0.0001) those with isolated PRS (P = 0.0001), syndromic PRS (P = 0.0023), and other syndromes (P = 0.0002), but not for Treacher Collins syndrome (P = 0.21). Three patients had pre existing tracheostomies.

Conclusions

In a select group of infants with severe upper airway obstruction who have failed nonsurgical airway interventions, mandibular distraction osteogenesis reduces the incidence of difficult mask ventilation and difficult intubation. We were not able to compare the improvement in airway management to a comparable group of PRS infants who did not undergo surgical intervention. The improvement in laryngeal view was most marked for infants with isolated PRS but no significant benefit was demonstrated in infants with TCS.
Calcium‐ and potassium‐permeable plasma membrane transporters are activated by copper in Arabidopsis root tips: linking copper transport with cytosolic hydroxyl radical production
Authors: RODRIGO‐MORENO ANA , ANDRÉS‐COLÁS NURIA , POSCHENRIEDER CHARLOTTE , GUNSÉ BENET , PEÑARRUBIA LOLA , SHABALA SERGEY
Published: October 2012

Transition metals such as copper can interact with ascorbate or hydrogen peroxide to form highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH•), with numerous implications to membrane transport activity and cell metabolism. So far, such interaction was described for extracellular (apoplastic) space but not cytosol. Here, a range of advanced electrophysiological and imaging techniques were applied to Arabidopsis thaliana plants differing in their copper‐transport activity: Col‐0, high‐affinity copper transporter COPT1‐overexpressing (C1OE) seedlings, and T‐DNA COPT1 insertion mutant (copt1). Low Cu concentrations (10 µm) stimulated a dose‐dependent Gd3+ and verapamil sensitive net Ca2+ influx in the root apex but not in mature zone. C1OE also showed a fivefold higher Cu‐induced K+ efflux at the root tip level compared with Col‐0, and a reduction in basal peroxide accumulation at the root tip after copper exposure. Copper caused membrane disruptions of the root apex in C1OE seedlings but not in copt1 plants; this damage was prevented by pretreatment with Gd3+. Our results suggest that copper transport into cytosol in root apex results in hydroxyl radical generation at the cytosolic side, with a consequent regulation of plasma membrane OH•‐sensitive Ca2+ and K+ transport systems.
Tetraploid Rangpur lime rootstock increases drought tolerance via enhanced constitutive root abscisic acid production
Authors: ALLARIO THIERRY , BRUMOS JAVIER , COLMENERO‐FLORES JOSE M. , IGLESIAS DOMINGO J. , PINA JOSE A. , NAVARRO LUIS , TALON MANUEL , OLLITRAULT PATRICK , MORILLON RAPHAËL
Published: October 2012

Whole‐genome duplication, or polyploidy, is common in many plant species and often leads to better adaptation to adverse environmental condition. However, little is known about the physiological and molecular determinants underlying adaptation. We examined the drought tolerance in diploid (2x) and autotetraploid (4x) clones of Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia) rootstocks grafted with 2x Valencia Delta sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) scions, named V/2xRL and V/4xRL, respectively. Physiological experiments to study root–shoot communication associated with gene expression studies in roots and leaves were performed. V/4xRL was much more tolerant to water deficit than V/2xRL. Gene expression analysis in leaves and roots showed that more genes related to the response to water stress were differentially expressed in V/2xRL than in V/4xRL. Prior to the stress, when comparing V/4xRL to V/2xRL, V/4xRL leaves had lower stomatal conductance and greater abscisic acid (ABA) content. In roots, ABA content was higher in V/4xRL and was associated to a greater expression of drought responsive genes, including CsNCED1, a pivotal regulatory gene of ABA biosynthesis. We conclude that tetraploidy modifies the expression of genes in Rangpur lime citrus roots to regulate long‐distance ABA signalling and adaptation to stress.
Vitamin D and overall mortality
Authors: Guerrieri‐Gonzaga Aliana , Gandini Sara
Published: October 2012

Vitamin D is a steroid molecule, mainly produced in the skin that regulates the expression of a large number of genes. Several meta‐analyses of epidemiological studies support the evidence that low vitamin D serum level, which is highly prevalent worldwide, could be a ‘new’ risk factor for many chronic diseases including cancer, and for all‐cause mortality. A meta‐analysis in healthy subjects suggested that current doses of vitamin D supplements could be associated with decrease in total mortality rates. However, these associations are insufficient to establish causality between vitamin D and all‐cause mortality. Furthermore, long‐term health effects of high doses of vitamin D, that is, prolonged supplementation and association with different baseline vitamin D levels, remain to be investigated. Several trials are ongoing but population‐based, placebo‐controlled randomized trials with total mortality as the main endpoint should be planned to confirm a real beneficial effect of vitamin D for non‐skeletal diseases and to prove causality.
Linear Atrophoderma of Moulin: A Distinct Entity?
Authors: de Golian Emily , Echols Kathryn , Pearl Henna , Davis Loretta
Published: October 2012

Linear atrophoderma of Moulin (LAM) is a rare dermatologic disorder characterized by a hyperpigmented atrophoderma that consistently follows the lines of Blaschko. There are many clinical and histologic similarities between LAM, atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini (APP), and morphea, and whether LAM represents part of a disease spectrum or its own distinct entity is debated. This case of a 16‐year‐old boy with LAM supports the hypothesis that LAM, APP, and morphea are a spectrum of disorders rather than unique entities. Although the patient's overall clinical picture supports a diagnosis of LAM with hyperpigmented, depressed lesions following the lines of Blaschko and perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate on biopsy, the bilateral presentation typical of APP, collagen entrapment of eccrine ducts typical of morphea, and changes in dermal collagen illustrate features spanning all three disorders, suggesting a relationship between these conditions that represents a spectrum of disease. Furthermore, a review of all reported cases of LAM in the literature suggests an evolving definition beyond what Moulin and colleagues originally described, including features related to those of APP and morphea.
White Epidermal Nevi at Birth in a Patient with Tuberous Sclerosis
Authors: Elam Capt. Amanda L. , McCleskey Maj. Patrick E.
Published: October 2012

We report a neonate who presented at birth with multiple, scattered, white macerated plaques. Punch biopsy confirmed epidermal nevi. At 3 months of age the patient presented with infantile spasms and, after full evaluation, was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). We suggest that physicians consider TSC in a neonate with epidermal nevi inconsistent with any described epidermal nevus syndrome.
Expression of Inhibin/Activin Subunits in the Equine Uteri during the Early Pregnancy
Authors: Zhang H , Nagaoka K , Imakawa K , Nambo Y , Watanabe G , Taya K , Weng Q
Published: October 2012

Contents

The establishment of equine pregnancy is a unique and long process during which a series of physical and possibly biochemical interactions are required between the conceptus and uterus. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern of inhibin/activin subunits in the uterus during early pregnancy. The uteri from four adult mares on cyclic day 13 or pregnancy day 25 were obtained. Immunohistochemical experiments suggested that inhibin/activin subunits were immunolocalized in the luminal and glandular epithelium on pregnancy day 25. In addition, the inhibin α and inhibin/activin βBsubunits were not detected, and inhibin/activin βAsubunit was detected, in the luminal and glandular epithelium on cyclic day 13. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting results for the inhibin/activin subunits suggested a significant increase in the expression of inhibin/activin subunit βBand a significant decrease in the expression of inhibin/activin subunit βAon pregnancy day 25 compared with those on cyclic day 13. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays suggested a significant decrease in the concentration of activinAin endometrium extracts from cyclic day 13 to pregnancy day 25. These results suggest that inhibins or activins synthesized in the uterus, as endocrine factors and necessary nutriments, have different expression patterns and may play different, important roles during early embryonic development of the equine.
Post‐Islamism, the Failure of an Idea: Regards on Islam and Nationalism from Khomeini’s Death to the Arab Revolts
Authors: García Luz Gómez
Published: October 2012

«Post‐Islamism» remains a controversial concept in Western academia. Both the definition itself and its applicability have led to an intellectual debate that may be partially deemed a failure. Such a failure relates not only to the difficulty implicit in establishing its theoretical boundaries (which has in turn led to an internal response within academia itself),1but also to the rather limited effect and repercussions that the notion itself has had in the Arab‐Islamic world.2Twenty years into the development of a post‐Islamist theoretical framework, the prevalence of post‐Islamism as a useful analytical tool in sociopolitical terms now faces the challenge of having to confront the 2011 Arab revolts. The revolts have challenged the theoretical underpinnings that served as a basis for the post‐Islamist discourse, which argued for the decline of Islamism as a valid political alternative. Post‐Islamist theoreticians had argued that Islamism would eventually be replaced by an individualistic experience of Islam based on the vindication of civil rights and the separation of the realms of political and religious legitimacy. The latest election results in North Africa show the strength and diversity of political Islam (under permanent questioning and re‐elaboration) as well as the appropriateness of the «post‐» categories of analysis («post‐Islamism, post‐modernity, post‐nationalism»).