bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Assessment of the Compliance and Utility of a Home Exercise DVD for Caregivers of Children and Adolescents With Brachial Plexus Palsy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Murphy Kathleen M. , Rasmussen Lynnette , Hervey‐Jumper Shawn L. , Justice Denise , Nelson Virginia S. , Yang Lynda J.‐S.
Published: November 2011

Objective

To investigate the impact of a video‐based educational resource on home exercise compliance among caregivers of children with neonatal brachial plexus palsy (NBPP).

Design

Retrospective analysis of self‐reported caregiver home exercise habits and resultant shoulder range of motion (ROM) and biceps power in patients with NBPP.

Setting

Home‐based exercise program.

Participants

Adult caregivers of children with NBPP followed up through the Brachial Plexus Program at the University of Michigan (N = 83 surveyed initially, with N = 37 completing the final survey).

Methods

Caregivers completed surveys before and approximately 3, 6, and 12 months (times A, B, and C, respectively) after receiving the “Home Exercise Therapy Program for Brachial Plexus Palsy” digital video disk (DVD). A retrospective analysis of shoulder ROM and biceps power of patients was completed as representative of arm function during the study.

Main Outcome Measurements

Surveys assessed home exercise compliance, resources used to guide exercises, and caregiver confidence in the correctness of exercises being performed. Functional outcomes analyzed include biceps strength and shoulder active and passive ROM.

Results

Home exercise compliance increased from 74% initially to 96% at time A (P < .001), remained at 94% at time B (P < .001), and fell to 84% at time C (P = .016). Use of the DVD to guide home exercise decreased from 69% at time A to 57% at time B and C (P = .026). After receiving the DVD, exercise frequency and caregiver confidence increased. Although some measures of shoulder active ROM and biceps power improved during the course of the study, there was no consistent statistically significant relationship between increased caregiver confidence and functional outcomes. No causal relationship exists between DVD content and functional status at this time.

Conclusions

As the first formal evaluation of a video‐based resource guiding exercise therapy for children with NBPP, we suggest that this population may be receptive to alternative media and may benefit from dynamic modeling of home exercises.
Physiological adaption to maternal malaria and other adverse exposure: Low birth weight, functional capacity, and possible metabolic disease in adult life
Authors: Christensen Dirk L. , Kapur Anil , Bygbjerg Ib C.
Published: November 2011

The concept of developmental origins of health and disease and the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases in low‐ and middle‐income countries has increased the focus on low birth weight (LBW). Most studies linking LBW to future risk of metabolic diseases have focused on maternal nutrition and anemia. Several studies have shown that LBWis linked to skeletal muscle insulin resistance and future risk of type 2 diabetes, possibly caused by permanent modifications in skeletal muscle morphology and biochemistry leading to lowered functional capacity and physical activity in adult life. In some parts of the world, malaria infection during pregnancy is the most common cause of anemia and LBW. By causing disruption to nutrient supply, as well as hypoxia, placental malaria and anemia negatively impact intrauterine fetal development. Thus, in utero exposure to placental malaria and consequent LBW may impart a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in early adult life. This has not been investigated systematically. Worldwide, an estimated 125 million pregnancies occur annually in malarial areas with a vast potential for intrauterine growth restriction, LBW, and subsequent risk of metabolic dysfunction, including type 2 diabetes; this potential link also opens an opportunity for early prevention of future metabolic diseases by paying greater attention to malaria during pregnancy.
Integrating noncommunicable disease prevention into maternal and child health programs: Can it be done and what will it take?
Authors: Maina William K.
Published: November 2011

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. However, these diseases have not been adequately addressed by health systems, especially in low‐resource countries. Similarly, there is no equitable allocation of global resources for health commensurate with the burden of diseases occasioned by NCDs. This has resulted in poor access to care for women, girls, and other vulnerable groups affected by NCDs. Owing to their position in most societies, women lack control over resources and, hence, cannot afford quality care to treat NCDs. Women also face sociocultural, geographic, and economic barriers to access to care. They are less recognized and catered for in terms of accessibility, comprehensiveness, and responsiveness of healthcare systems. Considering that NCDs affect women more than the general population, tackling them as part of an integrated program for women's health will improve the coverage of the most vulnerable groups. This paper describes how NCD prevention and control could be integrated into maternal and child health programs to improve access to NCD services. It presents the effectiveness, benefits, and challenges of this approach when applied at the primary healthcare level.
Dietaryn-3 PUFA affect lipid metabolism and tissue function-related genes in bovine muscle
Authors: Hiller Beate , Hocquette Jean-Francois , Cassar-Malek Isabelle , Nuernberg Gerd , Nuernberg Karin
Published: November 2011

Gene expression profiles of bovinelongissimusmuscle as affected by dietaryn-3v.n-6 fatty acid (FA) intervention were analysed by microarray pre-screening of >3000 muscle biology/meat quality-related genes as well as subsequent quantitative RT-PCR gene expression validation of genes encoding lipogenesis-related transcription factors (CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β, sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1), key-lipogenic enzymes (acetyl-CoA carboxylase α (ACACA), fatty acid synthase (FASN), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD)), lipid storage-associated proteins (adipose differentiation-related protein (ADFP)) and muscle biology-related proteins (cholinergic receptor, nicotinic, α1, farnesyl diphosphate farnesyl transferase 1, sema domain 3C (SEMA3C)). Down-regulation of ACACA (P = 0·00), FASN (P = 0·09) and SCD (P = 0·02) gene expression upon ann-3 FA intervention directly corresponded to reduced SFA, MUFA and total FA concentrations inlongissimusmuscle, whereas changes in ADFP (P = 0·00) and SEMA3C (P = 0·05) gene expression indicated improved muscle function via enhanced energy metabolism, vasculogenesis, innervation and mediator synthesis. The present study highlights the significance of dietaryn-3 FA intervention on muscle development, maintenance and function, which are relevant for meat quality tailoring of bovine tissues and modulating animal production-relevant physiological processes.
Improvement of sulphur mustard-induced chronic pruritus, quality of life and antioxidant status by curcumin: results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Panahi Yunes , Sahebkar Amirhossein , Amiri Mojtaba , Davoudi Seyyed Masoud , Beiraghdar Fatemeh , Hoseininejad Seyyedeh Leila , Kolivand Marjan
Published: November 2011

Skin is among the first and most heavily damaged organs upon sulphur mustard (SM) exposure. Pruritus is the most common chronic skin complication of SM, which adversely affects the quality of life (QoL). However, current therapies for the management of SM-induced pruritus are very limited and associated with side effects. The present trial investigated the efficacy of curcumin in the alleviation of SM-induced chronic pruritic symptoms. A total of ninety-six male Iranian veterans (age 37–59 years) were randomised to receive either curcumin (1 g/d,n46) or placebo (n50) for 4 weeks. Serum concentrations of substance P and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured at baseline and at the end of the trial. Assessment of pruritus severity was performed using the pruritus score, visual analogue scale (VAS) and scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) index. QoL was evaluated using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Serum concentrations of substance P (P < 0·001) as well as activities of superoxide dismutase (P = 0·02), glutathione peroxidase (P = 0·006) and catalase (P < 0·001) were significantly reduced in the curcumin group, while no significant change was observed in the placebo group. Curcumin supplementation was also associated with significant reductions in measures of pruritus severity including the pruritus score (P < 0·001), VAS score (P < 0·001), overall (P < 0·001) and objective SCORAD (P = 0·009), and DLQI's first question (P < 0·001). None of these measures was significantly changed in the placebo group. As for the QoL, although DLQI scores decreased in both groups (P < 0·001 andP = 0·003 in the curcumin and placebo groups, respectively), the magnitude of reduction was significantly greater in the curcumin group (P < 0·001). In conclusion, curcumin may be regarded as a natural, safe, widely available and inexpensive treatment for the management of SM-induced chronic pruritus.
Understanding the Religious Gulf between Mary Baker Eddy, Ursula N. Gestefeld, and Their Churches
Authors: Voorhees Amy B.
Published: November 2011

Late in 1888, a swift and public rift occurred between Mary Baker Eddy and her student Ursula N. Gestefeld. Historians agree it was a significant break, generally glossing its cause as a personal quarrel later codified in separate organizations: Eddy's Church of Christ, Scientist, reorganized in 1892, and Gestefeld's Church of the New Thought. This article finds, however, that the rift between Eddy and Gestefeld is best explained in terms of theology and religious practice. The two expressed incompatible views of Christianity and its relationship to Theosophy, eclecticism, truth, ethics, ambiguity, and special revelation. They ultimately codified these profound religious differences, not merely personal quarrels, in their distinct churches. The article's findings cause us to rethink the scope and shape of Eddy's self-professed Christianity; the common characterization of her as excluding powerful women from her church for authoritarian reasons; and the terrain occupied by the traditions and churches Eddy and Gestefeld subsequently developed. I show that in their case, contact resulted not in combination but in conversation and contestation, and ultimately perhaps in co-existence. This builds on and sharpens the theoretics describing the religious milieu in which they operated.
Setal morphology in cirripedes: a useful tool in phylogenetic studies?
Authors: Walley L.J.
Published: November 2011

The morphology of the setae, on the mouthparts and the cirri of 33 barnacle species, was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The species examined were selected from a range of pedunculate and balanomorph families living in a variety of habitats from the littoral zone to deep-sea vents. It was found that the setae could be divided into five groups: simple, denticulate, setulate, plumo-denticulate and aesthetascs. The categories were subdivided resulting in 43 setal types being recognized. Balanomorph cirripedes were found to have a greater variety of setae than pedunculates. Setulate setae on the cirri, and specialized setae on the mandibular palps and the first maxillae tended to be associated with the development of the balanomorph form. Setal type was correlated with taxonomy, whether based on shell structure and soft body morphology or DNA analysis, but with some anomalies which deserve further investigation. The problems of reconciling the proposed cirripede setal categories with those described in the Decapoda are discussed.
The pathoplasticity of dysphoric episodes: differential impact of stressful life events on the pattern of depressive symptom inter-correlations
Authors: Cramer A. O. J. , Borsboom D. , Aggen S. H. , Kendler K. S.
Published: November 2011

Background

Previous research has shown that stressful life events (SLEs) influence the pattern of individual depressive symptoms. However, we do not know how these differences arise. Two theories about the nature of psychiatric disorders have different predictions about the source of these differences: (1) SLEs influence depressive symptoms and correlations between them indirectly, via an underlying acute liability to develop a dysphoric episode (DE; common cause hypothesis); and (2) SLEs influence depressive symptoms and correlations between them directly (network hypothesis). The present study investigates the predictions of these two theories.

Method

We divided a population-based sample of 2096 Caucasian twins (49.9% female) who reported at least two aggregated depressive symptoms in the last year into four groups, based on the SLE they reported causing their symptoms. For these groups, we calculated tetrachoric correlations between the 14 disaggregated depressive symptoms and, subsequently, tested whether the resulting correlation patterns were significantly different and if those differences could be explained by underlying differences in a single acute liability to develop a DE.

Results

The four SLE groups had markedly different correlation patterns between the depressive symptoms. These differences were significant and could not be explained by underlying differences in the acute liability to develop a DE.

Conclusions

Our results are not compatible with the common cause perspective but are consistent with the predictions of the network hypothesis. We elaborate on the implications of a conceptual shift to the network perspective for our diagnostic and philosophical approach to the concept of what constitutes a psychiatric disorder.
The Red-Haired Barbarian from Leiden. An Interview with Leonard Blussé
Authors: Stolte Carolien , Schrikker Alicia , van der Putten Frans-Paul
Published: November 2011

You have reached the mandatory retirement age of 65 and gave your farewell lecture on 6 June last. High time to have an interview with you! After Itinerario was founded by George Winius and you in 1976, you yourself did many of the interviews. Interviews were and still are rather uncommon in scholarly journals. Why did you start them?

It was a mixture of egoism and curiosity. We meant the journal to be a research journal, so apart from publishing articles we had two things in mind: to speak with prominent people active in the field and also to do special reports on archives and research institutions. George and I loved to ask colleagues about their backgrounds, their personal interests and their approaches to teaching and research. The interviews worked out well, but it turned out to be very difficult to find people who were willing to write about their experiences in foreign archives.
Large outbreak of verocytotoxin-producingEscherichia coliO157 infection in visitors to a petting farm in South East England, 2009
Authors: IHEKWEAZU C. , CARROLL K. , ADAK B. , SMITH G. , PRITCHARD G. C. , GILLESPIE I. A. , VERLANDER N. Q. , HARVEY-VINCE L. , REACHER M. , EDEGHERE O. , SULTAN B. , COOPER R. , MORGAN G. , KINROSS P. T. N. , BOXALL N. S. , IVERSEN A. , BICKLER G.
Published: November 2011

In the summer of 2009, an outbreak of verocytotoxigenicEscherichia coliO157 (VTEC O157) was identified in visitors to a large petting farm in South East England. The peak attack rate was 6/1000 visitors, and highest in those aged <2 years (16/1000). We conducted a case-control study with associated microbiological investigations, on human, animal and environmental samples. We identified 93 cases; 65 primary, 13 secondary and 15 asymptomatic. Cases were more likely to have visited a specific barn, stayed for prolonged periods and be infrequent farm visitors. The causative organism was identified as VTEC O157 PT21/28 with the same VNTR profile as that isolated in faecal specimens from farm animals and the physical environment, mostly in the same barn. Contact with farm livestock, especially ruminants, should be urgently reviewed at the earliest suspicion of a farm-related VTEC O157 outbreak and appropriate risk management procedures implemented without delay.
Three-Dimensional Imaging of Sulfides in Silicate Rocks at Submicron Resolution with Multiphoton Microscopy
Authors: Bénard Antoine , Palle Sabine , Doucet Luc Serge , Ionov Dmitri A.
Published: November 2011

We report the first application of multiphoton microscopy (MPM) to generate three-dimensional (3D) images of natural minerals (micron-sized sulfides) in thick (∼120 μm) rock sections. First, reflection mode (RM) using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), combined with differential interference contrast (DIC), was tested on polished sections. Second, two-photon fluorescence (TPF) and second harmonic signal (SHG) images were generated using a femtosecond-laser on the same rock section without impregnation by a fluorescent dye. CSLM results show that the silicate matrix is revealed with DIC and RM, while sulfides can be imaged in 3D at low resolution by RM. Sulfides yield strong autofluorescence from 392 to 715 nm with TPF, while SHG is only produced by the embedding medium. Simultaneous recording of TPF and SHG images enables efficient discrimination between different components of silicate rocks. Image stacks obtained with MPM enable complete reconstruction of the 3D structure of a rock slice and of sulfide morphology at submicron resolution, which has not been previously reported for 3D imaging of minerals. Our work suggests that MPM is a highly efficient tool for 3D studies of microstructures and morphologies of minerals in silicate rocks, which may find other applications in geosciences.
Image Processing and Lattice Determination for Three-Dimensional Nanocrystals
Authors: Jiang Linhua , Georgieva Dilyana , Nederlof Igor , Liu Zunfeng , Abrahams Jan Pieter
Published: November 2011

Three-dimensional nanocrystals can be studied by electron diffraction using transmission cryo-electron microscopy. For molecular structure determination of proteins, such nanosized crystalline samples are out of reach for traditional single-crystal X-ray crystallography. For the study of materials that are not sensitive to the electron beam, software has been developed for determining the crystal lattice and orientation parameters. These methods require radiation-hard materials that survive careful orienting of the crystals and measuring diffraction of one and the same crystal from different, but known directions. However, as such methods can only deal with well-oriented crystalline samples, a problem exists for three-dimensional (3D) crystals of proteins and other radiation sensitive materials that do not survive careful rotational alignment in the electron microscope. Here, we discuss our newly released software AMP that can deal with nonoriented diffraction patterns, and we discuss the progress of our new preprocessing program that uses autocorrelation patterns of diffraction images for lattice determination and indexing of 3D nanocrystals.
Autism-like behaviours with transient histone hyperacetylation in mice treated prenatally with valproic acid
Authors: Kataoka Shunsuke , Takuma Kazuhiro , Hara Yuta , Maeda Yuko , Ago Yukio , Matsuda Toshio
Published: November 2011

Maternal use of valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy has been implicated in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorders in children, and rodents prenatally exposed to VPA showed behavioural alterations similar to those observed in humans with autism. However, the exact mechanism for VPA-induced behavioural alterations is not known. To study this point, we examined the effects of prenatal exposure to VPA and valpromide, a VPA analog lacking histone deacetylase inhibition activity, on behaviours, cortical pathology and histone acetylation levels in mice. Mice exposed to VPA at embryonic day 12.5 (E12.5), but not at E9 and E14.5, displayed social interaction deficits, anxiety-like behaviour and memory deficits at age 4–8 wk. In contrast to male mice, the social interaction deficits (a decrease in sniffing behaviour) were not observed in female mice at age 8 wk. The exposure to VPA at E12.5 decreased the number of Nissl-positive cells in the middle and lower layers of the prefrontal cortex and in the lower layers of the somatosensory cortex at age 8 wk. Furthermore, VPA exposure caused a transient increase in acetylated histone levels in the embryonic brain, followed by an increase in apoptotic cell death in the neocortex and a decrease in cell proliferation in the ganglionic eminence. In contrast, prenatal exposure to valpromide at E12.5 did not affect the behavioural, biochemical and histological parameters. Furthermore, these findings suggest that VPA-induced histone hyperacetylation plays a key role in cortical pathology and abnormal autism-like behaviours in mice.
Temporal dependence structure in weights in a multiplicative cascade model for precipitation
Authors: Paschalis Athanasios , Molnar Peter , Burlando Paolo
Published: November 2011

We investigate the ability of the multiplicative random cascade model to accurately simulate temporal precipitation. Specifically, we explore the effect of the dependence structure in cascade weights due to clustering and within‐storm variability on the temporal correlation in simulated precipitation, and we compare the results with data at 69 stations with 10 min precipitation records in Switzerland. Correlation is quantified with the oscillation coefficient, which is a measure of patterns of fluctuations in data. Simulation results show that the assumption of temporal independence in cascade weights is generally not supported by observations of both rainfall and snowfall, which show generally higher correlation (lower fluctuations) at the hourly time resolution. Seasonal signatures are also apparent, with higher correlation in the cold season with dominant stratiform precipitation than in the warm season with convective precipitation. Measurement artifacts caused by the tipping bucket mechanism at high resolutions (10 min) are shown to play a significant role in the estimation of the correlation structure in cascade weights because of the quantization of precipitation intensity by the tip volume and sampling time resolution of the gauge. These effects are smoothed out at resolutions above 1 h when the oscillation coefficients become independent of resolution. Such measurement artifacts may have an important effect on the estimated scaling and correlation behavior in precipitation at high temporal resolutions.
Global climate change and society program: essay excerpt
Authors: Willis Glenn , Usiskin Robert , Takahashi Jonathan , Socci Adrienne , Silson John , Ris Lauren , Riihimaki Laura , Mani Preetha , Groshek Jessica , Casebeer Nathan , Braddock Adam , Belding Shannon , Ellsworth Esther
Published: November 2011

If we move beyond the call for more scientific research, what do we do? Society's choices regarding climate change will depend upon our values and how we speak about them, not on whether climate change science reaches greater degrees of certainty Since the driving force that will shape our world is the value‐based decision‐making we engage in as individuals and communities, we should frame our discussion about climate change accordingly.
Hudson River PCB clean‐up to begin
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman signed the Record of Decision on 1 February to clean up a stretch of the Hudson River that has been contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The decision calls for dredging 2 million cubic meters of PCB‐contaminated sediment from a 64‐kilometer stretch of the upper Hudson to remove about 68,000 kilograms of PCBs.

The plan follows years of scientific study about whether the PCBs were safely encased in the sediment or posed a continuing hazard, and concern over whether the PCBs can be safely removed without stirring up a larger pollution problem along the river. The EPA found that PCBs in the sediment are not safely buried because erosion and river flows can redistribute river sediment. The agency also found that although PCBs break down naturally over time, this degradation does not render them harmless.
Asteroids in infrared
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

The first systematic infrared search for asteroids in the Solar System estimates that there are about twice as many objects than are indicated in two recent visiblelight surveys.

Between 1.1 million and 1.9 million asteroids larger than 1 kilometer are in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, according to results from the Deep Asteroid Search conducted with the European Space Agency's Infrared Space Observatory The results were reported by Edward Tedesco and Francois‐Xavier Desert in the April 2002 issue of The Astronomical Journal.
Storm tracks
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

Individual thunderstorms and heavy rains are hard to predict, because they often are localized and short‐lived. But a newly discovered North American rainfall pattern could change that, according to scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado.
Flooding could follow wildfires
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

Summertime wildfires that have already burned about 2.7 million hectares in the United States may cause a double‐whammy for property owners by greatly increasing the risk of flooding, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA.

FEMA director Joe Allbaugh said, “The loss of trees, ground cover, and other vegetation has greatly increased the possibility of flash floods and mudflows.” Allbaugh said that land scorched and barren from the loss of natural forest barriers can take decades to recover and result in erosion and devastating floods.
Collaboration to collect climate data
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

A new atmospheric radiation and cloud station, or ARCS, in Australia, could help to better understand climate change. The station was dedicated on 31 July.

The station is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program. The program, which is the agency's largest nd most comprehensive climate data collection project, includes stations in the north slope of Alaska and the southern Great Plains in the United States, and also in the tropical western Pacific. The new ARCS will gather standard types of weather data, and also measure solar and ground radiation, and cloud reflectivity.
Adding to a string of warm years
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: November 2011

The year 2002 likely will rank as having the second‐warmest global surface temperature on record, scientists with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the British Meteorology Office's Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research noted on 17 December.

Data collected from weather and climate stations, satellites, ships, buoys, and floats indicate that average global temperatures for 2002 likely will be about 12°C, slightly cooler than the record warm year of 1998, according to NOAA. The ten warmest years on record have occurred since 1987, the agency indicated.
Pol II caught speeding by single gene imaging
Authors: Cannon Danielle , Chubb Jonathan R
Published: November 2011

Different studies using various techniques have estimated the elongation rate of RNA Pol II to range between 1 and 6 kb/min. Here, Cannon and Chubb comment on a report published online this month in which A. Marcello and colleagues show that Pol II speed is not only variable but can be as high as 100 kb/min.
Impact of tissue microstructure on a model of cardiac electromechanics based on MRI data
Authors: Carapella Valentina , Grau Vicente , Pathmanathan Pras , Burrage Kevin
Published: November 2011

Cardiac motion is a vital process as it sustains the pumping of blood in the body. For this reason motion abnormalities are often associated with severe cardiac pathologies. Clinical imaging techniques, such as MRI, are powerful in assessing motion abnormalities but their connection with pathology often remains unknown.Computational models of cardiac motion, integrating imaging data, would thus be of great help in linking tissue structure (i.e. cells organisation into fibres and sheets) to motion abnormalities and to pathology. Current models, though, are not able yet to correctly predict realistic cardiac motion in the healthy or diseased heart.Our hypothesis is that a more realistic description of tissue structure within an electromechanical model of the heart, with structural information extracted from data rather than mathematically defined, and a more careful definition of tissue material properties, would better represent the high heterogeneity of cardiac tissue, thus improving the predictive power of the model.
EscI: a crucial component of the type III secretion system forms the inner rod structure in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Sal-Man Neta , Deng Wanyin , Finlay B. Brett
Published: November 2011

The T3SS (type III secretion system) is a multi-protein complex that plays a central role in the virulence of many Gram-negative bacterial pathogens. This apparatus spans both bacterial membranes and transports virulence factors from the bacterial cytoplasm into eukaryotic host cells. The T3SS exports substrates in a hierarchical and temporal manner. The first secreted substrates are the rod/needle proteins which are incorporated into the T3SS apparatus and are required for the secretion of later substrates, the translocators and effectors. In the present study, we provide evidence that rOrf8/EscI, a poorly characterized locus of enterocyte effacement-encoded protein, functions as the inner rod protein of the T3SS of EPEC (enteropathogenic Escherichia coli). We demonstrate that EscI is essential for type III secretion and is also secreted as an early substrate of the T3SS. We found that EscI interacts with EscU, the integral membrane protein that is linked to substrate specificity switching, implicating EscI in the substrate-switching event. Furthermore, we showed that EscI self-associates and interacts with the outer membrane secretin EscC, further supporting its function as an inner rod protein. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that EscI is the YscI/PrgJ/MxiI homologue in the T3SS of attaching and effacing pathogens.
Haemodynamic, endocrine and renal actions of adrenomedullin 5 in an ovine model of heart failure
Authors: Rademaker Miriam T. , Charles Christopher J. , Nicholls M. Gary , Richards A. Mark
Published: November 2011

AM5 (adrenomedullin 5), a newly described member of the CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide) family, is reported to play a role in normal cardiovascular physiology. The effects of AM5 in HF (heart failure), however, have not been investigated. In the present study, we intravenously infused two incremental doses of AM5 (10 and 100 ng/min per kg of body weight each for 90 min) into eight sheep with pacing-induced HF. Compared with time-matched vehicle control infusions, AM5 produced progressive and dose-dependent increases in left ventricular dP/dt(max) [LD (low dose), +56 mmHg/s and HD (high dose), +152 mmHg/s] and cardiac output (+0.83 l/min and +1.81 l/min), together with decrements in calculated total peripheral resistance (−9.4 mmHg/min per litre and −14.7 mmHg/min per litre), mean arterial pressure (−2.8 mmHg and −8.4 mmHg) and LAP (left atrial pressure; −2.6 mmHg and −5.6 mmHg) (all P<0.001). HD AM5 significantly raised PRA (plasma renin activity) (3.5-fold increment, P<0.001), whereas plasma aldosterone levels were unchanged over the intra-infusion period and actually fell in the post-infusion period (70% decrement, P<0.01), resulting in a marked decrease in the aldosterone/PRA ratio (P<0.01). Despite falls in LAP, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations were maintained relative to controls. AM5 infusion also induced significant increases in urine volume (HD 2-fold increment, P<0.05) and urine sodium (2.7-fold increment, P<0.01), potassium (1.7-fold increment, P<0.05) and creatinine (1.4-fold increment, P<0.05) excretion and creatinine clearance (60% increment, P<0.05). In conclusion, AM5 has significant haemodynamic, endocrine and renal actions in experimental HF likely to be protective and compensatory in this setting. These results suggest that AM5 may have potential as a therapeutic agent in human HF.
Treatment Protocol for High Velocity/High Energy Gunshot Injuries to the Face
Authors: Peled Micha , Leiser Yoav , Emodi Omri , Krausz Amir
Published: November 2011

Major causes of facial combat injuries include blasts, high-velocity/high-energy missiles, and low-velocity missiles. High-velocity bullets fired from assault rifles encompass special ballistic properties, creating a transient cavitation space with a small entrance wound and a much larger exit wound. There is no dispute regarding the fact that primary emergency treatment of ballistic injuries to the face commences in accordance with the current advanced trauma life support (ATLS) recommendations; the main areas in which disputes do exist concern the question of the timing, sequence, and modes of surgical treatment. The aim of the present study is to present the treatment outcome of high-velocity/high-energy gunshot injuries to the face, using a protocol based on the experience of a single level I trauma center. A group of 23 injured combat soldiers who sustained bullet and shrapnel injuries to the maxillofacial region during a 3-week regional military conflict were evaluated in this study. Nine patients met the inclusion criteria (high-velocity/high-energy injuries) and were included in the study. According to our protocol, upon arrival patients underwent endotracheal intubation and were hemodynamically stabilized in the shock-trauma unit and underwent total-body computed tomography with 3-D reconstruction of the head and neck and computed tomography angiography. All patients underwent maxillofacial surgery upon the day of arrival according to the protocol we present. In view of our treatment outcomes, results, and low complication rates, we conclude that strict adherence to a well-founded and structured treatment protocol based on clinical experience is mandatory in providing efficient, appropriate, and successful treatment to a relatively large group of patients who sustain various degrees of maxillofacial injuries during a short period of time.
The Australian freshwater amphipods Austrochiltonia australis and Austrochiltonia subtenuis (Amphipoda:Talitroidea:Chiltoniidae) confirmed and two new cryptic Tasmanian species revealed using a combined molecular and morphological approach
Authors: King Rachael A. , Leys Remko
Published: November 2011

Given the complex nature of freshwater catchment divides and emerging evidence of high levels of genetic diversity, there is great potential for cryptic species to exist among Australian freshwater amphipod groups. Among the chiltoniid amphipods, two congeneric species, Austrochiltonia australis (Sayce, 1901) and A. subtenuis (Sayce, 1902), have been widely recorded across southern Australia yet are poorly known and contentiously defined. A large fragment of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene was examined and morphological diversity among populations assessed across the reported geographic range of the two putative species. The results confirmed A. australis and A. subtenuis as morphological and molecular species. In addition, two previously undetected and cryptic species from Tasmania are recognised – sister species to A. subtenuis and A. australis. Working conclusions provide evidence towards a more comprehensive systematic revision of the Chiltoniidae and present species information relevant to conservation and management efforts of Australian river systems. A key is presented to the chiltoniid amphipods of southern Australia.
Phylogenetic analysis of oligochaete Tubificinae (Annelida:Clitellata) based on mitochondrial sequence data
Authors: Achurra Ainara , Elejalde M. Arantzazu , Rodriguez Pilar
Published: November 2011

Partial sequences of the mitochondrial genes 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) were used (1) to resolve the internal relationships of the subfamily Tubificinae (Annelida : Clitellata) and (2) to test the existence of cryptic species within the stygobiont oligochaete Troglodrilus galarzai (Giani & Rodriguez, 1988). Phylogenies were estimated using maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and parsimony. Although trees were incompletely resolved at intergeneric level, a close relationship between Heterochaeta Claparède, 1863 and Troglodrilus Juget, des Châtelliers & Rodriguez was revealed, and the separation of Lophochaeta ignota Štolc, 1886 and Heterochaeta costata Claparède, 1863 from Tubifex Lamarck, 1816 was corroborated by mitochondrial molecular data. Maximum genetic divergence between allopatric populations of T. galarzai was 18% for COI (uncorrected pairwise distance), suggesting cryptic speciation within this nominal species.
Polyphyly of Rulingia and Commersonia (Lasiopetaleae, Malvaceae s.l.)
Authors: Whitlock Barbara A. , Hale Amanda M. , Indorf Jane L. , Wilkins Carolyn F.
Published: November 2011

The primarily Australian genera Rulingia R.Br. and Commersonia J.R. & G.Forst., as currently circumscribed, are distinguished from each other by the number of antisepalous staminodes. Although most taxonomic treatments recognise Rulingia and Commersonia as separate genera, recent phylogenetic analyses and morphological observations have suggested that neither is monophyletic. In the present study, we test the monophyly of both genera with a phylogenetic analysis of 80 individuals of Rulingia and Commersonia, representing 46 species, using three chloroplast markers. Our analyses recovered the following two well supported clades: Clade 1 includes three species referable to Commersonia and 17 to Rulingia and Clade 2 includes 20 species referable to Commersonia and six to Rulingia. Type species of both Commersonia and Rulingia are in Clade 1, although Commersonia has priority. These results are used to identify lineages that will be formally recognised in accompanying taxonomic treatments. The extensive polyphyly of both Commersonia and Rulingia suggests that the staminode character previously used to separate these two genera is highly homoplastic. We discuss alternative androecial characters that may prove to be synapomorphies for Clades 1 and 2.
A revision of Commersonia including Rulingia (Malvaceae s.l. or Byttneriaceae)
Authors: Wilkins C. F. , Whitlock B. A.
Published: November 2011

A taxonomic revision and DNA sequence analysis of all species previously attributed to Rulingia R.Br. and Commersonia J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. resulted in two major groupings, referred to a redefined Commersonia and a new genus (Androcalva C.F.Wilkins & Whitlock 2011). In total, 25 species are now recognised within Commersonia, including the type species of Rulingia, and 14 species previously included in Rulingia and 10 in Commersonia. Three of these are described as new (C. apella C.F.Wilkins, C. erythrogyna C.F.Wilkins and C. gilva C.F.Wilkins). A new subspecies, C. magniflora subsp. oblongifolia C.F.Wilkins, is recognised and C. bartramia (L.) Merr. var. tahitensis Dorr is raised to species level as C. tahitensis (Dorr) C.F.Wilkins & Whitlock. Two new combinations are made, Rulingia platycalyx Benth. and R. parviflora Endl. as C. parviflora (Endl.) C.F.Wilkins & Whitlock; and R. cistifolia Steetz and R. rugosa Steetz as C. rugosa (Steetz) F.Muell. The redefined Commersonia is monophyletic and characterised by anthers with sublatrorse dehiscence and mainly hairy staminodes, compared with extrorse dehiscence and glabrous staminodes as seen in Androcalva.
ATP binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) is an intracellular sterol transporter
Authors: Tarling Elizabeth J. , Edwards Peter A.
Published: November 2011

Four members of the mammalian ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter G subfamily are thought to be involved in transmembrane (TM) transport of sterols. The residues responsible for this transport are unknown. The mechanism of action of ABCG1 is controversial and it has been proposed to act at the plasma membrane to facilitate the efflux of cellular sterols to exogenous high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Here we show that ABCG1 function is dependent on localization to intracellular endosomes. Importantly, localization to the endosome pathway distinguishes ABCG1 and/or ABCG4 from all other mammalian members of this superfamily, including other sterol transporters. We have identified critical residues within the TM domains of ABCG1 that are both essential for sterol transport and conserved in some other members of the ABCG subfamily and/or the insulin-induced gene 2 (INSIG-2). Our conclusions are based on studies in which (
i
) biotinylation of peritoneal macrophages showed that endogenous ABCG1 is intracellular and undetectable at the cell surface, (
ii
) a chimeric protein containing the TM of ABCG1 and the cytoplasmic domains of the nonsterol transporter ABCG2 is both targeted to endosomes and functional, and (
iii
) ABCG1 colocalizes with multiple proteins that mark late endosomes and recycling endosomes. Mutagenesis studies identify critical residues in the TM domains that are important for ABCG1 to alter sterol efflux, induce sterol regulatory element binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) processing, and selectively attenuate the oxysterol-mediated repression of SREBP-2 processing. Our data demonstrate that ABCG1 is an intracellular sterol transporter that localizes to endocytic vesicles to facilitate the redistribution of specific intracellular sterols away from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
Micro-pattern formation of extracellular matrix (ECM) layers by atmospheric-pressure plasmas and cell culture on the patterned ECMs
Authors: Ando Ayumi , Asano Toshifumi , Urisu Tsuneo , Hamaguchi Satoshi
Published: November 2011

A new patterning technique for the extracellular matrix (ECM) deposited on a Si substrate was developed with the use of a low-frequency atmospheric-pressure plasma and a metal stencil mask. The development of such a patterning technique for cell arrangement is a crucial step for the development of future cell chips. In this study, optimal process conditions for ECM patterning over the size of a typical single chip (about 1 cm2) were achieved and the obtained ECM patterns were directly observed by fluorescence labelling. It was also demonstrated that HEK293 cells (human embryo kidney cells) attach to and proliferate on the ECM layer patterned by this technique, arranging themselves on the Si substrate in the mask pattern.
Electrical and spectroscopic diagnostics of a single-stage plasma-catalysis system: effect of packing with TiO2
Authors: Tu Xin , Gallon Helen J , Whitehead J Christopher
Published: November 2011

The influence of adding TiO2 on the electrical and spectroscopic characteristics of a N2 dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has been investigated in a single-stage plasma-catalysis system. The introduction of the catalyst into the electrode gap leads to a transition in the discharge behaviour. The presence of the TiO2 pellets in the discharge significantly increases the vibrational temperature of N2 in the DBD, which suggests that the interaction of plasma and catalyst has a strong effect on the electron energy distribution function in the discharge with an increase in electron density in the high-energy tail of the distribution function.
Spatial dynamics of helium metastables in sheath or bulk dominated rf micro-plasma jets
Authors: Niermann B , Hemke T , Babaeva N Y , Böke M , Kushner M J , Mussenbrock T , Winter J
Published: November 2011

Space resolved concentrations of helium He

metastable atoms in an atmospheric pressure radio-frequency micro-plasma jet were measured using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The spatial profile of metastable atoms in the volume between the electrodes was deduced for various electrode gap distances. Density profiles reveal the sheath structure and reflect the plasma excitation distribution, as well as the dominance of the α-mode discharge. Gap width variations show the transition from a normal glow plasma to a pure sheath discharge. In order to analyse and verify the experimentally observed profiles of the metastable atoms, a two-dimensional simulation model was set up. Applying an appropriate He/N2/O2 chemistry model, the correlation between the metastable profiles and the underlying excitation mechanisms was obtained.
IFMIF/EVEDA lithium test loop: design and fabrication technology of target assembly as a key component
Authors: Kondo H. , Furukawa T. , Hirakawa Y. , Nakamura K. , Ida M. , Watanabe K. , Kanemura T. , Wakai E. , Horiike H. , Yamaoka N. , Sugiura H. , Terai T. , Suzuki A. , Yagi J. , Fukada S. , Nakamura H. , Matsushita I. , Groeschel F. , Fujishiro K. , Garin P. , Kimura H.
Published: November 2011

The engineering validation and engineering design activity (EVEDA) for the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) is proceeding as one of the ITER broader approach activities. In the concept of the IFMIF, two 40 MeV deuteron beams are injected into a liquid Li stream (Li target) flowing at a velocity of 15 m s−1. The EVEDA Li test loop (ELTL) is aimed at validating the hydraulic stability of the Li target at a velocity up to 20 m s−1 under a vacuum condition of 10−3 Pa as the most important issue. Construction of the ELTL, which is the largest liquid metal loop possessing 5.0 m3 Li for the fusion research ever, was completed in the O-arai Research & Development Center in the Japan Atomic Energy Agency on 22 November 2010. This paper presents the design and fabrication technology of a target assembly called integrated target assembly, in which the Li target is produced by a contraction nozzle along a concave channel. There are two concepts regarding the target assembly: the integrated target assembly and the bayonet target assembly. Both target assemblies are outlined in this paper, and then the newly proposed design of the integrated target assembly for the ELTL and its fabrication technology are given. The integrated target assembly was processed by a five-axis milling machine and the processing accuracy was measured by 3D measurement tools. Finally, methods applied for the validation of the stability of the Li target are introduced in this paper.