bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Progranulin and β-Amyloid Distribution: A Case Report of the Brain From Preclinical PS-1 Mutation Carrier
Authors: Gliebus Gediminas , Rosso Andrea , Lippa Carol F.
Published: September 2009

Background: Progranulin (PGRN) is a multifunctional growth factor that is found in many tissues. Mutations in the PGRN gene cause familial frontotemporal dementia with ubiquitin-positive inclusions. PGRN plaque-like structures have been described in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), in association with β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques. Objective: To investigate PGRN and aggregated Aβ immunolabeling distribution in autopsied brain tissue from the participant with confirmed PS-1 (A246E) mutation, who died prior to clinical symptom onset. Results: Immunolabeling for PGRN was positive and accumulated/formed plaque-like structures in all studied regions. These structures most frequently colocalized with Aβ though there were some that did not. PGRN plaques were most dense in medial temporal and frontal regions and predominated over aggregated Aβ. Conclusions: This case report illustrates PGRN accumulation and Aβ aggregation in preclinical PS-1 AD case and raises the question whether this phenomenon coincides with or precedes Aβ aggregation.
Skills-Based Group Intervention for Adolescent Girls With Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Hayutin Lisa G. , Blount Ronald L. , Lewis Jeffery D. , Simons Laura E. , McCormick Megan L.
Published: September 2009

In this study we describe the responses of six adolescent girls with inflammatory bowel disease and their parents to a 10-session, manualized intervention program focusing on decreasing pain and functional disability in adolescents with a chronic illness, and increasing coping and sense of competency for their parents. Measures of adolescent physical symptoms and parenting sense of competence and coping were collected at pretreatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Improvements were observed post-treatment and at 6 month follow-up on measures of adolescents’ pain and functional disability, as well as parents’ sense of competency and use of adaptive coping strategies.The potential effectiveness of this type of program and implications for its use are discussed.
Culturally Sensitive Treatment of Anger in African American Women: A Single Case Study
Authors: González-Prendes A. Antonio , Thomas Shirley A.
Published: September 2009

Culturally sensitive clinical practice challenges practitioners to recognize the cultural significance and importance of clients’ behaviors and belief systems.This article reports a case study of the treatment of anger in an African American woman. Presented within a framework of cognitive-behavioral theory, the case illuminates three important issues that influence experience and expression of anger in African American women: the influence of gender role socialization on the mode of anger expression; the experience of powerlessness, rooted in historical and contemporary discriminatory and oppressive realities; and culture-related messages that create unrealistic expectations of strength.The article addresses conceptualization, assessment, treatment processes,and clinical strategies,as well as limitations of a single case study, implications for practice and recommendations for future research.
Multisystemic Therapy Applied to the Assessment and Treatment of Poorly Controlled Type-1 Diabetes: A Case Study in the U.K. National Health Service
Authors: Martin Clarissa , Southall Angela , Liveley Katie , Shea Elizabeth , Whitehead Karen
Published: September 2009

The objective of this article is to describe the case of a twelve-year-old girl with Type-1 Diabetes, who had a history of hospitalisation due to Diabetes Ketoacidosis (DKA) and had been placed into the child protection register. The report advocates an Understanding of the Social Ecological Model (Bronfenbrenner, 1976) in relation to assessing poor metabolic control, and examines the use of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) in treatment adherence. The assessment explores the beliefs within the child’s systems and subsystems. Formulating from a Systemic Perspective allowed for integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Family Therapy and Systems Oriented intervention applied to the Microsystems’ beliefs. After treatment and at follow-up the child was removed from the Child Protection register and has remained to date without admission to hospital experiencing DKA. MST has the possibility of offering a new perspective for treatment in complex cases of children with diabetes and severe treatment adherence problems.
Achieving a College Education: The Psychological Experiences of Latina/o Community College Students
Authors: Zell Maristela C.
Published: September 2009

This study examines the psychological and subjective experiences of Latina/o community college students. The impact of these experiences on their persistence toward achieving their education goals is also examined. Interviews with 17 community college students yielded 8 themes: overcoming personal and social challenges, maturation, self-discovery and college adjustment, self-efficacy, continuously strategizing, sense of purpose, perception of faculty, perception of advisors, and guided and groomed by family to succeed. Implications for practice and recommendations for community colleges are discussed.
Measuring the Outcomes of Leadership Development Programs
Authors: Black Alice M. , Earnest Garee W.
Published: September 2009

The lack of research evaluating the outcomes of leadership development programs and the lack of a suitable evaluation instrument are evident in the literature. This study represents the first attempt at providing a comprehensive method to evaluate and measure leadership development programs on a post-program level. Social learning theory, adult learning theory, and the EvaluLEAD framework influenced the theoretical model developed in this research. The EvaluLEAD principles provide a basis for the conceptual model and results in the development of a program evaluation instrument named the Leadership Program Outcomes Measure. Finally, the application of this measure to one statewide leadership development program is presented.
Leadership and Organizational Culture Transformation in Professional Sport
Authors: Frontiera Joe
Published: September 2009

Organizational culture has long been recognized as a critical component that can facilitate high performance in business (Balthazard, Cooke, & Potter, 2006). The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the phenomena of organizational culture change in professional sport (NBA, MLB, and NFL). Six owners or general managers who had successfully brought their organizations through organizational culture change, as evidenced by their team’s performance, agreed to an in-person interview. Five primary themes emerged ( Symptoms of a Dysfunctional Culture, My Way, Walk the Talk, Embedding New Culture, and Our Way) which together formed an initial model for organizational culture change in professional sport: the Culture Change Cycle. Each theme is discussed in depth, and differences across sport and role are explained.
Leadership Development in the United Arab Emirates: The Transformational Learning Experiences of Women
Authors: Madsen Susan R.
Published: September 2009

To consider designing future efforts toward developing leadership programs for women in the United Arab Emirates, it is important to understand how these women learn and develop. Transformational learning theory provided a valuable theoretical lens to guide this study. In-depth, qualitative interviews were conducted with women Emirati college students to investigate how their experiences have changed these women through important influences (e.g., individuals, support systems, activities, teaching methods), struggles and challenges (e.g., new environment, learning English), and internal processes (e.g., reflection, discovery of new roles and relationships). Implications for developing leadership programs are also outlined.
The transfer of adaptive immunity to CMV during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is dependent on the specificity and phenotype of CMV-specific T cells in the donor
Authors: Scheinberg Phillip , Melenhorst Jan J. , Brenchley Jason M. , Hill Brenna J. , Hensel Nancy F. , Chattopadhyay Pratip K. , Roederer Mario , Picker Louis J. , Price David A. , Barrett A. John , Douek Daniel C.
Published: September 2009

The successful reconstitution of adaptive immunity to human cytomegalovirus (CMV) in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients is central to the reduction of viral reactivation-related morbidity and mortality. Here, we characterized the magnitude, specificity, phenotype, function, and clonotypic composition of CMV-specific T-cell responses in 18 donor-recipient pairs both before and after HSCT. The principal findings were: (1) the specificity of CMV-specific T-cell responses in the recipient after HSCT mirrors that in the donor; (2) the maintenance of these targeting patterns reflects the transfer of epitope-specific T-cell clonotypes from donor to recipient; (3) less differentiated CD27+CD57− CMV-specific memory T cells are more likely to persist in the recipient after HSCT compared with more terminally differentiated CD27− CD57+ CMV-specific memory T cells; (4) the presence of greater numbers of less differentiated CD8+ CMV-specific T cells in the donor appears to confer protection against viral reactivation in the recipient after HSCT; and (5) CMV-specific T cells acquire a more differentiated phenotype and a restricted functional profile after HSCT. Overall, these findings define the immunologic factors that influence the successful adoptive transfer of antigen-specific T-cell immunity during HSCT, which enables the identification of recipients at particular risk of CMV reactivation after HSCT.
Current opinion: Pharmacological approaches in asthma and COPD
Authors: Cazzola M.
Published: September 2009

Educational aims

To illustrate the similarities and differences in the treatment of asthma and COPD.

To explain whether the response to bronchodilators in asthma and COPD predicts prognosis and response to other interventions.

To assist in therapeutic choices for asthmatic and COPD patients.

Bronchodilators, inhaled corticosteroids and other anti-inflammatory agents form the basis of treatment to control the symptoms and progression of asthma and COPD. However, although the armoury of medications used for the two conditions is largely similar, the goals and targets of therapy are different. In fact, owing to their different mechanisms of development, the two diseases are regarded quite differently. Therefore, the two require different pharmacological treatments. In general, therapy for asthma is targeted at reducing inflammation, whereas for COPD it is directed at relief of symptoms. In this article, the pharmacological treatment of asthma and COPD, based on recently updated guidelines, is described.
Prediction of antigenic epitopes on protein surfaces by consensus scoring
Authors: Liang Shide , Zheng Dandan , Zhang Chi , Zacharias Martin
Published: September 2009

Background

Prediction of antigenic epitopes on protein surfaces is important for vaccine design. Most existing epitope prediction methods focus on protein sequences to predict continuous epitopes linear in sequence. Only a few structure-based epitope prediction algorithms are available and they have not yet shown satisfying performance.

Results

We present a new antigen Epitope Prediction method, which uses ConsEnsus Scoring (EPCES) from six different scoring functions - residue epitope propensity, conservation score, side-chain energy score, contact number, surface planarity score, and secondary structure composition. Applied to unbounded antigen structures from an independent test set, EPCES was able to predict antigenic eptitopes with 47.8% sensitivity, 69.5% specificity and an AUC value of 0.632. The performance of the method is statistically similar to other published methods. The AUC value of EPCES is slightly higher compared to the best results of existing algorithms by about 0.034.

Conclusion

Our work shows consensus scoring of multiple features has a better performance than any single term. The successful prediction is also due to the new score of residue epitope propensity based on atomic solvent accessibility.
Genotypic comparison of Pantoea agglomeransplant and clinical strains
Authors: Rezzonico Fabio , Smits Theo HM , Montesinos Emilio , Frey Jürg E , Duffy Brion
Published: September 2009

Background

Pantoea agglomeransstrains are among the most promising biocontrol agents for a variety of bacterial and fungal plant diseases, particularly fire blight of apple and pear. However, commercial registration ofP. agglomeransbiocontrol products is hampered because this species is currently listed as a biosafety level 2 (BL2) organism due to clinical reports as an opportunistic human pathogen. This study compares plant-origin and clinical strains in a search for discriminating genotypic/phenotypic markers using multi-locus phylogenetic analysis and fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphisms (fAFLP) fingerprinting.

Results

Majority of the clinical isolates from culture collections were found to be improperly designated asP. agglomeransafter sequence analysis. The frequent taxonomic rearrangements underwent by theEnterobacter agglomerans/Erwinia herbicolacomplex may be a major problem in assessing clinical associations withinP. agglomerans. In theP. agglomerans sensu stricto(in the stricter sense) group, there was no discrete clustering of clinical/biocontrol strains and no marker was identified that was uniquely associated to clinical strains. A putative biocontrol-specific fAFLP marker was identified only in biocontrol strains. The partial ORF located in this band corresponded to an ABC transporter that was found in allP. agglomeransstrains.

Conclusion

Taxonomic mischaracterization was identified as a major problem withP. agglomerans, and current techniques removed a majority of clinical strains from this species. Although clear discrimination betweenP. agglomeransplant and clinical strains was not obtained with phylogenetic analysis, a single marker characteristic of biocontrol strains was identified which may be of use in strain biosafety determinations. In addition, the lack of Koch's postulate fulfilment, rare retention of clinical strains for subsequent confirmation, and the polymicrobial nature ofP. agglomeransclinical reports should be considered in biosafety assessment of beneficial strains in this species.
Transplantation of human neural stem cells transduced with Olig2 transcription factor improves locomotor recovery and enhances myelination in the white matter of rat spinal cord following contusive injury
Authors: Hwang Dong H , Kim Byung G , Kim Eun J , Lee Seung I , Joo In S , Suh-Kim Haeyoung , Sohn Seonghyang , Kim Seung U
Published: September 2009

Background

Contusive spinal cord injury is complicated by a delayed loss of oligodendrocytes, resulting in chronic progressive demyelination. Therefore, transplantation strategies to provide oligodendrocyte lineage cells and to enhance the extent of myelination appear to be justified for spinal cord repair. The present study investigated whether transplantation of human neural stem cells (NSCs) genetically modified to express Olig2 transcription factor, an essential regulator of oligodendrocyte development, can improve locomotor recovery and enhance myelination in a rat contusive spinal cord injury model.

Results

HB1.F3 (F3) immortalized human NSC line was transduced with a retroviral vector encoding Olig2, an essential regulator of oligodendrocyte development. Overexpression of Olig2 in human NSCs (F3.Olig2) induced activation of NKX2.2 and directed differentiation of NSCs into oligodendrocyte lineage cells in vitro. Introduction of Olig2 conferred higher proliferative activity, and a much larger number of F3.Olig2 NSCs were detected by 7 weeks after transplantation into contused spinal cord than that of parental F3 NSCs. F3.Olig2 NSCs exhibited frequent migration towards the white matter, whereas F3 NSCs were mostly confined to the gray matter or around the lesion cavities. Most of F3.Olig2 NSCs occupying the spared white matter differentiated into mature oligodendrocytes. Transplantation of F3.Olig2 NSCs increased the volume of spared white matter and reduced the cavity volume. Moreover, F3.Olig2 grafts significantly increased the thickness of myelin sheath around the axons in the spared white matter. Finally, animals with F3.Olig2 grafts showed an improvement in the quality of hindlimbs locomotion.

Conclusion

Transplantation of NSCs genetically modified to differentiate into an oligodendrocytic lineage may be an effective strategy to improve functional outcomes following spinal cord trauma. The present study suggests that molecular factors governing cell fate decisions can be manipulated to enhance reparative potential of the cell-based therapy.
Do the mutations of C1GALT1C1gene play important roles in the genetic susceptibility to Chinese IgA nephropathy?
Authors: Li Gui-Sen , Nie Guang-Jun , Zhang Hong , LV Ji-Cheng , Shen Yan , Wang Hai-Yan
Published: September 2009

Background

The deficiency of β1,3 galactose in hinge region of IgA1 molecule played a pivotal role in pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Cosmc, encoded by C1GALT1C1 gene, was indispensable to β1,3 galactosylation of IgA1. We designed a serial study to investigate the relationship between the mutations of C1GALT1C1 gene and the genetic susceptibility to IgAN.

Methods

Nine hundred and thirty-eight subjects, including 661 patients with IgAN and 277 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Firstly, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of C1GALT1C1 gene were screened. Then the c.-347-190G>A was analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) for further case-control association analysis. Secondly the somatic mutations of DNAs from peripheral blood B lymphocytes were detected in 15 patients and 7 normal controls.

Results

No significant association was observed between the different alleles or genotypes of c.-347-190G>A and IgAN. The patients with different genotypes of C1GALT1C1 gene did not significantly associate with clinical manifestations, including hematuria, proteinuria, and serum creatinine of patients with IgAN. There was no somatic mutation detected in total 202 clones of 22 individuals.

Conclusion

The c.-347-190G>A polymorphism and the somatic mutation of encoding region of C1GALT1C1 gene were not significantly related to the genetic susceptibility to IgAN in Northern Chinese population.
Pathogenesis of vestibular schwannoma in ring chromosome 22
Authors: Denayer Ellen , Brems Hilde , de Cock Paul , Evans Gareth D , Van Calenbergh Frank , Bowers Naomi , Sciot Raf , Debiec-Rychter Maria , Vermeesch Joris V , Fryns Jean-Pierre , Legius Eric
Published: September 2009

Background

Ring chromosome 22 is a rare human constitutional cytogenetic abnormality. Clinical features of neurofibromatosis type 1 and 2 as well as different tumour types have been reported in patients with ring chromosome 22. The pathogenesis of these tumours is not always clear yet.

Methods

We report on a female patient with a ring chromosome 22 presenting with severe mental retardation, autistic behaviour, café-au-lait macules and facial dysmorphism. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were karyotyped and array CGH was performed on extracted DNA. At the age of 20 years she was diagnosed with a unilateral vestibular schwannoma. Tumour cells were analyzed by karyotyping, array CGH and NF2 mutation analysis.

Results

Karyotype on peripheral blood lymphocytes revealed a ring chromosome 22 in all analyzed cells. A 1 Mb array CGH experiment on peripheral blood DNA showed a deletion of 5 terminal clones on the long arm of chromosome 22. Genetic analysis of vestibular schwannoma tissue revealed loss of the ring chromosome 22 and a somatic second hit in the NF2 gene on the remaining chromosome 22.

Conclusion

We conclude that tumours can arise by the combination of loss of the ring chromosome and a pathogenic NF2 mutation on the remaining chromosome 22 in patients with ring chromosome 22. Our findings indicate that patients with a ring 22 should be monitored for NF2-related tumours starting in adolescence.
Emotional intelligence and perceived stress in healthcare students: a multi-institutional, multi-professional survey
Authors: Birks Yvonne , McKendree Jean , Watt Ian
Published: September 2009

Background

Emotional intelligence (EI) is increasingly discussed as having a potential role in medicine, nursing, and other healthcare disciplines, both for personal mental health and professional practice. Stress has been identified as being high for students in healthcare courses. This study investigated whether EI and stress differed among students in four health professions (dental, nursing, graduate mental health workers, medical) and whether there was evidence that EI might serve as a buffer for stress.

Method

The Schutte Emotional Intelligence and the Perceived Stress scale instruments were administered to four groups of healthcare students in their first year of study in both the autumn and summer terms of the 2005-6 academic year. The groups were undergraduate dental, nursing and medical students, and postgraduate mental health workers.

Results

No significant differences were found between males and females nor among professional groups for the EI measure. Dental students reported significantly higher stress than medical students. EI was found to be only moderately stable in test-retest scores. Some evidence was found for EI as a possible factor in mediating stress. Students in different health profession courses did not show significant differences in Emotional Intelligence.

Conclusion

While stress and EI showed a moderate relationship, results of this study do not allow the direction of relationship to be determined. The limitations and further research questions raised in this study are discussed along with the need for refinement of the EI construct and measures, particularly if Emotional Intelligence were to be considered as a possible selection criterion, as has been suggested by some authors.
Effects of dielectric permittivities on skin heating due to millimeter wave exposure
Authors: Kanezaki Akio , Hirata Akimasa , Watanabe Soichi , Shirai Hiroshi
Published: September 2009

Background

Because the possibility of millimeter wave (MMW) exposure has increased, public concern about the health issues due to electromagnetic radiation has also increased. While many studies have been conducted for MMW exposure, the effect of dielectric permittivities on skin heating in multilayer/heterogeneous human-body models have not been adequately investigated. This is partly due to the fact that a detailed investigation of skin heating in a multilayer model by computational methods is difficult since many parameters are involved. In the present study, therefore, theoretical analyses were conducted to investigate the relationship between dielectric permittivities and MMW-induced skin heating in a one-dimensional three-layer model (skin, fat, and muscle).

Methods

Approximate expressions were derived for the temperature elevation and temperature difference in the skin due to MMW exposure from analytical solutions for the temperature distribution. First, the power absorption distribution was approximated from the analytical solution for a one-layer model (skin only). Then, the analytical expression of the temperature in the three-layer model was simplified on the basis of the proposal in our previous study. By examining the approximate expressions, the dominant term influencing skin heating was clarified to identify the effects of the dielectric permittivities. Finally, the effects of dielectric permittivities were clarified by applying partial differentiation to the derived dominant term.

Results

Skin heating can be characterized by the parameters associated with the dielectric permittivities, independently of morphological and thermal parameters. With the derived expressions, it was first clarified that skin heating correlates with the total power absorbed in the skin rather than the specific absorption rate (SAR) at the skin surface or the incident power density. Using Debye-type expression we next investigated the effect of frequency dispersion on the complex relative permittivity of tissue. The parametric study on the total power absorbed in the skin showed that skin heating increases as the static permittivity and static conductivity decrease. In addition, the maximum temperature elevation on the body surface was approximately 1.6 times that of the minimum case. This difference is smaller than the difference caused by the thermal and morphological parameters reported in our previous study.

Conclusion

This paper analytically clarified the effects of dielectric permittivities on the thermally steady state temperature elevation and the temperature difference in the skin of a one-dimensional three-layer model due to MMW exposure.
A novel variant of ER-alpha, ER-alpha36 mediates testosterone-stimulated ERK and Akt activation in endometrial cancer Hec1A cells
Authors: Lin Sheng-Li , Yan Li-Ying , Liang Xing-Wei , Wang Zhen-Bo , Wang Zhao-Yi , Qiao Jie , Schatten Heide , Sun Qing-Yuan
Published: September 2009

Background

Endometrial cancer is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies and its incidence has recently increased. Experimental and epidemiological data support that testosterone plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometrial cancer, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully understood. Recently, we identified and cloned a variant of estrogen receptor (ER) alpha, ER-alpha36. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of ER-alpha36 in testosterone carcinogenesis.

Methods

The cellular localization of ER-alpha36 was determined by immunofluorescence. Hec1A endometrial cancer cells (Hec1A/V) and Hec1A cells with siRNA knockdown of ER-alpha36 (Hec1A/RNAi) were treated with testosterone, ERK and Akt phosphorylation was assessed by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the kinase inhibitors U0126 and LY294002 and the aromatase inhibitor letrozole were used to elucidate the pathway underlying testosterone-induced activities.

Results

Immunofluorescence shows that ER-alpha36 was localized on the plasma membrane of the both ER-alpha- and androgen receptor-negative endometrial cancer Hec1A cells. Testosterone induced ERK and Akt phosphorylation, which could be abrogated by ER-alpha 36 shRNA knockdown or the kinase inhibitors, U0126 and LY294002, and the aromatase inhibitor letrozole.

Conclusion

Testosterone induces ERK and Akt phosphorylation via the membrane-initiated signaling pathways mediated by ER-alpha36, suggesting a possible involvement of ER-alpha 36 in testosterone carcinogenesis.
scribblemutants promote aPKC and JNK-dependent epithelial neoplasia independently of Crumbs
Authors: Leong Gregory R , Goulding Karen R , Amin Nancy , Richardson Helena E , Brumby Anthony M
Published: September 2009

Background

Metastatic neoplasias are characterized by excessive cell proliferation and disruptions to apico-basal cell polarity and tissue architecture. Understanding how alterations in cell polarity can impact upon tumour development is, therefore, a central issue in cancer biology. The Drosophila gene scribble (scrib) encodes a PDZ-domain scaffolding protein that regulates cell polarity and acts as a tumour suppressor in flies. Increasing evidence also implicates the loss of human Scrib in cancer. In this report, we investigate how loss of Scrib promotes epithelial tumourigenesis in Drosophila, both alone and in cooperation with oncogenic mutations.

Results

We find that genetically distinct atypical protein kinase C (aPKC)-dependent and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent alterations in scrib mutants drive epithelial tumourigenesis. First, we show that over-expression of the apical cell polarity determinants Crumbs (Crb) or aPKC induces similar cell morphology defects and over-proliferation phenotypes as scrib loss-of-function. However, the morphological and proliferative defects in scrib mutants are independent of Crb function, and instead can be rescued by a dominant negative (kinase dead) aPKC transgene. Secondly, we demonstrate that loss of Scrib promotes oncogene-mediated transformation through both aPKC and JNK-dependent pathways. JNK normally promotes apoptosis of scrib mutant cells. However, in cooperation with oncogenic activated Ras or Notch signalling, JNK becomes an essential driver of tumour overgrowth and invasion. aPKC-dependent signalling in scrib mutants cooperates with JNK to significantly enhance oncogene-mediated tumour overgrowth.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate distinct aPKC and JNK-dependent pathways through which loss of Scrib promotes tumourigenesis in Drosophila. This is likely to have a direct relevance to the way in which human Scrib can similarly restrain an oncogene-mediated transformation and, more generally, on how the outcome of oncogenic signalling can be profoundly perturbed by defects in apico-basal epithelial cell polarity.
Large A-Fiber Activity is Required for Microglial Proliferation and P38 MAPK Activation in the Spinal Cord: Different Effects of Resiniferatoxin and Bupivacaine on Spinal Microglial Changes after Spared Nerve Injury
Authors: Suter Marc R , Berta Temugin , Gao Yong-Jing , Decosterd Isabelle , Ji Ru-Rong
Published: September 2009

Background

After peripheral nerve injury, spontaneous ectopic activity arising from the peripheral axons plays an important role in inducing central sensitization and neuropathic pain. Recent evidence indicates that activation of spinal cord microglia also contributes to the development of neuropathic pain. In particular, activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in spinal microglia is required for the development of mechanical allodynia. However, activity-dependent activation of microglia after nerve injury has not been fully addressed. To determine whether spontaneous activity from C- or A-fibers is required for microglial activation, we used resiniferatoxin (RTX) to block the conduction of transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1) positive fibers (mostly C- and Aδ-fibers) and bupivacaine microspheres to block all fibers of the sciatic nerve in rats before spared nerve injury (SNI), and observed spinal microglial changes 2 days later.

Results

SNI induced robust mechanical allodynia and p38 activation in spinal microglia. SNI also induced marked cell proliferation in the spinal cord, and all the proliferating cells (BrdU+) were microglia (Iba1+). Bupivacaine induced a complete sensory and motor blockade and also significantly inhibited p38 activation and microglial proliferation in the spinal cord. In contrast, and although it produced an efficient nociceptive block, RTX failed to inhibit p38 activation and microglial proliferation in the spinal cord.

Conclusion

(1) Blocking peripheral input in TRPV1-positive fibers (presumably C-fibers) is not enough to prevent nerve injury-induced spinal microglial activation. (2) Peripheral input from large myelinated fibers is important for microglial activation. (3) Microglial activation is associated with mechanical allodynia.
The control of hookworm infection in China
Authors: Zheng Qi , Chen Ying , Zhang Hao-Bing , Chen Jia-Xu , Zhou Xiao-Nong
Published: September 2009

Background

Hookworm is still one of the three main soil-transmitted helminths prevalent in China, and 39 million cases infected with hookworm were estimated in China in 2006.

Results

The main approach to the control of hookworm infections in China consists of large-scale deworming, rebuilding sanitation systems in rural areas and health education. The availability of low-cost, safe and single-dose albendazole make large-scale deworming programs possible in China. Currently, sanitary latrines with three-cells are recommended by government for the control of soil-transmitted helminths, since 35% of helminth infections and 83% of worm eggs could be reduced after using this kind of sanitary latrine. In addition, economic prosperity contributes greatly to the reduction of hookworm prevalence, but the inequity of economic and social development among different regions of China provides a scenario that the worst threat of hookworm infection is located in the poorest areas of southern and central China. Therefore, it is necessary to put more investments into prophylaxis and treatment of hookworm in these poor regions.

Conclusion

Although the prevalence of hookworm infection has fallen significantly in the last 15 years in China, the current strategy for controlling hookworm infections still needs to be strengthened along with the three-pronged approach, e.g. distributing anthelmintic drugs in schools and undertaking large-scale of hookworm deworming, improving water supplies and sanitation, and proper health education.
“Ma volonté est celle du peuple”: Voting in the Plebiscite and Parliamentary Elections during Napoléon's Hundred Days, April–May 1815
Authors: Crook Malcolm
Published: September 2009

Histories of the Hundred Days, which followed Napoléon's bold and unexpected return from exile on Elba in 1815, have generally neglected the response of the French people, concentrating instead on the resurgent emperor himself and his definitive defeat at Waterloo. This study, part of a project exploring the elections of the Napoleonic period, aims to redress the balance by examining how French males voted in the plebiscite and parliamentary elections that accompanied this brief but vital period. It will not only map the lasting contours of Bonapartism but also suggest that the Hundred Days carried great significance, in terms of both forging the Napoleonic legend and entrenching a culture of voting in postrevolutionary France.

L'histoire des Cent-Jours en 1815, la période qui suit le retour à la fois audacieux et inattendu de Napoléon de son exil sur l'île d'Elbe, néglige en général la réponse du peuple français pour concentrer sur le personnage de l'empereur et sa défaite militaire à Waterloo. Cette étude, qui fait partie d'un projet consacré aux élections de l'ère napoléonienne, cherche à rétablir l'équilibre en examinant comment les Français votaient dans le plébiscite et les élections législatives organisées au cours de cet événement bref, mais bien significatif. Elle dresse la carte des contours durables du bonapartisme et, en même temps, souligne la grande importance des Cent-Jours qui établit la légende napoléonienne et renforce la culture du vote dans la France postrévolutionnaire.
The Theory of Survival
Authors: Ghamari-Tabrizi Behrooz
Published: September 2009

Taraneh Hemami was the guest curator of an exhibition she called Theory of Survival at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. The exhibition attracted considerable attention from the local media and the Iranian American communities in the Bay Area. The exhibit included the work of three other Iranian artists: London-based Reza Aramesh, Toronto-based Gita Hashemi, and Berlin-based Leila Pazooki. Each contributor presented a variety of multimedia and installation pieces through which they addressed the experiences of different generations of Iranians who participated in the revolutionary movement of the 1970s and 1980s and its aftermath. Behrooz Ghamari-Tabrizi interviews Taraneh Hemami with the accompanying images.
Paying for Performance in Primary Medical Care: Learning About and Learning from “Success” And “Failure” In England and California
Authors: McDonald Ruth , White Joseph , Marmor Theodore R.
Published: September 2009

Paying physicians to hit performance targets is becoming increasingly fashionable, as evidenced by the growing number of “pay-for-performance” programs in the United States and beyond. This article compares pay-for-performance initiatives in two nations—the United Kingdom and the United States. It pays particular attention to the context in which the initiatives were conceived and implemented, factors which are largely neglected in the pay-for-performance literature. Despite some glowing reviews of the UK national pay-for-performance program for primary care doctors, we suggest that such programs face significant technical obstacles in all cases and particularly severe institutional obstacles in the United States.
Reconciling the Privilege of a Few with the Common Good: Sumptuary Laws in Medieval and Early Modern Europe
Authors: Muzzarelli Maria Giuseppina
Published: September 2009

The ample record of medieval and early modern sumptuary laws represents an extensive historical period and a broad geographical area. Though scholars have not completely ignored these laws, they deserve far more attention and should be explored from many critical approaches. Because of the physical distance separating the documentary evidence, rarely have comparisons been made between sumptuary laws from different geographical areas. This study offers just such a comparison of the laws enacted in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and England between the thirteenth and the eighteenth centuries, in order to show how these laws operated to reconcile the interests of the privileged few with the common good. Legislators and preachers aimed to redistribute resources by taking advantage of the wealthy's passion for ostentation. The moral rationale for regulating consumption stressed the need for the rich to reserve at least part of their resources for social measures in the form of charity. By regulating luxury through various forms of fines and penalties, sumptuary laws helped to benefit the less privileged and the city in general. Critiques of consumption, of disproportionate individual spending, and, simply put, of luxury, gained significant momentum as a result of sumptuary laws.
The Rhetoricity ofCultural Literacy
Authors: Cook Paul G.
Published: September 2009

Engaging the term rhetoricity, which refers both to Cultural Literacy as text and cultural literacy as concept, Cook claims that the most productive pedagogical component of Hirsch's proposal—the sophisticated rhetorical sensibility on which the entire conceptual edifice of cultural literacy depends—was obfuscated by the book's lightening-rod ethos, its deceptively simple veneer, and its smugly casual presumption to name “what every American needs to know.”
Transforming the Group Paper with Collaborative Online Writing
Authors: Kittle Peter , Hicks Troy
Published: September 2009

Creating a group paper has always made unusual demands on students as they figure out their role in the process of collaborative authorship. Inviting writers to work with newer technologies, such as online word processors and wikis, can provide opportunities to make the process and outcomes of collaboration more transparent. In this article, collaborative writing approaches that use a number of Web-based tools are discussed, including cooperative synchronous writing with Google Docs, inquiry-based writing with wikis, multigenre writing in response to literature, and collaboratively constructed study guides.
A Novel Color Former Organogel for Radiation Detection Systems
Authors: Itoi Hiroaki , Sekine Yoshiyuki , Sekiguchi Masayuki , Tachikawa Tatsuya
Published: September 2009

A novel leuco phenoxazine color former containing l-phenylalanine at the protecting group was prepared for radiation detection systems. It forms elongated self-assembled fibers in common organic solvents, leading to that efficient gelation. FE-SEM and FT-IR of the xerogel showed the color former formed a three-dimensional net-like structure. The color former organogel showed sufficient sensitivity to γ rays that it can be used for imaging in heavy particle radiotherapy and has good potential for three-dimensional radiation detection systems.
Crystal Structures and Magnetic Properties of Isonicotinate- and Dicyanometallate-bridged Manganese(II) Complexes
Authors: Kawasaki Takeshi , Kanadani Chikahide , Saito Toshiaki , Kitazawa Takafumi
Published: September 2009

Two novel 3D network coordination polymers [Mn(H2O)(ina){M(CN)2}]·H2O (ina = isonicotinato, M=Ag (1) or Au (2)) have been synthesized and characterized crystallographically and magnetically. In both complexes, the coordination geometries of the MnII atoms have MnN3O3 octahedral coordination built up by one tridentate ina ligand, one H2O molecule, and two μ-[M(CN)2]− units. SQUID data show weak antiferromagnetic interactions among the Mn atoms bridged by the ina ligands in 1 and 2.
Evaluation of Workforce and Organizational Issues in Establishing Primary Angioplasty in England
Authors: Carter Angela , Wood Stephen , Goodacre Steve , Sampson Fiona , Stables Rod
Published: September 2009

Objective

To assess workforce and organizational issues in establishing a primary angioplasty service in England.

Methods

Staff associated with the heart attack pathway at seven acute hospitals participating in the National Infarct Angioplasty Project (NIAP) completed a questionnaire, participated in focus groups and interviews, and observations were undertaken in catheter laboratories.

Results

All seven hospitals implemented primary angioplasty though not all provided a 24-hour service. Hospitals varied in size, number of staff involved in the delivery of angioplasty and the volume of cases. Hospitals that developed the service by incremental expansion encountered more problems than hospitals that planned for a full service at the outset. Simple, direct access to a catheter laboratory reduced delays and could be facilitated by an angioplasty gatekeeper. Little attention was paid to later cardiac rehabilitation. Multiskilling and the ability to work across traditional professional boundaries appeared to provide substantial advantages. Building relationships with key staff and auditing the heart attack pathway were critical to successful service development. Differences in remuneration and rest for staff undertaking out-of-hours working threatened sustainability.

Conclusions

Primary angioplasty was feasible in varied settings and generally supported by staff. However, the participating hospitals were selected enthusiasts, only some implemented a 24-hour service and activity levels were relatively low. Organizational and workforce issues need to be addressed to achieve an efficient and sustainable service.
The Appropriation of Complexity Theory in Health Care
Authors: Paley John
Published: September 2009

The way in which complexity is usually interpreted in the health care literature misses the whole point of complexity theory, thanks to an influential but misleading series of articles in the BMJ. Complexity provides an explanation of patterns and structures in certain systems by modelling known outcomes at the global level in terms of stimulus-response rules governing the unilateral, non-intentional behaviour of individual units comprising the system. The BMJ articles overlook the explanatory function of complex systems, restore the link between order and design which complexity thinking disrupts, and interpret purely mathematical concepts in psychological terms. As a consequence, the health care literature typically regards complexity as a variation on democratic, collaborative, ‘bottom-up’ methods for the management of change in systems.
Direct selection for ribozyme cleavage activity in cells
Authors: Chen Xi , Denison Lisa , Levy Matthew , Ellington Andrew D.
Published: September 2009

Selection may prove to be a powerful tool for the generation of functional RNAs for in vivo genetic regulation. However, traditional in vitro selection schemes do not mimic physiological conditions, and in vivo selection schemes frequently use small pool sizes. Here we describe a hybrid in vitro/in vivo selection scheme that overcomes both of these disadvantages. In this new method, PCR-amplified expression templates are transfected into mammalian cells, transcribed hammerhead RNAs self-cleave, and the extracted, functional hammerhead ribozyme species are specifically amplified for the next round of selection. Using this method we have selected a number of cis-cleaving hammerhead ribozyme variants that are functional in vivo and lead to the inhibition of gene expression. More importantly, these results have led us to develop a quantitative, kinetic model that can be used to assess the stringency of the hybrid selection scheme and to direct future experiments.
A variant riboswitch aptamer class for S-adenosylmethionine common in marine bacteria
Authors: Poiata Elena , Meyer Michelle M. , Ames Tyler D. , Breaker Ronald R.
Published: September 2009

Riboswitches that sense S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) are widely distributed throughout a variety of bacterial lineages. Four classes of SAM-binding riboswitches have been reported to date, constituting the most diverse collection of riboswitch classes that sense the same compound. Three of these classes, termed SAM-I, SAM-II, and SAM-III represent unique structures that form distinct binding pockets for the ligand. SAM-IV riboswitches carry different conserved sequence and structural features compared to other SAM riboswitches, but nucleotides and substructures corresponding to the ligand binding pocket are identical to SAM-I aptamers. In this article, we describe a fifth class of SAM binding aptamer, which we have termed SAM-V. SAM-V was discovered by analyzing GC-rich intergenic regions preceding metabolic genes in the marine α-proteobacterium “Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique.” Although the motif is nearly unrepresented in cultured bacteria whose genomes have been completely sequenced, SAM-V is prevalent in marine metagenomic sequences. The consensus sequence and structure of SAM-V show some similarities to that of the SAM-II riboswitch, and it is likely that the two aptamers form similar ligand binding pockets. In addition, we identified numerous examples of a tandem SAM-II/SAM-V aptamer architecture. In this arrangement, the SAM-II aptamer is always positioned 5′ of the SAM-V aptamer and the SAM-II aptamer is followed by a predicted intrinsic transcription terminator stem. The SAM-V aptamer, however, appears to use a ribosome binding site occlusion mechanism for genetic regulation. This tandem riboswitch arrangement exhibits an architecture that can potentially control both the transcriptional and translational stages of gene expression.
Branch-and-Price-and-Cut for the Split-Delivery Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows
Authors: Desaulniers Guy
Published: September 2009

This paper addresses the split-delivery vehicle routing problem with time windows (SDVRPTW) that consists of determining least-cost vehicle routes to service a set of customer demands while respecting vehicle capacity and customer time windows. The demand of each customer can be fulfilled by several vehicles. For solving this problem, we propose a new exact branch-and-price-and-cut method, where the column generation subproblem is a resource-constrained elementary shortest-path problem combined with the linear relaxation of a bounded knapsack problem. Each generated column is associated with a feasible route and a compatible delivery pattern. As opposed to existing branch-and-price methods for the SDVRPTW or its variant without time windows, integrality requirements in the integer master problem are not imposed on the variables generated dynamically, but rather on additional variables. An ad hoc label-setting algorithm is developed for solving the subproblem. Computational results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.