bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GxcDD, a putative RacGEF, is involved in Dictyostelium development
Authors: Mondal Subhanjan , Neelamegan Dhamodharan , Rivero Francisco , Noegel Angelika A
Published: June 2007

Background

Rho subfamily GTPases are implicated in a large number of actin-related processes. They shuttle from an inactive GDP-bound form to an active GTP-bound form. This reaction is catalysed by Guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEFs). GTPase activating proteins (GAPs) help the GTPase return to the inactive GDP-bound form. The social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum lacks a Rho or Cdc42 ortholog but has several Rac related GTPases. Compared to our understanding of the downstream effects of Racs our understanding of upstream mechanisms that activate Rac GTPases is relatively poor.

Results

We report on GxcDD (G uanine ex change factor for Rac GTPases), a Dictyostelium RacGEF. GxcDD is a 180-kDa multidomain protein containing a type 3 CH domain, two IQ motifs, three PH domains, a RhoGEF domain and an ArfGAP domain. Inactivation of the gene results in defective streaming during development under different conditions and a delay in developmental timing. The characterization of single domains revealed that the CH domain of GxcDD functions as a membrane association domain, the RhoGEF domain can physically interact with a subset of Rac GTPases, and the ArfGAP-PH tandem accumulates in cortical regions of the cell and on phagosomes. Our results also suggest that a conformational change may be required for activation of GxcDD, which would be important for its downstream signaling.

Conclusion

The data indicate that GxcDD is involved in proper streaming and development. We propose that GxcDD is not only a component of the Rac signaling pathway in Dictyostelium, but is also involved in integrating different signals. We provide evidence for a Calponin Homology domain acting as a membrane association domain. GxcDD can bind to several Rac GTPases, but its function as a nucleotide exchange factor needs to be studied further.
Factors associated with quality of life of outpatients with breast cancer and gynecologic cancers and their family caregivers: a controlled study
Authors: Awadalla Abdel W , Ohaeri Jude U , Gholoum Abdullah , Khalid Ahmed OA , Hamad Hussein MA , Jacob Anila
Published: June 2007

Background

Quality of life (QOL) issues are of interest in cancer because effective methods of treatment and detection have led to an increase in the number of long-term survivors. The objectives of the study were: to assess the subjective QOL of stable Sudanese women cancer outpatients and their family caregivers, using the WHO 26-item QOL Instrument; compare with matched general population groups, as well as diabetic and psychiatric patient groups; examine patient-caregiver concordance in ratings; and assess the variables associated with their QOL, with a view to identifying factors that can enhance quality of care.

Methods

Responses of oncology outpatients with breast cancer (117), cervical cancer (46) and ovarian cancer (18) (aged 44.6, SD 11.5) were compared with those of their family caregivers and matched general population groups. Data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate statistics.

Results

The cancer groups had similar QOL domain scores, which were significantly lower than those of their caregivers, but higher than the control group as well as those of psychiatric and diabetic patients studied previously. Patients who were married, with higher education, better employment, and with longer duration of illness had higher QOL. Patients on radiotherapy and their caregivers had higher QOL scores. Correlations between patient's ratings and caregiver impression of patient's QOL were high. Caregiver impression was a significant predictor of patient's and caregiver's QOL. Other predictors for the patient were: currently feeling sick and duration of illness; for the caregiver: feeling sick, relationship to patient, and age.

Conclusion

Cancer patients in stable condition and with psychosocial support can hope to enjoy good QOL with treatment. The findings constitute an evidence base for the country's cancer care program, to boost national health education about prognosis in cancer. Families living with women cancer patients are vulnerable and need support if the patient is recently diagnosed, less educated, single, not formally employed; and the caregiver is female, parent, younger, less educated, unemployed and feels sick. Clinicians need to invest in the education and support of family caregivers. The patient-caregiver dyad should be regarded as a unit for treatment in cancer care.
Simultaneous determination of multiple marker constituents in concentrated Gegen Tang granule by high performance liquid chromatography
Authors: Song Jingzheng , Han Quanbin , Qiao Chunfeng , Yip Yuekeung , Xu Hongxi
Published: June 2007

Background

Concentrated Gegen Tang (GT) granule is a widely available traditional Chinese medicinal product for the treatment of cold and flu. There was no reliable analytical method available for the quality assessment of GT granules.

Methods

An HPLC method with an Agilent Zorbax SB-Phenyl Stablebond column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was developed and validated. The mobile phase gradient was a mixture of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in acetonitrile (ACN) and 0.1% TFA in water. The detection with a diode-array detector was set at 207, 230, 250 and 275 nm. Seven components, namely puerarin, daidzein, paeoniflorin, cinnamic acid, glycyrrhizin, ephedrine and pseudoephedrine were selected as marker compounds for the evaluation.

Results

The regression equations revealed good linear relationships (correlation coefficients: 0.9994–0.9998) between the peak areas and concentrations. The recovery was between 98.8% and 101.7% with good precision and accuracy. The quality of GT granule from four different manufacturers was evaluated with this newly developed method. Samples from four manufacturers showed similar profiles but contents of the detected markers varied significantly among manufacturers and batches.

Conclusion

A new method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed for simple and reliable quality control of commercial concentrated GT granules. Sensitivity was increased by multi-wavelength detection. The contents of selected marker components in GT granules varied significantly among manufacturers and batches, making it necessary to evaluate the quality of concentrated GT granules in the market.
The Sas3p and Gcn5p histone acetyltransferases are recruited to similar genes
Authors: Rosaleny Lorena E , Ruiz-García Ana B , García-Martínez José , Pérez-Ortín José E , Tordera Vicente
Published: June 2007

Background

Specific histone modifications can perform several cellular functions, for example, as signals to recruit trans-acting factors and as modulators of chromatin structure. Acetylation of Lys14 of histone H3 is the main target of many histone acetyltransferases in vitro and may play a central role in the stability of the nucleosome. This study is focused on the genome-wide binding of Saccharomyces cerevisiae histone acetyltransferases that are specific for Lys14 of histone H3.

Results

We have used a variation of the genome-wide location analysis method, based on a macroarray platform, to identify binding sites of yeast histone acetyltransferase catalytic subunits and to correlate their positions with acetylation of Lys14 of histone H3. Our results revealed that the histone acetyltransferases Sas3p and Gcn5p are recruited to a pool of intensely transcribed genes and that there is considerable overlap between the two cohorts of Sas3p and Gcn5p bound gene pools. We also demonstrate a positive correlation between binding sites of both proteins and the acetylation state of Lys14 of histone H3. Finally, a positive correlation between the decrease of H3 Lys14 acetylation in a GCN5 deleted strain and the Gcn5p genome occupancy is shown.

Conclusion

Our data support a model in which both Gcn5p and Sas3p act as general activators of an overlapping pool of intensely transcribed genes. Since both proteins preferentially acetylate Lys14 of histone H3, our data support the hypothesis that acetylation of this specific residue facilitates the action of the transcriptional apparatus.
Age Attenuates Testosterone Secretion Driven by Amplitude-Varying Pulses of Recombinant Human Luteinizing Hormone during Acute Gonadotrope Inhibition in Healthy Men
Authors: Takahashi Paul Y. , Votruba Patrick , Abu-Rub Mohammed , Mielke Kristi , Veldhuis Johannes D.
Published: June 2007

Context: Whether testosterone (Te) depletion in aging men reflects deficits in the testis, hypothalamus, and/or pituitary gland is unknown.

Objective: Our objective was to quantify the impact of age on gonadal Te secretion driven by amplitude-varying pulses of recombinant human LH (rhLH) in the absence of confounding by endogenous hypothalamo-pituitary signals.

Design: This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Setting: The setting was an academic medical center.

Subjects: Fifteen healthy community-dwelling men ages 22–78 yr were included in the study.

Intervention: Saline or four separate rhLH doses were each infused twice iv in randomized order as one pulse every 2 h over 20 h to stimulate Te secretion, after LH secretion was suppressed by a GnRH-receptor antagonist, ganirelix.

Main Outcome: LH and Te concentrations were determined in blood samples collected every 5 min. Maximal and minimal (as well as mean) Te responses were regressed linearly on age to reflect LH peak and nadir (and average) effects, respectively.

Results: The ganirelix/rhLH paradigm yielded serum LH concentrations of 4.6 ± 0.22 IU/liter (normal range 1–9). By regression analysis, age was associated with declines in rhLH pulse-stimulated peak and nadir (and mean) concentrations of total Te (P = 0.0068), bioavailable Te (P = 0.0096), and free Te (P = 0.013), as well as lower Te/LH concentration ratios (P < 0.005). Deconvolution analysis suggested that the half-life of infused LH increases by 12%/decade (P = 0.044; R2 = 0.28).

Conclusions: Infusion of amplitude-varying pulses of rhLH during gonadal-axis suppression in healthy men unmasks prominent age-related deficits in stimulated total (39%), bioavailable (66%), and free (63%) Te concentrations, and a smaller age-associated increase in LH half-life. These data suggest that age-associated factors reduce the efficacy of LH pulses.
Effects of the Progesterone Receptor Modulator VA2914 in a Continuous Low Dose on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis and Endometrium in Normal Women: A Prospective, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Chabbert-Buffet Nathalie , Pintiaux-Kairis Axelle , Bouchard Philippe
Published: June 2007

Context: Progestin-only pills, the main hormonal alternative to ethinyl estradiol-containing pills in women bearing vascular risk factors, are poorly tolerated due to irregular bleeding. In contrast, progesterone receptor modulators can inhibit ovulation, alter endometrial receptivity, and improve cycle control.

Objective: We evaluated the effects of a new progesterone receptor modulator, VA2914, administered continuously for 3 months, on ovulation and endometrial maturation.

Design, Settings, and Patients: Forty-six normal women were included in a prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized trial, conducted in four referral centers.

Intervention: VA2914 (2.5, 5, or 10 mg/d) was administered continuously for 84 d. Pelvic ultrasound (treatment d 67 and 77), hormonal monitoring (FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone on treatment d 59, 63, 67, 70, 74, 77, 80, and 84), and endometrial biopsy (treatment d 77) were performed.

Main Outcome Measure: Ovulation inhibition was assessed by the absence of progesterone values above 3 ng/ml at any time during treatment month 3.

Results: Anovulation was observed in 81.8% women in the 5-mg group and 80% in the 10-mg group, and amenorrhea occurred in 81.2 and 90% of cases in the 5- and 10-mg groups. We did not detect any cases of endometrial hyperplasia despite estradiol levels that remained in the physiological follicular phase range throughout treatment cycle 3.

Conclusions: Continuous low-dose VA2914 can induce amenorrhea and inhibit ovulation without down-regulating estradiol levels or inducing endometrial hyperplasia in normal women. Long-term studies with a larger population are required to confirm the contraceptive efficacy of this regimen.
Risk Factors for Hypospadias in the Estrogen Receptor 2 Gene
Authors: Beleza-Meireles Ana , Kockum Ingrid , Lundberg Fredrik , Söderhäll Cilla , Nordenskjöld Agneta
Published: June 2007

Context: Hypospadias is a common inborn error of the male genitalia of complex, and still elusive, etiology. The presence of active estrogen receptors (ESRs) in the developing male urethra, predominantly the ESR2, has suggested a role of estrogens in the otherwise androgen-dependent male genital differetiation. Moreover, imbalances between these two steroid hormones have been suggested to disturb the external genital development. This has been supported by the association between longer (CA)n variants in the ESR2 gene with lower androgen levels as well as with hypospadias.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of ESR2 gene variants on the risk to hypospadias.

Design, Participants, and Methods: Four haplotype-tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2987983, rs1887994, rs1256040, and rs1256062), the (CA)n polymorphism, and two additional promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs10483774 and rs1271572), mapping to a transcription factor binding region, were typed and analyzed in a Swedish cohort of 354 boys with nonsyndromic hypospadias and 380 healthy controls.

Results: Association was identified with longer variants of the (CA)n polymorphism in intron 6 and with a region of intense transcription factor binding, in the putative promoter region, mapping to rs2987983 and rs10483774. The two regions are in low-linkage disequilibrium, meaning that they are not necessarily inherited together as a haplotype; logistic regression analysis indicates that these two risk effects are not independent.

Conclusions: The present study evidences two nonindependent risk factors for hypospadias in the ESR2 gene. We discuss possible mechanisms that explain how these variants may affect male urethral development.
A Phase II Trial of Imatinib Therapy for Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: de Groot J. W. B. , Zonnenberg B. A. , van Ufford-Mannesse P. Quarles , de Vries M. M. , Links T. P. , Lips C. J. M. , Voest E. E.
Published: June 2007

Context: Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) metastasizes early in its clinical course. No effective systemic therapy is available. Generally (somatic or germline), mutations in the rearranged during transfection gene are considered essential in the pathogenesis of MTC.

Objective: We investigated imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, as a potential treatment in patients with disseminated MTC.

Design: A phase II study was initiated using 600 mg imatinib daily with a possible dose increase to 800 mg in case of progression. Standard Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors were used using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging every 2 months.

Results: There were 15 patients with disseminated MTC treated for up to 12 months. No objective responses were observed. Four patients had stable disease over 24 months. Three patients stopped treatment due to toxic effects [fatigue (n = 2) and nausea (n = 1)]. In four cases the dose of imatinib was decreased because of toxicity [rash and malaise (n = 2) and laryngeal swelling (n = 2)]. Emergency tracheotomy was performed in two cases due to mucosal swelling of the larynx in patients with recurrent nerve palsy and a narrow vocal cleft. In nine patients with a history of a thyroidectomy, the dose of supplemental thyroid hormone was increased because of serious hypothyroidism.

Conclusions: Imatinib therapy yielded no objective responses and induced considerable toxicity in patients with MTC. A minority of patients had stable disease. Patients with supplemented hypothyroidism or with recurrent nerve palsy are specifically at risk for serious adverse events and need special attention when treated with imatinib.
Optimum flight parameters and stability computations using continuation technique
Authors: Sinha N K
Published: June 2007

Illustrative examples are presented in this paper to show the applications of the continuation-algorithm-based, recently developed extended bifurcation analysis (EBA) methodology to compute optimum flight parameters of an F/A-18 high-angle-of-attack research vehicle aerodynamic model. A complete model describing the six-degree-of-freedom motion of aircraft is used in this analysis to compute trims for the aircraft in constrained flights, for example, straight and level and steady climb flights. Using the results of such computations, one can plot the performance curves for aircraft which are in contrast to the performance curves usually available in the aircraft design text books. Special features of the performance curves computed here are high-lighted and the reasons for the contrasting features between the performance curves obtained here and the corresponding ones presented in the aircraft design text books are discussed. Primary objective of this work is to show the efficiency of the EBA methodology in evaluating the optimum values of multiple objective functions which usually requires the use of the optimization theory-based numerical techniques and can be generally computationally exhaustive in terms of time and efforts.
The Big One: A Review of Richard Posner's Catastrophe: Risk and Response
Authors: Parson Edward A
Published: June 2007

Richard Posner's Catastrophe: Risk and Response (Oxford University Press, 2004) examines four risks whose worst cases could end advanced human civilization or worse: asteroid impacts, a catastrophic chain reaction initiated in high-energy particle accelerators, global climate change, and bioterrorism. He argues that these all warrant more thought and response than they are receiving, and that they can usefully be assessed using a simple analytic framework based on cost–benefit analysis. This essay reviews knowledge of these risks and critically examines Posner's claims for a consistent analytic approach. While the conclusions that each risk merits more thought and effort appear persuasive, these rely on ad hoc arguments specific to each risk. The general analytic claims do not hold up well, as Posner develops his proposed framework thinly and applies it unevenly. Applying such a framework consistently to catastrophic risks would require engaging some fundamental problems that Posner does not address. The book's major contributions are to identify and describe these risks, highlight the inadequate attention they are receiving, and advance a persuasive argument for their more serious examination.
Distributional Effects of Globalization in Developing Countries
Authors: Goldberg Pinelopi Koujianou , Pavcnik Nina
Published: June 2007

The authors discuss recent empirical research on how globalization has affected income inequality in developing countries. They begin with a discussion of conceptual issues regarding the measurement of globalization and inequality. Next, they present empirical evidence on the evolution of globalization and inequality in several developing countries during the 1980s and 1990s. The authors then examine the channels through which globalization may have affected inequality, discussing theory and evidence in parallel. They conclude with directions for future research.
Making Famine History
Authors: Ó Gráda Cormac
Published: June 2007

This paper reviews recent contributions to the economics and economic history of famine. It provides a context for the history of famine in the twentieth century, which is unique. During the century, war and totalitarianism produced more famine deaths than did overpopulation and economic backwardness; yet by its end, economic growth and medical technology had almost eliminated the threat of major famines. Today's high-profile famines are “small” by historical standards. Topics analyzed include the role played by food markets in mitigating or exacerbating famine, the globalization of disaster relief, the enhanced role of human agency and entitlements, distinctive demography of certain twentieth-century famines, and future prospects for “making famine history.”
A Flat World, a Level Playing Field, a Small World After All, or None of the Above? A Review of Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat
Authors: Leamer Edward E
Published: June 2007

Geography, flat or not, creates special relationships between buyers and sellers who reside in the same neighborhoods, but Friedman turns this metaphor inside-out by using The World is Flat to warn us of the perils of a relationship-free world in which every economic transaction is contested globally. In his “flat” world, your wages are set in Shanghai. In fact, most of the footloose relationship-free jobs in apparel and footwear and consumer electronics departed the United States several decades ago, and few U.S. workers today feel the force of Chinese and Indian competition, notwithstanding the alarming anecdotes about the outsourcing of intellectual services. Of course, standardization, mechanization, and computerization all work to increase the number of footloose tasks, but innovation and education work in the opposite direction, creating relationship-based activities—like the writing of this review. It may only be personal conceit, but I imagine there is a reason why the Journal of Economic Literature asked me to do this review.
Automobile Externalities and Policies
Authors: Parry Ian W. H , Walls Margaret , Harrington Winston
Published: June 2007

This paper discusses the nature, and magnitude, of externalities associated with automobile use, including local and global pollution, oil dependence, traffic congestion and traffic accidents. It then discusses current federal policies affecting these externalities, including fuel taxes, fuel economy and emissions standards, and alternative fuel policies, summarizing, insofar as possible, the welfare effects of those policies. Finally, we discuss emerging pricing policies, including congestion tolls, and insurance reform, and summarize the appropriate combination of policies to address automobile externalities.
Global Capital Markets in the Long Run: A Review of Maurice Obstfeld and Alan Taylor's Global Capital Markets
Authors: Williamson Jeffrey G
Published: June 2007

Written by Maurice Obstfeld and Alan Taylor, Global Capital Markets: Integration, Crisis, and Growth was a much-needed book that will be cited extensively by those with interests in the long run evolution of the world financial capital market. The book does not simply assess changes in the efficiency of global capital markets over the past 150 years, but rather adds significantly to debates about instability and crisis, asymmetry between rich and poor countries in the costs of going open, the Lucas Paradox, the connections between foreign exchange and financial capital market regimes, and much more. The book makes far better use of the comparative evidence generated by the three epochs since 1850—the first global century before 1914, the second global century after 1950, and the autarchy in between—than do competitors that focus solely on one regime, whether the gold standard, post–World War II Breton Woods, or the float since. In addition, while the financial literature rarely assesses in any useful empirical way the connection between financial markets and the real economy, this book makes that connection absolutely clear. Global Capital Markets is a stimulating book with a very wide and deep reach.
Disagreement and the Stock Market
Authors: Hong Harrison , Stein Jeremy C
Published: June 2007

A large catalog of variables with no apparent connection to risk has been shown to forecast stock returns, both in the time series and the cross-section. For instance, we see medium-term momentum and post-earnings drift in returns—the tendency for stocks that have had unusually high past returns or good earnings news to continue to deliver relatively strong returns over the subsequent six to twelve months (and vice-versa for stocks with low past returns or bad earnings news); we also see longer-run fundamental reversion—the tendency for “glamour” stocks with high ratios of market value to earnings, cashflows, or book value to deliver weak returns over the subsequent several years (and vice-versa for “value” stocks with low ratios of market value to fundamentals). To explain these patterns of predictability in stock returns, we advocate a particular class of heterogeneous-agent models that we call “disagreement models.” Disagreement models may incorporate work on gradual information flow, limited attention, and heterogeneous priors, but all highlight the importance of differences in the beliefs of investors. Disagreement models hold the promise of delivering a comprehensive joint account of stock prices and trading volume—and some of the most interesting empirical patterns in the stock market are linked to volume.
Retrospectives: Edgeworth's Hedonimeter and the Quest to Measure Utility
Authors: Colander David
Published: June 2007

In this article, I discuss some earlier debates about the foundations of utility and its measurement, focusing on the contributions of Francis Y. Edgeworth (1845–1926), a famous British economist who was a leader in the development of a more mathematically structured economics in the late 1800s, and Irving Fisher (1867–1947), one of the first quantitative U.S. economists, best-known today for his work on the quantity theory and interest rate theory. Edgeworth argued that utility was directly measurable and that new developments in “physio-psychology” would make it possible to develop a “hedonimeter” that would allow economists to develop a firm physiological underpinning of utility. Fisher, while agreeing with Edgeworth that it was important to have a workable measure of utility, disagreed with Edgeworth about the possibility of doing so with a hedonimeter and, hence, of having any physiological underpinnings of utility. He argued that instead of searching for physiological underpinnings of utility, economists should instead rely upon backward induction from observed behavior to measured utility. Neither of these views about the possibility of utility measurement carried through, and attempts to measure utility were abandoned in the 1930s, when utility measurement and happiness considerations were determined to be outside the purview of economics. Both Edgeworth and Fisher knew that their approaches to utility measurement opened up a Pandora's box of problems; they opened that box, nonetheless, because they felt that theoretical economics had to be relevant to policy, and, to be relevant, it had to face the problems.
Markets: Gift Cards
Authors: Offenberg Jennifer Pate
Published: June 2007

The Mobil Oil Company introduced the first retail gift card that recorded value on a magnetic strip in 1995. In under a decade, such gift cards replaced apparel as the number one item sold during the Christmas season. This study will discuss the reasons for the strong surge in the gift card market. It will then consider the value of gift cards as an intermediate option between two alternatives: purchasing a physical gift, which could possibly be returned or exchanged, versus giving cash. Empirical data on the resale price of gift cards from an Internet auction website provide information on the value that recipients place on gift cards suggesting that the difference between the cost of a gift card to the giver and its value to the recipient is substantial, although perhaps not quite as large as the parallel gap involved in physical gifts.
Marriage and Divorce: Changes and their Driving Forces
Authors: Stevenson Betsey , Wolfers Justin
Published: June 2007

We document key facts about marriage and divorce, comparing trends through the past 150 years and outcomes across demographic groups and countries. While divorce rates have risen over the past 150 years, they have been falling for the past quarter century. Marriage rates have also been falling, but more strikingly, the importance of marriage at different points in the life cycle has changed, reflecting rising age at first marriage, rising divorce followed by high remarriage rates, and a combination of increased longevity with a declining age gap between husbands and wives. Cohabitation has also become increasingly important, emerging as a widely used step on the path to marriage. Out-ofwedlock fertility has also risen, consistent with declining “shotgun marriages”. Compared with other countries, marriage maintains a central role in American life. We present evidence on some of the driving forces causing these changes in the marriage market: the rise of the birth control pill and women's control over their own fertility; sharp changes in wage structure, including a rise in inequality and partial closing of the gender wage gap; dramatic changes in home production technologies; and the emergence of the Internet as a new matching technology. We note that recent changes in family forms demand a reassessment of theories of the family and argue that consumption complementarities may be an increasingly important component of marriage. Finally, we discuss how these facts should inform family policy debates.
EQUAL-qual: A European Program for External Quality Assessment of Genomic DNA Extraction and PCR Amplification
Authors: Orlando Claudio , Verderio Paolo , Maatman Ronald , Danneberg Jan , Ramsden Simon , Neumaier Michael , Taruscio Domenica , Falbo Vincenzo , Jansen Robert , Casini-Raggi Claudia , Malentacchi Francesca , Marubini Ettore , Pizzamiglio Sara , Vernelen Kris , Libeer Jean-Claude , Palicka Vladimir , Pazzagli Mario
Published: June 2007

Background: Despite the rapid transition into routine clinical practice of molecular techniques based on PCR, external quality assessment (EQA) is still not widely available. The European Union and European Communities Confederation of Clinical Chemistry have supported the EQUAL project as a series of 3 different EQA programs for the assessment of molecular methods independently from analytes. We present the results from the EQUAL-qual program designed to evaluate the analytical aspects of DNA analysis by means of a conventional qualitative PCR experiment.

Methods: The EQUAL-qual program provided DNA, blood samples, and primer sets to participant laboratories to assess DNA extraction and PCR amplification. We have developed statistical procedures to identify laboratories performing poorly in DNA extraction (quality and quantity), PCR efficiency, and data interpretation after electrophoresis.

Results: An application to participate was obtained from 213 laboratories (from 25 countries), and 175 (82%) of laboratories submitted results for assessment. Questionable results in terms of quality and/or quantity of DNA derived from blood extractions were returned by 27% of laboratories (46 of 166). PCR efficiency showed high variability, with 3% of laboratories (5 of 163) showing a consistently low rate of amplification and 10% (18 of 175) not reporting the expected number of bands of the amplified targets.

Conclusions: The results showed considerable variability in all phases of the experiment. The approach confirms the validity of EQA as a method for evaluating analytical aspects of PCR-based tests.
The labial flap in Mambay: Phonological rarity or fundamental element?
Authors: Anonby Erik John
Published: June 2007

This paper explores the phonological status of the labial flap in Mambay, a language belonging to the Adamawa division of Niger-Congo. Until recently, little discussion of the speech sound known as the labial flap has been found in the literature. However, in a series of recent articles, Olson and Hajek have used cross-linguistic evidence to argue for the treatment of the labial flap as a basic speech sound; this has resulted in its recent inclusion in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The present study adds to the discussion by providing an example of a language in which the labial flap is profoundly phonologized. Its distribution in the phonology, morphology and lexicon indicate that in Mambay, the labial flap can be considered nothing other than an integral, contrastive phonological unit.
Passivization in Lunda
Authors: Kawasha Boniface
Published: June 2007

Studies have shown that passivization in Bantu languages is effected by means of a derivational suffix attached to the verb. This passivization pattern is residual and no longer productive in Lunda in that only a very small set of verbs allows the passive morphological suffix. It has been replaced by a new type of a passive construction which at face value appears as an impersonal construction because of the presence of the nonreferential class 2 third person plural subject prefix and the non-promotion of the non-agent to subjecthood in a clause. In this paper, I will show that the Lunda construction meets some of the characteristics of a canonical passive and that passivization also serves as one of the tests for transitivity despite the failure of the non-agent to become the subject of the clause.
Fortition and reduplication in Leggbo ideophones
Authors: Udoh Imelda Icheji
Published: June 2007

This article describes ideophones in Leggbo, a Cross River language of Nigeria. It focuses on two processes – fortition and reduplication – in the language and their special relation to ideophones. Fortition involves consonant gemination and lengthening and is used for intensification. Reduplication can be either lexical or grammatical. Ideophones can have an inherent repetitive structure but they can also employ reduplication like other modifiers to signal the plurality of nouns, or the diminutive of verbs. Both fortition and reduplication can occur in the same form, especially in ideophones. It is speculated that fortition could have arisen diachronically in ideophones before spreading to other parts of the language. If this scenario is assumed, it argues for treating ideophones in Leggbo, if not in other languages, as central rather than marginal parts of linguistic systems.
Comparative Swimming Performance of Juvenile Pond-Cultured and Wild-Caught Channel Catfish
Authors: Beecham Rachel Venn , Minchew C. Douglas , Parsons Glenn R.
Published: June 2007

We compared the swimming performance of juvenile pond-cultured and wild-caught channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus using a fixed-velocity, time-to-fatigue protocol as a measure of overall fitness. Swimming performance of juvenile catfish from each source was determined at 10-cm/s intervals between speeds of 30 and 120 cm/s. The identified swimming performance categories included sustained speeds (swimming speeds without fatigue in times ≥200 min: aerobic metabolism); prolonged speeds (swimming speeds with fatigue in times ≥20 s but <200 min: mixed aerobic and anaerobic metabolism); and burst (swimming speeds with fatigue in times <20 s: anaerobic metabolism). The maximum sustained swimming speed (maximum speed without fatigue in times ≥200 min) was 40 cm/s for both pond-cultured and wild-caught juveniles. The maximum prolonged swimming speed (maximum speed with fatigue in times ≥200 min) was 90 and 100 cm/s for wild-caught and pond-cultured juvenile catfish, respectively. The swimming performance of pond-cultured and wild-caught juvenile catfish differed significantly only at 120 cm/s, which was a burst swimming speed for wild-caught juveniles and a prolonged swimming speed for pond-cultured juveniles. The burst swimming speed for pond-cultured juveniles was not determined but was estimated to be more than 120 cm/s. The total length, standard length, fork length, and condition factor of juvenile pond-cultured and wild-caught catfish were not significantly different. The reported swimming performance data provide important information on the overall fitness (e.g., ability to obtain prey and avoid predation) of juvenile pond-cultured and wild-caught catfish that will benefit fisheries managers considering the stocking of juvenile pond-cultured channel catfish in managed lakes and rivers as well as research scientists developing and evaluating improved strains of channel catfish for commercial production.
Vertical Distribution of Fish Biomass in Lake Superior: Implications for Day Bottom Trawl Surveys
Authors: Stockwell Jason D. , Yule Daniel L. , Hrabik Thomas R. , Adams Jean V. , Gorman Owen T. , Holbrook Beth V.
Published: June 2007

Evaluation of the biases in sampling methodology is essential for understanding the limitations of abundance and biomass estimates of fish populations. Estimates from surveys that rely solely on bottom trawls may be particularly vulnerable to bias if pelagic fish are numerous. We evaluated the variability in the vertical distribution of fish biomass during the U.S. Geological Survey's annual spring bottom trawl survey of Lake Superior using concurrent hydroacoustic observations to (1) test the assumption that fish are generally demersal during the day and (2) evaluate the potential for predictive models to improve bottom trawl–determined biomass estimates. Our results indicate that the assumption that fish exhibit demersal behavior during the annual spring bottom trawl survey in Lake Superior is unfounded. Bottom trawl biomass (BBT) estimates (mean ± SE) for species known to exhibit pelagic behavior (cisco Coregonus artedi, bloater C. hoyi, kiyi C. kiyi, and rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax; 3.01 ± 0.73 kg/ha) were not significantly greater than mean acoustic pelagic zone biomass (BAPZ) estimates (6.39 ± 2.03 kg/ha). Mean BAPZ estimates were 1.6- to 4.8-fold greater than mean BBT estimates over 4 years of sampling. The relationship between concurrent BAPZ and BBT estimates was marginally significant and highly variable. Predicted BAPZ estimates using cross-validation models were sensitive to adjustments for back-transforming from the logarithmic to the linear scale and poorly corresponded to observed BAPZ estimates. We conclude that statistical models to predict BAPZ from day BBT cannot be developed. We propose that night sampling with multiple gears will be necessary to generate better biomass estimates for management needs.
Evaluation of a New Coded Electromyogram Transmitter for Studying Swimming Behavior and Energetics in Fish
Authors: Brown Richard S. , Tatara Christopher P. , Stephenson John R. , Berejikian Barry A.
Published: June 2007

A new coded electromyogram (CEMG) transmitter was recently introduced to the market to allow broader application and greater flexibility of configurations than the conventional noncoded version. CEMG transmitters were implanted into 20 steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss and calibrated to swimming speed in a respirometer to determine the relationship between swimming speed and the output of the transmitters and also to determine how the output of a single transmitter varied when implanted in multiple fish. Linear regression models showed a strong positive relationship between the output from CEMG transmitters and swimming speed. However, grouping signals from multiple transmitters produced a less accurate relationship between CEMG output and swimming speed than using signals from individual transmitters. The results, therefore, do not suggest that the CEMG transmitters acted similarly in all fish. Calibration data from one transmitter were not readily transferable among multiple fish implanted with the same transmitter, suggesting that the same transmitter implanted in multiple fish also performed dissimilarly. These results indicate that experimental designs that require more precise estimates of muscular activity should use individual fish–CEMG transmitter calibrations. Variation in fish length, fish weight, location of transmitter implantation (distance from snout), and distance between the electrode tips did not account for the variation in models. The smaller size of the new CEMG transmitters will allow them to be used in a larger range of fish species and sizes. The fact that the transmitter has a coded transmission reduces the likelihood of interference from outside signals and allows multiple fish to be continuously logged on a single receiver. This could lead to reduced project costs because fewer receivers may be needed. However, one downfall of this new transmitter is that it has a smaller range of output, which may lead to lower accuracy in estimating swimming speeds.
Shoulder Muscle Recruitment Patterns During Commonly Used Rotator Cuff Exercises: An Electromyographic Study
Authors: Dark Alanna , Ginn Karen A , Halaki Mark
Published: June 2007

Background and Purpose

Graduated rotation exercises performed with the arm by the side are commonly used to improve rotator cuff (RC) muscle function. The aim of this study was to compare the pattern of recruitment of the RC muscles with that of other shoulder muscles that rotate the shoulder joint during these exercises.

Subjects

The nondominant shoulders of 15 subjects who were healthy were tested.

Methods

Activity in the infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, and posterior deltoid muscles was recorded. Low-, medium-, and high-intensity rotation exercises were performed with a pulley system.

Results

As the intensity of both internal and external rotation exercises increased, activity increased in a systematic manner in all muscles capable of producing rotation torque during concentric and eccentric contractions.

Discussion and Conclusion

The results indicate that, in people who are healthy, the motor strategy used to deal with increasing rotation resistance with the arm in a pendant position is to gradually increase activity in all shoulder rotation torque-generating muscles.
Long-Term Locomotor Training for Gait and Balance in a Patient With Mixed Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration
Authors: Steffen Teresa M , Boeve Bradley F , Mollinger-Riemann Louise A , Petersen Cheryl M
Published: June 2007

Background and Purpose: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD) are slowly progressive tauopathies characterized by impaired balance, disturbances in gait, and frequent falls, among other features. Wheelchair dependence is an inevitable outcome in people with these disorders. Insufficient evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of exercise in the management of people with these disorders. This case report describes a program of exercise and long-term locomotor training, using a treadmill (both with and without body-weight support), to reduce falls and improve the balance and walking ability of a patient with mixed PSP and CBD features.

Case Description: Six years after diagnosis with mixed PSP and CBD features, the client, a 72-year-old dentist, was seen for physical therapy for asymmetric limb apraxia, markedly impaired balance, and frequent falls during transitional movements.

Intervention: Over a 2.5-year period, intervention included routine participation in an exercise group for people with Parkinson disease (mat exercise and treadmill training) and intermittent participation in individual locomotor training on a treadmill. The exercise group met for 1 hour, twice weekly. The individual treadmill sessions lasted 1 hour, once weekly, for two 14-week periods during the follow-up period.

Outcomes: Over the 2.5-year period, fall frequency decreased, and tests of functional balance showed improved limits of stability (functional reach tests) and maintained balance function (Berg Balance Scale). Tests of walking performance showed only slight declines. A 4-wheeled walker was introduced and accepted by the client early in the intervention period. The client, with supervision, remained ambulatory with this wheeled walker in the community.

Discussion: In this case report of a person with mixed PSP and CBD features, a physical therapy intervention, which included locomotor training using a treadmill and a long-term exercise program of stretching and strengthening, appears to have improved some dimensions of balance, slowed the rate of gait decline, prevented progression to wheelchair dependence, and decreased falls. Contrary to the expected decline in function, this client maintained independent mobility over a 2.5-year period. An ongoing, intensive program of exercise and locomotor training may help people with PSP and CBD maintain upright balance, decrease falls, and decrease the rate of decline of ambulation.
The metabolic syndrome: setting the scene. The pros
Authors: Alberti Sir George
Published: June 2007

Conclusion: The definition of metabolic syndrome needs further refinement and it requires long-term outcome studies to evaluate the various criteria definitively. In general, however, differences of opinion surrounding the syndrome are minor.
Diabetic macro- and microvascular disease in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Hermans Michel P
Published: June 2007

Before a patient develops overt type 2 diabetes mellitus, there is typically a prolonged period of patho-physiological change. In the common form of type 2 diabetes mellitus, there are years of insulin resistance, initially compensated by increased beta cell function, then impaired glucose tolerance develops, and finally type 2 diabetes. We know from studies such as the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and the Belfast study that loss of beta cell function and insulin resistance are usually relentless.1, 2 Thus, therapy to reduce blood glucose has to be gradually increased with time for patients with diabetes. What is less well known is that every person has a different slope for beta cell function loss which intersects with insulin resistance.
"On the Natural History of Destruction" and Cultural Memory: W. G. Sebald
Authors: Remmler Karen
Published: June 2007

Benjamin's well-known emblematic description of the rememberer as an archaeologist in "Excavation and Memory" is a fitting point of departure to explore the meaning, transmission, and form of cultural memory as a methodology and a subject in German studies. In this article, I explore the shift toward a renewed materiality of memory in fields such as archaeology and disaster studies that have been tangential to the discourses of cultural memory based on trauma and on identity politics prevalent in German cultural studies. After describing current practice in these fields and their relevance to the formation of cultural memory within the context of German studies, I then read the writing of W.G. Sebald within the framework of archaeological tropes in which the spaces dedicated to the dead play a major role. The close reading of Sebald's text serves as a model for re-reading other contemporary German literary texts within the broader context of other disciplinary approaches to the space of memory in the aftermath of atrocity.
Writing in the New Germany: Cultural Memory and Family Narratives
Authors: Eigler Friederike
Published: June 2007

This article discusses the genre of family narratives in contemporary German literature against the backdrop of cultural memory in postunification Germany.1 Family narratives lend themselves to a critical study of memory as they enact the transmission and transformation of memories from one generation to the next. Thus, these texts serve a pivotal role as both archives for and reflections on individual and collective memories of 20th century Germany history. Since the late 1990s, i.e., almost a decade after the collapse