bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of vision therapy for convergence dysfunctions and long‐term stability after vision therapy
Authors: Shin Hoy Sun , Park Sang Chul , Maples Willis C
Published: February 2011

Citation information: Shin HS, Park SC & Maples WC. Effectiveness of vision therapy for convergence dysfunctions and long‐term stability after vision therapy. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2011, 31, 180–189. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2011.00821.x

Background:  Symptomatic convergence insufficiency (CI) is a common binocular dysfunction. It is often associated with accommodative insufficiency (AI). Optimum therapy for this condition was recently shown to be in‐clinic vision therapy (VT). More scientific studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of VT and verify these evidence‐based results.

Methods:  Fifty‐seven children aged 9–13 years were diagnosed with symptomatic CI (n = 27) or combined symptomatic CI and AI (n = 30). They were independently divided into a treatment and a control group, matched by age and gender. The treatment group received 12 weeks of VT while the control group received no therapy. A quality of life instrument documented the symptomatic patients and charted improvement in symptoms after therapy. Clinical aspects were also assessed to determine the treatment effects on clinical findings. Twenty children in the treatment group completed a 1 year follow‐up examination.

Results:  Symptom scores and clinical measures of the treatment and control groups were not significantly different at baseline (p > 0.05), but showed significant differences after completion of 12 weeks of treatment (p < 0.001). No significant changes of either symptoms or signs were evident for the control group. One year follow‐up examination revealed that most children maintained the improved symptom and clinical measures after VT.

Conclusion:  This study supports the notion that VT is a successful method of treating CI and CI combined with AI.
Formoterol and salmeterol induce a similar degree of β2‐adrenoceptor tolerance in human small airways but via different mechanisms
Authors: Cooper PR , Kurten RC , Zhang J , Nicholls DJ , Dainty IA , Panettieri RA
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Steroids prevent and reverse salbutamol‐induced β2‐adrenoceptor tolerance in human small airways. This study examines the effects of the long‐acting β2 agonists (LABAs) formoterol and salmeterol, and the ability of budesonide to prevent desensitization.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Long‐acting β2 agonists in the presence and absence of budesonide were incubated with human precision‐cut lung slices containing small airways. Tolerance was deduced from measurements of reduced bronchodilator responses to isoprenaline and correlated with β2‐adrenoceptor trafficking using a virally transduced, fluorescent‐tagged receptor. The ability of the LABAs to protect airways against muscarinic‐induced contraction was also assessed.

KEY RESULTS

Following a 12 h incubation, both formoterol and salmeterol attenuated isoprenaline‐induced bronchodilatation to a similar degree and these effects were not reversible by washing. Pre‐incubation with budesonide prevented the desensitization induced by formoterol, but not that induced by salmeterol. Formoterol also protected the airways from carbachol‐induced bronchoconstriction to a greater extent than salmeterol. In the epithelial cells of small airways, incubation with formoterol promoted receptor internalization but this did not appear to occur following incubation with salmeterol. Budesonide inhibited the formoterol‐induced reduction in plasma membrane β2‐adrenoceptor fluorescence.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Although both formoterol and salmeterol attenuate isoprenaline‐induced bronchodilatation, they appear to induce β2‐adrenoceptor tolerance via different mechanisms; formoterol, but not salmeterol, enhances receptor internalization. Budesonide protection against β2‐adrenoceptor tolerance was correlated with the retention of receptor fluorescence on the plasma membrane, thereby suggesting a mechanism by which steroids alter β2‐adrenoceptor function.
Effect of verapamil on the action of methanethiosulfonate reagents on human voltage‐gated Kv1.3 channels: implications for the C‐type inactivated state
Authors: Schmid SI , Grissmer S
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Voltage‐gated Kv1.3 channels appear on T‐lymphocytes and are characterized by their typical C‐type inactivation. In order to develop drugs stabilizing the C‐type inactivated state and thus potentially useful in treatment of autoimmune diseases, it is important to know more about the three‐dimensional structure of this inactivated state of the channel.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The patch‐clamp technique was used to study effects of methanethiosulphonate (MTS) compounds on currents through wild‐type human Kv1.3 (hKv1.3) and two mutant channels, hKv1.3 V417C and hKv1.3 H399T‐V417C, in the closed, open and inactivated states.

KEY RESULTS Extracellular application of 2‐aminoethyl methanethiosulphonate (MTSEA) irreversibly reduced currents through hKv1.3 V417C channels in the open and inactivated, but not in the closed state, indicating that a modification was possible. Co‐application of verapamil prevented this reduction. Intracellular application of MTSEA and [2‐(trimethylammonium)ethyl] methanethiosulphonate (MTSET) also modified the mutant channels, whereas extra‐ and intracellular application of sodium (2‐sulfonatoethyl)methanethiosulphonate (MTSES) and intracellular application of MTSET did not.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our experiments showed that the binding site for MTS compounds was intracellular in the mutant channels and that the V417C mutant channels were modified in the open and the inactivated states, and this modification was prevented by verapamil. Therefore, the activation gate on the intracellular side of the selectivity filter must be open during inactivation. Furthermore, although the S6 segment is moving further apart during inactivation, this change does not include a movement of the side chain of the amino acid at position 417, away from lining the channel pore.
Signed but Not Ratified: Limits to U.S. Participation in International Environmental Agreements
Authors: Bang Guri
Published: February 2011

Why does the United States sign environmental treaties but not ratify them? U.S. presidents have negotiated and signed several environmental treaties that ultimately could not obtain Senate ratification. This article considers two alternative explanations. First, presidents may face divided government and upcoming elections; elections can increase uncertainty regarding ratification, because they upset majorities and change congressional preferences on issues. Such factors may have caused “involuntary” defection from international environmental cooperation. Second, compensation and compromise on enabling legislation could satisfy enough senators and their constituents to allow the legislation's passage. Failure to secure ratification may be a result of the president's overestimating the potential for negotiating a policy package capable of creating sufficient support to obtain Senate ratification. I compare domestic constraints on U.S. participation in three international environmental negotiations—climate change, biodiversity, and chemicals—to assess the alternative explanations. The cases exemplify how domestic institutions affect international environmental cooperation.
Newman and the Fathers of the Church
Authors: Lang Uwe Michael
Published: February 2011

John Henry Newman's study of the Church Fathers began during his years as a fellow of Oriel College and continued through his Anglican and Catholic periods almost to the end of his life. Among the various motives that attracted Newman to patristic theology, there are two that I consider especially important: scriptural hermeneutics and ecclesiology. He saw in the Fathers authentic interpreters of scripture, who read the Bible in and with the church in an exemplary way; he also found in them witnesses to the church's understanding of herself and of her offices. Through his ever more extensive reading on the doctrinal controversies in the patristic period, Newman formulated his theory of the development of doctrine, which is one of his major contributions to modern Catholic theology. Newman read the Fathers as contemporaries, as participants in the theological conversations and controversies of his own day. In the writings of the early bishops and theologians, he found a theological method that was congenial to his own.
Newman and Victorian Doubt
Authors: Kenny Anthony
Published: February 2011

Of the two sorts of doubt, interdenominational doubt and fundamental religious doubt, Newman does not seem to have suffered from the latter and did not write a great deal about it. What he did write, especially about conscience, is not convincing for a later secular age. What is more fruitful is how Newman related to other doubters of his age: his younger brother Francis who finished a Unitarian, and Matthew Arnold and his younger brother Tom who (twice) became a Catholic. John Newman first shunned his brother but in the end maintained friendly but distant relations with unbelievers. But Victorian doubt was inherited and the real threat to what Newman stood for came from a later generation.
The Wonder of Newman's Education
Authors: Loughlin Gerard
Published: February 2011

This article examines the place of wonder in Newman's account of university education. It pays particular attention to Newman's ‘Rise and Progress of Universities’ (1872) rather than to his better known The Idea of a University (1873). The article first introduces some ideas about wonders and wondering, as found in medieval thought and in Newman's writings, before proceeding to the wonder that was Newman's attempt to establish a university in Dublin, and that is his history (historia) of the university: a story (fabula) that is every bit as marvellous as any medieval tale. Newman's educational romance involves the islands of Britannia and Hibernia, and the cities of Athens, Rome and Dublin. The article also considers the place of personal encounter and the written word in Newman's idea and practice of education, before finally offering some brief reflections on the diversity of modern society and university education. The article closes by suggesting the necessity of wonder for the gaining of knowledge.
Newman the Pastor
Authors: Strange Roderick
Published: February 2011

When people think about Newman, they usually think, first of all, about his ideas, doctrinal development, the relationship between faith and reason, the place of the laity in the Church, and much else besides. But however brilliant those ideas may have been, Newman was never simply a thinker, a man trapped in his brain. The key question for him was always how to make the ideas become real. He had no interest in moving minds without touching hearts. Newly ordained as an Anglican deacon, then as a tutor at Oriel, as a leader and preacher during the early years of the Oxford Movement, as a parish priest in Birmingham, as an educator, and as a champion of the via media, of moderation in dispute, his instinct was invariably pastoral.
Relationship between subjective assessment of oral health and medical expenses in community‐dwelling elderly persons
Authors: Harada Eriko , Moriya Shingo , Murata Ayumi , Muramatsu Masumi , Kashiwazaki Haruhiko , Kobayashi Kunihiko , Notani Kenji , Inoue Nobuo
Published: February 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00459.x
 
Relationship between subjective assessment of oral health and medical expenses in community‐dwelling elderly persons

Objectives:  The increasing medical expenses of elderly persons in Japan’s rapidly ageing society have become a major concern. It is therefore important to elucidate the factors associated with such escalation. Here, we focused on the relationship between subjective self‐assessment of oral health, as an index of general health, and medical expenses (excluding dental repair) under the hypothesis that oral health contributes to general medical expenses. Several studies have shown that oral health status is correlated with general health status among elderly persons. We speculated that oral health status might show a relation with medical costs among elderly persons. However, few studies have investigated this relationship to date.

Materials and Methods:  Participants were 259 elderly subjects (range: 65–84 years; 120 men, 139 women) residing independently. Subjective assessment of oral health was evaluated by their responses (‘Good’, ‘Not good’ and ‘Not at all good’) on a survey questionnaire. The correlation between subjective assessment of oral health and medical expenditure was analysed using Spearman’s rank method, the Mann–Whitney U‐test and the Kruskal–Wallis test. Medical expenses were used as the dependent variable in multinomial logistic regression analysis with background and intraoral factors as independent variables.

Results:  A slight yet statistically significant correlation was observed between subjective assessment of oral health and outpatient treatment fees.

Conclusion:  The findings revealed that subjective assessment of oral health is significantly and independently related to the medical expenses of community‐dwelling elderly persons after adjusting for social background, living environment and physical factors.
Patient perceptions of caring and association with emergency department activity and access block
Authors: Limbourn Sarah , Celenza Antonio
Published: February 2011

Objective:  To develop and validate a questionnaire isolating patients' perceptions of caring as individuals provided by ED doctors. This tool was then applied to explore the relationship between ED activity and patient perceptions of caring.

Methods:  Following questionnaire development and reliability analysis, a prospective, cross‐sectional study was performed of ED patients who completed the written questionnaire regarding perceptions of caring. The ED tracking database obtained demographic data, patient visit characteristics and markers of departmental activity. Spearman's rho evaluated associations between perceptions of caring and activity. Free text responses were analysed thematically.

Results:  In reliability testing the questionnaire demonstrated Kappa 0.679, Cronbach's alpha 0.891. The survey was completed by 467 patients. Over 95% of patients agreed that ED doctors: identified themselves; took the problem seriously; treated patients with respect; were courteous and considerate; and demonstrated an overall caring attitude towards patients. Lower agreement occurred with doctors: not distracted by other issues; patient involvement in decisions about care; respect for cultural or religious needs; and doctors going out of their way to help. There were no significant differences in the proportion of patients recruited from different days of the week, shifts or sex. No clinically important associations were demonstrated between perceptions of caring and departmental activity. Least liked aspects of ED care related to system issues rather than the interpersonal relationship with the ED doctors.

Conclusions:  This study has validated a questionnaire isolating caring attributes. ED activity was not associated with patients' perceptions of being cared for by ED doctors.
Accuracy of Flowmeters Measuring Horizontal Groundwater Flow in an Unconsolidated Aquifer Simulator
Authors: Bayless E.R. , Mandell Wayne A. , Ursic James R.
Published: February 2011

Borehole flowmeters that measure horizontal flow velocity and direction of groundwater flow are being increasingly applied to a wide variety of environmental problems. This study was carried out to evaluate the measurement accuracy of several types of flowmeters in an unconsolidated aquifer simulator. Flowmeter response to hydraulic gradient, aquifer properties, and well‐screen construction was measured during 2003 and 2005 at the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The flowmeters tested included a commercially available heat‐pulse flowmeter, an acoustic Doppler flowmeter, a scanning colloidal borescope flowmeter, and a fluid‐conductivity logging system. Results of the study indicated that at least one flowmeter was capable of measuring borehole flow velocity and direction in most simulated conditions. The mean error in direction measurements ranged from 15.1° to 23.5° and the directional accuracy of all tested flowmeters improved with increasing hydraulic gradient. The range of Darcy velocities examined in this study ranged 4.3 to 155 ft/d. For many plots comparing the simulated and measured Darcy velocity, the squared correlation coefficient (r2) exceeded 0.92. The accuracy of velocity measurements varied with well construction and velocity magnitude. The use of horizontal flowmeters in environmental studies appears promising but applications may require more than one type of flowmeter to span the range of conditions encountered in the field. Interpreting flowmeter data from field settings may be complicated by geologic heterogeneity, preferential flow, vertical flow, constricted screen openings, and nonoptimal screen orientation.
Tide‐Induced Air Pressure Fluctuations in a Coastal Unsaturated Zone: Effects of Thin Low‐Permeability Pavements
Authors: Xia Yuqiang , Li Hailong , Wang Li
Published: February 2011

This paper presents an analytical case study to explore one‐dimensional subsurface air pressure variation in a coastal three‐layered unsaturated zone. The upper layer is thin and much less permeable than the middle layer, and water table is located in the very permeable lower layer. An analytical solution was derived to describe the air pressure variation caused by tide‐induced water table fluctuations. We revisited the case study at Hong Kong International Airport conducted by Jiao and Li (2004) who used a two‐dimensional numerical model. The analytical prediction using the parameter values equivalent to the two‐dimensional numerical model agreed very well with the observed air pressure, indicating the validity and applicability of our one‐dimensional model in approximating the actual situation in this coastal zone with adequate accuracy. The analysis revealed that the asphalt pavement played an important role in causing air pressure fluctuations below it. Abnormally high air pressure can be caused beneath the surface pavement when the air permeability decreases due to rainfall infiltration, which may lead to heaving problems during rising tides.
State Boards of Health: Governance and Politics
Authors: Hughes Richard , Ramdhanie Korisha , Wassermann Travis , Moscetti Craig
Published: February 2011

The governance structures of state public health systems vary as much as the states themselves, including the existence and role of state boards of health. Understanding these differences is essential to a complete understanding of the governmental public health enterprise. State boards of health are obvious vehicles for public health policy development in some states, where they work closely with or oversee state health agencies. In other states they do not exist or serve only in a non-binding advisory capacity.

In this article, we distinguish and identify state boards of health and state public health advisory boards, examine state boards of health in practice, and discuss their role in advocacy and policy development in the context of state politics. We used a set of mixed qualitative methods, including a literature review, online research of state statutes establishing state board of health authorities, and key informant interviews. Informants were five current and former state board of health members, four current and former state health officers, and nine state health agency senior policy staff, spanning 13 states.
Public Health Preparedness Laws and Policies: Where Do We Go after Pandemic 2009 H1N1 Influenza?
Authors: O’Connor Jean , Jarris Paul , Vogt Richard , Horton Heather
Published: February 2011

The detection and spread of pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza in the United States led to a complex and multi-faceted response by the public health system that lasted more than a year. When the first domestic case of the virus was detected in California on April 15, 2009, and a second, unrelated case was identified more than 130 miles away in the same state on April 17, 2009, the unique combination of influenza virus genes in addition to its emergence and rapid spread at the end of the typical Northern Hemisphere influenza season suggested the potential for a high morbidity, high mortality event. In response, federal, state, and local public health officials conducted epidemiologic investigations with federal and state laboratory support to help to determine the scope of the H1N1 pandemic. On April 26, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency that was renewed through June 23, 2010. The pandemic that ensued tested virtually every aspect of U.S. public health preparedness and response systems, from laboratory capabilities and capacities to social distancing plans.
Regulating Food Retail for Obesity Prevention: How Far Can Cities Go?
Authors: Diller Paul A. , Graff Samantha
Published: February 2011

A growing number of cities and counties have emerged as leaders in the fight against obesity in the United States and have enacted innovative policies to address this epidemic. Much of this local strategy focuses on how retail food establishments — namely, chain restaurants, corner stores, supermarkets, farmers markets, and mobile vendors – affect public health. Recognizing the enormous influence a community’s food environment has on the quality and quantity of what people eat, cities and counties have sought to encourage food retail establishments to promote healthier options through regulations and incentives.
Treacherous Objects: Towards a Theory of Jacobite Material Culture
Authors: PITTOCK MURRAY
Published: February 2011

This article examines the importance of material objects and their circulation, decor, cant and code as means of avoiding prosecution under sedition or treason legislation in the period from 1680 to 1760. It seeks to move the discussion of the use of such material in communicative and associative strategies beyond the realms of antiquarianism and connoisseurship to develop a theory of Jacobite material culture. The study concludes with an examination of the work of James Gibbs and a discussion of interior plasterwork in Scotland and England, notably at the House of Dun.
HSPC117 Is the Essential Subunit of a Human tRNA Splicing Ligase Complex
Authors: Popow Johannes , Englert Markus , Weitzer Stefan , Schleiffer Alexander , Mierzwa Beata , Mechtler Karl , Trowitzsch Simon , Will Cindy L. , Lührmann Reinhard , Söll Dieter , Martinez Javier
Published: February 2011

The human enzyme that joins transfer RNA exons together is discovered.
On the Future of Genomic Data
Authors: Kahn Scott D.
Published: February 2011

Many of the challenges in genomics derive from the informatics needed to store and analyze the raw sequencing data that is available from highly multiplexed sequencing technologies. Because single week-long sequencing runs today can produce as much data as did entire genome centers a few years ago, the need to process terabytes of information has become de rigueur for many labs engaged in genomic research. The availability of deep (and large) genomic data sets raises concerns over information access, data security, and subject/patient privacy that must be addressed for the field to continue its rapid advances.
Is New Madrid Dead?
Disaster Deferred
How New Science Is Changing Our View of Earthquake Hazards in the Midwest

by Seth Stein

Columbia University Press, New York, 2010. 294 pp. $27.95, £19.95. ISBN 9780231151382.
Authors: Hamburger Michael
Published: February 2011

Stein argues that earthquake risks from the New Madrid fault have been overestimated and thus have led to a misallocation of research and preparation funds.
The Lives of Proteins
Authors: Plotkin Joshua B.
Published: February 2011

A new method to measure protein dynamics in living cells reveals how protein removal regulates cell physiology.
The Landscape of Human Evolution
Authors: Sabeti Pardis
Published: February 2011

A current challenge is how to link candidate genetic loci with our evolution.
The Genetics of Primary Aldosteronism
Authors: Funder John W.
Published: February 2011

Adrenal gland tumor growth and increased aldosterone production are linked to mutations in a potassium channel.
My Genome
Authors: Tutu Desmond
Published: February 2011

The author explains the personal impact of having his genome sequence and his hopes that it will also benefit the people of South Africa.
Making Data Maximally Available
Authors: Hanson Brooks , Sugden Andrew , Alberts Bruce
Published: February 2011

Science is driven by data. New technologies have vastly increased the ease of data collection and consequently the amount of data collected, while also enabling data to be independently mined and reanalyzed by others. And society now relies on scientific data of diverse kinds; for example, in responding to disease outbreaks, managing resources, responding to climate change, and improving transportation. It is obvious that making data widely available is an essential element of scientific research. The scientific community strives to meet its basic responsibilities toward transparency, standardization, and data archiving. Yet, as pointed out in a special section of this issue (pp. 692–729), scientists are struggling with the huge amount, complexity, and variety of the data that are now being produced.
From Nuclear Watchdog to the Maelstrom of Cairo
Authors: Charles Dan
Published: February 2011

Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, recently became a central figure in the antigovernment protests in Egypt and is on a steering committee of opposition leaders.
The Genome Project: What Will It Do as a Teenager?
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: February 2011

The 10th anniversary of the completion of the draft human genome sequence has been a time for celebration—and also for sober stock-taking. Eric Green, director of the U.S. National Human Genome Research Institute, discussed the institute's 10-year map with
Science
in an interview.
What Would You Do?
Authors: Couzin-Frankel Jennifer
Published: February 2011

As technology makes it easier to sequence people's DNA for research, scientists are facing tough decisions over what information to give back.
Will Computers Crash Genomics?
Authors: Pennisi Elizabeth
Published: February 2011

New technologies are making sequencing DNA easier and cheaper than ever, but the ability to analyze and store all that data is lagging.
Is There an Astronomer in the House?
Authors: Reed Sarah
Published: February 2011

With biomedical researchers analyzing stars and astronomers tackling cancer, two unlikely collaborations creatively solve data problems.
May the Best Analyst Win
Authors: Carpenter Jennifer
Published: February 2011

Exploiting crowdsourcing, a company called Kaggle runs public competitions to analyze the data of scientists, companies, and organizations.
Needleless Vaccine Delivery Using Micro-Shock Waves
Authors: Jagadeesh Gopalan , Prakash G. Divya , Rakesh S. G. , Allam Uday Sankar , Krishna M. Gopala , Eswarappa Sandeepa M. , Chakravortty Dipshikha
Published: February 2011

Shock waves are one of the most efficient mechanisms of energy dissipation observed in nature. In this study, utilizing the instantaneous mechanical impulse generated behind a micro-shock wave during a controlled explosion, a novel nonintrusive needleless vaccine delivery system has been developed. It is well-known that antigens in the epidermis are efficiently presented by resident Langerhans cells, eliciting the requisite immune response, making them a good target for vaccine delivery. Unfortunately, needle-free devices for epidermal delivery have inherent problems from the perspective of the safety and comfort of the patient. The penetration depth of less than 100 μm in the skin can elicit higher immune response without any pain. Here we show the efficient utilization of our needleless device (that uses micro-shock waves) for vaccination. The production of liquid jet was confirmed by high-speed microscopy, and the penetration in acrylamide gel and mouse skin was observed by confocal microscopy.
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium vaccine strain pmrG-HM-D (DV-STM-07) was delivered using our device in the murine salmonellosis model, and the effectiveness of the delivery system for vaccination was compared with other routes of vaccination. Vaccination using our device elicits better protection and an IgG response even at a lower vaccine dose (10-fold less) compared to other routes of vaccination. We anticipate that our novel method can be utilized for effective, cheap, and safe vaccination in the near future.
Molecular Analysis of a Novel Simian Virus 40 (SV40) Type in Rhesus Macaques and Evidence for Double Infections with the Classical SV40 Type
Authors: Fagrouch Zahra , Karremans Kevin , Deuzing Ilona , van Gessel Sabine , Niphuis Henk , Bogers Willy , Verschoor Ernst J.
Published: February 2011

The incidence of simian virus 40 (SV40) infections in rhesus macaques infected with simian-human immunodeficiency viruses (SHIV) and in uninfected animals was determined using PCR. Rates varied from 5% in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of uninfected monkeys to 19.6% in SHIV-infected macaques. Much higher detection rates, up to 75%, were found in lymph nodes and spleen samples of SHIV-infected animals. Sequence analysis of PCR amplicons revealed that they form two genetic clusters, one containing the majority of known SV40 strains and the other formed by variants with 7% genetic difference. Based on this difference, we propose two SV40 types: “type 1” or “classical type” for the majority of SV40 strains and “type 2” for the novel SV40 variants. The genome of one variant, SV40-Ri257, was completely sequenced and analyzed. The agnogene of SV40-Ri257 extends into the VP2 open reading frame and encodes a typical agnoprotein fused to a C-terminal hydrophobic region. The transcriptional control region (TCR) of SV40-Ri257 is the least conserved region compared to type 1 viruses. Particularly, the 3′ end of the TCR, containing the early promoter and enhancer region, exhibits considerable variation. Further analysis of SHIV-infected macaques with type-specific PCRs revealed that the TCR of type 1 was completely conserved, whereas this region in type 2 varied considerably within the early enhancer region. We provide evidence here for the existence of a novel SV40 type in rhesus macaques and show that double infections with both types frequently occur.
Strain Variation among Bordetella pertussis Isolates Circulating in Poland after 50 Years of Whole-Cell Pertussis Vaccine Use
Authors: Mosiej Ewa , Augustynowicz Ewa , Zawadka Monika , Dąbrowski Waldemar , Lutyńska Anna
Published: February 2011

In the present study, clinical isolates of
Bordetella pertussis
collected in Poland from 1960 to 2005 were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) according to protocols recommended in previous studies. Among the 110 isolates from 1995 to 2005, 59 PFGE patterns were found, most of which were different from those currently circulating in other European Union (EU) countries for which data are available. The PFGE patterns of currently disseminating
B. pertussis
clones were found within PFGE groups III and IV, as elsewhere in the EU, and in newly identified clusters A and C. Up to 70, 26, and 4%, respectively, of the currently isolated strains in Poland harbored
ptxA1-prn1
,
ptxA1-prn2
, and
ptxA1-prn3
allele combinations, and most (82%) were found to be of the Fim2 phenotype. Differences in the extent of heterogeneity estimated by PFGE typing in
B. pertussis
populations circulating in Poland in comparison to other EU countries may be due to the different vaccine composition strategy, since routine pertussis vaccination was initiated in Poland in 1960.
TaqMan Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Assay for Universal Detection and Quantification of Avian Hepatitis E Virus from Clinical Samples in the Presence of a Heterologous Internal Control RNA
Authors: Troxler Salome , Marek Ana , Prokofieva Irina , Bilic Ivana , Hess Michael
Published: February 2011

Avian hepatitis E virus (HEV) isolates could be separated into at least three genotypes. In this study, the development of the first duplex TaqMan real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay for detection and quantification of avian HEV is presented. Primers and probes binding within relatively conserved open reading frame 3 (ORF3) were designed. Tenfold dilution series of
in vitro
-transcribed avian HEV RNA were used as the standard for quantification. A 712-bp region of the green fluorescent protein gene was transcribed
in vitro
and used as a heterologous internal control for both RNA isolation and real-time RT-PCR. The duplex real-time RT-PCR for avian HEV had an efficiency of 1.04, a regression squared value of 0.996, and a sensitivity of approximately 3.6 × 10
3
copies per reaction mixture when
in vitro
-transcribed RNA was used as the template. The presence of
in vitro
-transcribed heterologous internal control RNA did not affect amplification of avian HEV RNA compared to that achieved by the single assay. The sensitivity of the real-time RT-PCR assay was comparable to that of conventional RT-PCR, and it was shown to be highly specific, as tissues from uninfected chickens, mammalian HEVs, and other viral genomes did not produce positive signals. All tested field samples with virus belonging to different avian HEV genotypes were successfully detected with this new duplex TaqMan real-time RT-PCR assay.
Immune-Induced Evolutionary Selection Focused on a Single Reading Frame in Overlapping Hepatitis B Virus Proteins
Authors: Maman Yaakov , Blancher Antoine , Benichou Jennifer , Yablonka Adi , Efroni Sol , Louzoun Yoram
Published: February 2011

Viruses employ various means to evade immune detection. Reduction of CD8+T cell epitopes is one of the common strategies used for this purpose. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), a member of theHepadnaviridaefamily, has four open reading frames, with about 50% overlap between the genes they encode. We computed the CD8+T cell epitope density within HBV proteins and the mutations within the epitopes. Our results suggest that HBV accumulates escape mutations that reduce the number of epitopes. These mutations are not equally distributed among genes and reading frames. While the highly expressed core and X proteins are selected to have low epitope density, polymerase, which is expressed at low levels, does not undergo the same selection. In overlapping regions, mutations in one protein-coding sequence also affect the other protein-coding sequence. We show that mutations lead to the removal of epitopes in X and surface proteins even at the expense of the addition of epitopes in polymerase. The total escape mutation rate for overlapping regions is lower than that for nonoverlapping regions. The lower epitope replacement rate for overlapping regions slows the evolutionary escape rate of these regions but leads to the accumulation of mutations more robust in the transfer between hosts, such as mutations preventing proteasomal cleavage into epitopes.
The effect of some structural changes in the molecule of vasopressin on the duration of antidiuretic action
Authors: Barth Tomislav , Hrbas Pavel , Škopková Jana , Vilhardt Hans , Flegel Martin , Jošt Karel
Published: February 2011

The effect of two structural variations in the molecule of [8-D-arginine]deamino-vasopressin on the prolongation of the antidiuretic action of the analogues in non-anesthetised rats was studied. The replacement of glutamine in position 4 of the peptide chain with a suitable amino acid has prolonged the half-life of the antidiuretic effect. A more prolonged antidiuretic effect was obtained when the stabilization of the cyclic structure of [8-D-arginine]deamino vasopressin was performed by replacement of the disulfidic bridge by the monocarba bridge. The binding and activating constants (adenylate cyclase) in a membrane fraction of the rat kidney were compared with the factors influencing the metabolic stability of the molecule of the individual analogues.
4,4-Dimethyl-A-homoandrostane epoxides
Authors: Velgová Helena
Published: February 2011

Epimeric 3-hydroxy derivatives II and III were prepared on reduction of ketone I and then submitted to epoxidation. It was found that the 5(0)n participation of the 3α-oxygenated substituent leads to the formation of 3α, 5α-transannular epoxide IX both if the 5β,6β-epoxide VIII was opened with alkalies, or when the 5,6-double bond of the hydroxy derivative III was epoxidized, 3α,5α-Transannular epoxide XI was prepared as a substance with potential antiandrogenic activity.
Theoretical study of stereochemistry of methoxy(methylthio)methane as a model of thioacetal segment in thiosaccharides
Authors: Tvaroška Igor
Published: February 2011

The stereochemistry of methoxy(methylthio)methane - a model of the thioacetal segment in thiosaccharides - has been studied by semiempirical quantum -chemical methods. The conformational map of the rotation around the central C-O and C-S bonds has been calculated by the PCILO method. Decomposition of the energy for the rotation around the C-O (C-S)bond (the methyl group being fixed in the antiperiplanar position) in terms of the Fourier series gives the values 7.12 (2.53) kJ mol-1 for the respective rotational barrier. The geometry of five stable conformers, whose stability decreases in the order (sc,sc) > (ap,sc) > (-ac,sc) > (ap,ap), has been optimized by the MNDO method. Ratio of the individual conformers in an isolated molecule calculated on the basis of the MNDO energies is 92 : 5 : 2 : 1 : 0, the mean dipole moment being 3.6 . 10-30 Cm. The solvent effect has been calculated by a method involving electrostatic and dispersion interactions and cavity contribution. Population of the conformers in diluted solutions depends on nature of the solvent, proportion of the antiperiplanar positions being increased with increasing polarity. The calculated ratios of the conformers are 85 : 8 : 3 : 4 : 0 and 63 : 14 : 7 : 16 : 0 in acetonitrile and water, respectively. The calculated values of the Gibbs energies have also been used for assessment of magnitude of anomeric and exo-anomeric effects in α- and β-1-thiopyranosides and α- and β-5-thiopyranosides.
Measurement of liquid hold-up of the dispersed phase by an ultrasonic method
Authors: Havlíček Antonín , Sovová Helena
Published: February 2011

A new method has been proposed of the continuous detection of the volume hold-up of the dispersed phase in a liquid-liquid system. The method utilizes different velocities of sound in the organic and the water phase and has been tested on four liquid systems typical for liquid extraction. These experiments have shown the dependence of the velocity of ultrasound on the hold-up to be given by Eq. (7) as well as its dependence on the size of the droplets forming the dispersion. Further the experiments have revealed no interaction between the effect of the hold-up and a third component dissolved in the liquids on the velocity of ultrasound in the dispersion. The net effect may thus be computed by the additivity rule. Thanks to its simplicity and reliability the method is suitable not only for laboratory measurements but also for monitoring hold-up in large scale industrial equipment.
Polymerization of methyl methacrylate initiated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide-sulphuric acid-acetone system
Authors: Pavlinec Jiří , Lazár Milan
Published: February 2011

The radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate may be efficiently initiated by tert-butyl-hydroperoxide at 40°C and lower, deep below the temperatures of spontaneous hydroperoxide decomposition, when sulphuric acid simultaneously with ketones is used as the activator of peroxide decomposition. The initial reaction rate depends on concentration of initiator components, the exponents with regard to tert-butyl hydroperoxide, sulphuric acid and acetone being 0.25, 0.5 and 0.5, respectively. Water retards the hydroperoxide decomposition very efficiently and the polymerization rate is inversely proportional to the square root of water concentration in the system. Within the concentration range of hydroperoxide (1. 10-3 - 3. 10-2 mol dm-3), sulphuric acid 2.62 . 10-2 mol dm-3 and acetone 0.2 mol dm-3 the observed initial polymerization rate varies from 14.4%/hour to 34.5%/hour at 40°C. The concentration of water, introduced into the system by the polymerization components, was 0.05% in all cases. The activating effect of ketones upon the acid catalyzed hydroperoxide decomposition is accounted for by the formation of ketone-H2SO4 adduct that facilities the decomposition of hydroperoxide.
Reactions of 4,4'-disubstituted diphenyl sulfides with chloroacetyl chloride and aluminium chloride
Authors: Jílek Jiří , Pomykáček Josef , Holubek Jiří , Svátek Emil , Ryska Miroslav , Protiva Jiří , Protiva Miroslav
Published: February 2011

Reactions of 4,4'-dihalogenodiphenyl sulfides IIIa-IIIc with chloroacetyl chloride and aluminium chloride afforded the enol forms of 2,8-dihalogeno-11-(chloroacetyl)dibenzo[b,f]thiepin-10(11H)-ones IVa-IVc. A similar reaction of di(4-methylphenyl) sulfide (IIId) resulted in 9-(chloromethylene)-2,7-dimethylthioxanthene (Vd) as the main product. Substitution reactions of IVa with piperidine and 1-methylpiperazine gave compounds VI and VII with the unchanged chelate system of the starting substance. A stepwise methylation of (2-phenylthiophenyl)acetonitrile resulted in the monomethyl derivative XVI and the dimethyl derivative XVII which afforded by alkaline hydrolysis the acids XVIII and XIX. Attempts at their cyclization with polyphosphoric acid to the corresponding 11-methylated dibenzo[b,f]thiepin-10(11H)ones are described.
Reaction of daunomycinone with diols
Authors: Jizba Josef V. , Sedmera Petr , Vokoun Jindřich , Lipavská Helena , Podojil Miloslav , Vaněk Zdenko
Published: February 2011

During the acid catalyzed acetalization of the 13-ketone group of daunomycinone (I) by 1,2-ethanediol or 1,3-propanediolits 7-O-alkylation also takes place. The 7-O-ω-hydroxyalkyl derivatives only are formed with 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol or 1,4-butynediol. The conformational preference of new compounds is discussed. The (7S)-ω-hydroxyalkyl derivatives of daunomycinone are active against Bacillus subtilis, on the contrary to I and their (7R)-epimers.
Minor alkaloids from Stylophorum diphyllum (MICHX.) NUTT.
Authors: Slavík Jiří , Slavíková Leonora
Published: February 2011

In addition to known alkaloids in Stylophorum diphyllum (MICHX.).NUTT., i.e. (-)-stylopine, (+)-chelidonine, coptisine, protopine, sanguinarine, macarpine, chelirubine, and (+-)-chelidonine (diphylline) the following minor alkaloids were also isolated: (+-)-stylopine, chelerythrine, corysamine, corytuberine, magnoflorine, (-)-β-N-methylstylopinium hydroxide and (-)-α-N-methylstylopinium hydroxide (the last three after conversion to iodides).Allocryptopine, berberine, cryptopine, isoboldine and scoulerine were detected in this material in trace amounts.
Stereoisomeric chiral 2,9-diazabicyclo[4.4.0.]decane-3,10-diones as models of dipeptide grouping: Synthesis, X-ray, IR, NMR and cd studies
Authors: Bláha Karel , Farag Ahmed M. , Helm Dick VAN DER , Hossain M. Bilayet , Buděšínský Miloš , Maloň Petr , Smolíková Jorga , Tichý Miloš
Published: February 2011

Synthesis of the title optically active bicyclic dilactams I and II with cis- and trans-annelation of rings is described. The stereospecific synthesis started from (2R)-2-benzamido-2-(4-oxocyclohexyl)acetic acid ((-)-VI) whose absolute configuration was determined by chemical correlation with the known (2R)-2-amino-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetic acid ((-)-IIIb). Relative configuration at the bridgehead atoms in I and II was assigned by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis which showed the detailed conformation in crystal. According to the 1H NMR spectra in solution the trans-isomer II has the same configuration as in crystal whereas the cis-isomer I exists in two forms one of which is identical with that in crystal. This conformational analysis agrees also with the IR spectra, detecting an intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded conformation for IIbut no hydrogen bond for I. The CD spectra of both lactams were successfully interpreted using the exciton theory in the π-π region where it reflects the differences in the angles Φ and ψ (for I Φ = 110°, ψ = -143°; forII Φ = -145°, ψ = 162°). In the n-π transition region the interpretation was based on the quadrant rule and also inherent non-planarity of one of the amide groups in II.
An enzyme electrode for determination of aromatic diamines and aminophenols based on cross-linked ceruloplasmin
Authors: Macholán Lumír , Jílek Milan
Published: February 2011

The determination of aromatic amines and phenols by an enzyme pO2 electrode containing cross-linked ceruloplasmin in the reaction layer was examined. The electrode shows at pH 5.5 a marked selectivity for derivatives with-NH2 or NR2, resp., and -OH-groups in para and ortho position while its sensitivity for aromatic diamines is better than its sensitivity for aminophenols and polyphenols. p-Phenylenediamine and its N,N-dialkyl derivatives are the best analytes which can be detected starting from concentrations of 10-5 mol l-1 and higher; the reproducibility is 5-7% at an electrode response time of 2-5 min.
A quantum-chemical study of phenol self-association of open and cyclic dimers and trimers
Authors: Remko Milan
Published: February 2011

Itermolecular hydrogen bond in the open/linear and cyclic/closed dimers and trimers of phenol has been studied by means of the quantum-chemical PCILO method. Our calculations have shown that the open /linear associate is more stable in the case of the dimers. On the contrary, the cyclic/closed associate is more stable in the case of the trimers. Positive cooperativity has been observed by formation of both the open/linear and cyclic/closed trimers
Preparation of short glass microbore columns for liquid chromatography and their properties
Authors: Kouřilová Danuše , Šlais Karel , Krejčí Miloš
Published: February 2011

The preparation is described of thick-walled glass columns, inner diameter 0.5 mm and outer diameter 4.5 mm, packed with Separon SI C 18 (dp = 6 and 10 μm) from suspension under pressures of 20-35 MPa in the presence of an ionogenic detergent; the column length ranged from 5 to 30 cm. The minimum value of the height equivalent to a theoretical plate was Hmin = 2.8 - 3.3dp. The effect of the extra-column contributions to the dispersion on the slope of the linear part of the dependence of the height equivalent to a theoretical plate on the mobile phase velocity was examined and found to become significant at higher velocities, thereby imposing limitations on the shortening of the time of analysis.
(3R)-5-Azatricyclo[4.3.1.03,8]decan-4-one, a lactam with a non-planar cis-amide group: Synthesis, geometry and chiroptical properties
Authors: Tichý Miloš , Farag Ahmed M. , Maloň Petr , Kálal Petr , Bláha Karel
Published: February 2011

Stereospecific synthesis of the title lactam (+)-I starting from (1R,5R,6R)-3-oxobicyclo[3.2.1]-octane-6-carboxylic acid is described. X-Ray structure determination has shown a marked non-planarityof the amide group in I. In accord with theoretical calculations, CD spectrum of the studied (+)-(3R)-enantiomer exhibits a positive n-π and negative π-π band. The rotational strength of the n-π transition is three times higher than that of the π-π transition, contrary to the behaviour of lactams with virtually planar amide groups.