bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influential factors for sun policy implementation in Danish kindergartens
Authors: Rezai Ladan , Thorgaard Camilla , Philip Anja
Published: March 2011

Background: In 2007, the Danish Cancer Society and the Tryg Fonden launched a campaign to prevent skin cancer and melanoma. As a part of this intervention programme, the Danish Cancer Society prepared a ‘‘sun policy’’, which recommends how children in Danish kindergartens can be protected from the sun. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the factors that influence a decision to implement the sun policy in Danish kindergartens. Methods: We conducted a comparative qualitative study. Data were collected at semi-structured interviews with the principals of five kindergartens with a sun policy and five without. Results: The key factor in making a decision is the priority given to the sun policy by the principal, which in turn depends on the principal’s perception of his or her resources. Further factors are the principal’s attitude toward parental responsibility and media focus on sun protection. Conclusions: Principals must be convinced of the importance of a written sun policy. A mailed reminder containing arguments about its importance to accompany the draft sun policy might reinforce the formulation and implementation of sun policies nationwide.
Methodological challenges in using practice theory in consumption research. Examples from a study on handling nutritional contestations of food consumption
Authors: Halkier Bente , Jensen Iben
Published: March 2011

In this article, we discuss the challenges of analytical translations between practice theory and empirical research methods in consumption research. We argue that a social constructivist interpretation of practice theory can be particularly useful in enabling consumption researchers to carry out empirical studies that are different from mainstream approaches to consumer culture. Such mainstream approaches typically privilege either individual consumer choices or cultural structures outside of the reach of consumers. We highlight two analytical affordances from social constructivist practice theory. The first is to enable consumption researchers to analyse ways of consuming and how these are entangled in webs of social reproductions and changes. The second is to allow consumption researchers to understand ways of consuming as continuous relational accomplishments in intersectings of multiple practices in everyday life. We discuss the methodological implications for data-production and data-analysis from these two analytical affordances on the basis of our empirical qualitative study of the handling of nutritionalized contestation of food consumption among Pakistani Danes.
Regulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and Mas receptor by Ang-(1–7) in heart and kidney of spontaneously hypertensive rats
Authors: Tan Zhen , Wu Jingguo , Ma Hong
Published: March 2011

Inter-regulation between components of the renin–angiotensin system is common, but little is known about the direct regulatory effects of Ang-(1–7) on expression of tissue ACE2 and the Mas receptor. Eighteen male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and 20 normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats were randomly allocated to four groups of 9–10 rats each and received either 24µg/kg per hour of Ang-(1–7) in saline or saline alone (5ml/h) by infusion for 14 consecutive days. Tail-cuff systolic blood pressures were recorded and ACE2 and Mas expression was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Cardiac and renal ACE2 mRNA was decreased in SHR. Although having no effects on blood pressure, Ang-(1–7) down-regulated cardiac ACE2 mRNA in normotensive rats (1.80 ± 0.27 vs. 5.89 ± 0.62, p < 0.05) but did not change renal ACE2. Ang(1–7) down-regulated cardiac Mas mRNA of Wistar rats only (2.50 ± 0.44 vs. 8.10 ± 1.33, p < 0.05), and renal Mas mRNA of SHR receiving Ang-(1–7) was decreased (0.44 ± 0.09 vs. 1.00 ± 0.17, p < 0.05). Results from Western blot tests were consistent with those from QRT-PCR tests. These results suggest organ-specific regulation of local ACE2 and Mas expression by continuous infusion of Ang-(1–7) which did not alter blood pressure of either SHR or Wistar rats.
Identity Matching in a Patient With Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Steinunn Steingrimsdottir Hanna , Arntzen Erik
Published: March 2011

Difficulties with short-term memory are one of the main problems in patients with dementia. Therefore, one purpose of this study was to examine the effects of simultaneous vs delayed presentation of comparison stimuli in a matching-to-sample (MTS) task using computerized training. By using an identity MTS procedure, the participant was trained to select a comparison stimulus identical to a sample stimulus. A 2nd purpose was to study the effect of the number of choices presented, thereby evaluating short-term memory deficits and possible deterioration of deficits over time. In this study, an 80-year-old-male with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 10 was exposed to 4 experimental conditions. The results showed that using 3 comparison stimuli presented simultaneously with the sample stimulus on the screen resulted in more incorrect responding than when using 2 comparison stimuli. Furthermore, when adding a 0-second delay between the presentation of the sample stimulus and the 2 comparison stimuli, the number of correct responses did not exceed chance level.
Long-Lasting Contralateral Motor Cortex Excitability Is Increased by Unilateral Hand Movement That Triggers Electrical Stimulation of Opposite Homologous Muscles
Authors: Schmidt Matthew W. , Hinder Mark R. , Summers Jeffery J. , Garry Michael I.
Published: March 2011

Background/objective. Long-term changes in the motor cortex can be induced by practicing motor tasks with simultaneous application of peripheral nerve stimulation. This combination may augment motor rehabilitation after stroke but has been used primarily during contraction of the affected hand. The authors tested the effect of a right hand movement that electrically stimulated left hand contraction on right motor cortex excitability. Methods. Three tasks were used in 15 healthy subjects—a motor and stimulation task (MStask), stimulation only task (Stask), and motor only task (Mtask). The MStask consisted of isometric thumb abduction of the right hand that triggered paired electrical stimulation of the left abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and first dorsal interosseus (FDI) motor points. The Stask was performed 1 week later and matched the stimulation received in the MStask. The Mtask was performed as a control. Transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the right motor cortex assessed corticospinal excitability, short latency intracortical inhibition, and intracortical facilitation of the FDI and APB before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after task performance. Results. Corticospinal excitability increased in the FDI and APB following the MStask but not following the Stask or Mtask. The increased excitability present 30 minutes after the MStask also correlated with excitability measures recorded 1 week later. Conclusion. A bilateral motor and electrical stimulation task can drive persistent adaptation within the corticospinal system. Hemiplegic subjects who have poor voluntary movement of the affected hand may be able to contract the unaffected hand to activate and train homologous movements.
An fMRI Marker for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Authors: Rath Jakob , Klinger Nicolaus , Geißler Alexander , Höllinger Ilse , Gruber Susanne , Wurnig Moritz , Hausner Thomas , Auff Eduard , Schmidhammer Robert , Beisteiner Roland
Published: March 2011

Final outcome after surgical repair of peripheral nerve transections varies. Here, we present the first longitudinal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) obserof cortical somatosensory reorganization patterns after surgery. A 43-year-old man presented with isolated complete transecof the right median nerve and underwent immediate epineural end-to-end coaptation. Applying standardized vibrotactile median nerve stimulation, 3 T brain activation maps were evaluated at 1, 7, 15 weeks and 1 year after surgery. Initially, the affected hemisphere showed no primary activation but increased frontoparietal activity. After 1 year, primary activation had recovered, and frontoparietal activity was decreased relative to the nonaffected hemisphere. Based on these longitudinal fMRI patterns, we propose a new marker for restoration of somatosensory function, which may not be provided by electrophysiological methods.
Just Food: Obesity Trends Demand System Strategies
Authors: Delaney Burke Joanne
Published: March 2011

Food and health are at the core of human existence and serve as common indicators of economic and social well-being. The simultaneous escalation in obesity rates and evidence of a food system marked by a lack of access and sustainability suggest the need for comprehensive systematic approaches to understanding, evaluating, and transforming both these complex and interrelated entities. This article reviews obesity trends and food system forces that may contribute to excessive caloric intake and food inequality. Given that obesity and food insecurity share many of the same etiologies, comprehensive evidence-based strategies designed to address shared causes may leverage the impact of shared solutions. The potential benefits of promoting healthy sustainable food systems to build healthy just communities are briefly explored to encourage more in-depth discussion.
Combining different binary decision diagram techniques for solving models with multiple failure states
Authors: Pock M , Malass'e O , Walter M
Published: March 2011

This article explains information flow diagrams (IFDs) in great detail. With these models, scenarios leading to dangerous failures as well as spurious shutdowns can be generated, taking into account several failure modes for basic components. These scenarios can be evaluated in a qualitative and quantified way. For an efficient solution different BDD-techniques were combined, mainly zero suppressed BDDs and binary expression diagrams. It is shown how these techniques were used for the model and how a large BDD is created by assembling several smaller diagrams, so that even large and complex systems can be described and evaluated in a compact and efficient way.
Anatomic Plantar Plate Repair Using the Weil Metatarsal Osteotomy Approach
Authors: Weil Lowell , Sung Wenjay , Weil Lowell Scott , Malinoski Kelly
Published: March 2011

The purpose of this study was to analyze the early results of a new technique for anatomic plantar plate repair and advancement using a Weil metatarsal osteotomy of the second metatarsal. The authors retrospectively reviewed medical records of 13 consecutive adult patients (15 feet) who underwent this procedure by a single surgeon. The authors recorded visual analog pain scale scores preoperatively and postoperatively and patient-reported clinical outcome measurement surveys during their final follow-up visit. At an average of 22.5 months (range, 13 to 33 months) follow-up, 11 of 13 patients (85%) reported improved function whereas 10 of 13 (77%) were either satisfied or very satisfied with the outcome. Postoperative scores on the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Lesser Metatarsophalangeal— Interphalangeal Scale averaged 85.7 on a scale of 100 (SD = 13.1, 95% CI = 79.1-91.5). Patients reported an average preoperative visual analog pain scale of 7.3 (SD = 1.6, 95% CI = 6.4-8.1) versus an average of 1.7 (SD = 1.8, 95% CI = 0.7-2.7) postoperatively. This was a significant reduction in pain rating (P < .0001, t = 8.9, df = 27). Complications included painful hardware and metatarsalgia. There were no cases of dehiscence, malunion, nonunion, or recurrent metatarsophalangeal joint subluxation. This unique surgical technique addresses metatarsal overload and the instability of the second metatarsophalangeal joint while allowing for anatomic repair of the plantar plate pathology.
Bilateral Simultaneous Achilles Tendon Rupture in the Absence of Risk Factors
Authors: Hashim Zaid , Dahabreh Ziad , Bin Jemain M.T. , Williams Hywel R.
Published: March 2011

The Achilles tendon is the most frequently ruptured tendon in the lower limb and comprises approximately 20% of all large tendon ruptures. Spontaneous rupture of the Achilles tendon is usually observed in healthy, active individuals in the third to fifth decades of life and is twice as common in males. It usually occurs following high-performance activities. The authors report a case of unusual presentation of bilateral simultaneous Achilles tendon ruptures that occurred following a low-effort-level sport and in the absence of risk factors. In the case presented, nonoperative treatment led to a successful outcome.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV, retrospective case study
Pediatric Calcaneal Nonunion Due to Cartilaginous Interposition: A Case Report
Authors: Mohan K.P. , Kudapalli Mukkanna
Published: March 2011

Nonunion of the calcaneum is a rare clinical situation, and it has not been observed in the pediatric age group. The authors hereby report a case of 14-year-old boy with a 6-month history of fall, treated by native bone setters by a below knee splint who had radio-logic evidence of calcaneal nonunion. He was treated by open reduction and internal fixation during which soft tissue interposition was seen intraoperatively. The fracture united uneventfully in 8 weeks after the surgical treatment. Histological analysis of the soft tissue showed the interposition of a cartilaginous fragment.
Provider Practices in Prediabetes Intervention and Diabetes Prevention
Authors: Cloney Tina Ann , Galer-Unti Regina A. , Barkley William M.
Published: March 2011

A cross-sectional study was performed to determine if evidence-based research in prediabetes management is utilized in the medical office setting in an effort to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes, and to determine whether any particular demographic variables including body mass index (BMI) and provider type (physician and nonphysician) predict referrals for prediabetes management ( P = .05). Electronic medical records (n = 82 317) were examined for International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and keywords disclosing a diagnosis of prediabetes. The records of individuals with diagnosed prediabetes were subsequently examined for keywords and ICD codes for lifestyle intervention. Logistic regression was utilized to determine whether any particular demographic factors significantly predicted whether medical providers will provide recommendations or referrals for lifestyle management of prediabetes. Age, BMI, and race were found to be significant predictors for recommendations/referrals, although overall rates of recommendation or referral were poor. Provider education and enhancements in organizational policy related to referral procedures and continuity of care from the clinical setting to the community health setting are crucial in promoting early interventions in prediabetes to offset the current projections for an increase in diabetes incidence.
Regulatory T cells control HIV replication in activated T cells through a cAMP-dependent mechanism
Authors: Moreno-Fernandez Maria E. , Rueda Cesar Mauricio , Rusie Laura K. , Chougnet Claire A.
Published: March 2011

We hypothesized that regulatory T cells (Tregs) could play a beneficial role during HIV infection by controlling HIV replication in conventional T cells (Tcons). Purified Tregs and Tcons from healthy donors were activated separately. Tcons were infected with the X4 or R5 HIV strains and cultured with or without autologous Tregs. Coculture of Tcons and Tregs resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of Tcon infection, which was significant when a 1:1 Treg:Tcon ratio was used. Treg suppression of HIV infection was largely mediated by contact-dependent mechanisms. Blockage of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte–associated antigen-4 did not significantly reduce Treg function. In contrast, Tregs acted through cAMP-dependent mechanisms, because the decrease of cAMP levels in Tregs, the blockade of gap junction formation between Tregs and Tcons, the blockage of CD39 activity, and the blockage of protein kinase A in Tcons all abolished Treg-mediated suppression of HIV replication. Our data suggest a complex role for Tregs during HIV infection. Although Tregs inhibit specific immune responses, their inhibition of HIV replication in Tcons may play a beneficial role, particularly during early HIV infection, when the effector immune cells are not yet activated. Such a protective role of Tregs could have a profound impact on infection outcome.
Self MHC class I–licensed NK cells enhance adaptive CD8 T-cell viral immunity
Authors: Stadnisky Michael D. , Xie Xuefang , Coats Ebony R. , Bullock Timothy N. , Brown Michael G.
Published: March 2011

MHC class I (MHC I) is essential to NK- and T-cell effector and surveillance functions. However, it is unknown whether MHC I polymorphism influences adaptive immunity through NK cells. Previously, we found that MHC I Dk, a cognate ligand for the Ly49G2 inhibitory receptor, was essential to NK control of murine (M)CMV infection. Here we assessed the significance of NK inhibitory receptor recognition of MCMV on CD8 T cells in genetically defined MHC I Dk disparate mice. We observed that Dk-licensed Ly49G2+ NK cells stabilized and then enhanced conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) recovery after infection. Furthermore, licensed NK support of cDC recovery was essential to enhance the tempo, magnitude, and effector activity of virus-specific CD8 T cells. Minimal cDC and CD8 T-cell number differences after low-dose MCMV in Dk disparate animals further implied that licensed NK recognition of MCMV imparted qualitative cDC changes to enhance CD8 T-cell priming.
Ex vivo expansion of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells
Authors: Dahlberg Ann , Delaney Colleen , Bernstein Irwin D.
Published: March 2011

Despite progress in our understanding of the growth factors that support the progressive maturation of the various cell lineages of the hematopoietic system, less is known about factors that govern the self-renewal of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), and our ability to expand human HSPC numbers ex vivo remains limited. Interest in stem cell expansion has been heightened by the increasing importance of HSCs in the treatment of both malignant and nonmalignant diseases, as well as their use in gene therapy. To date, most attempts to ex vivo expand HSPCs have used hematopoietic growth factors but have not achieved clinically relevant effects. More recent approaches, including our studies in which activation of the Notch signaling pathway has enabled a clinically relevant ex vivo expansion of HSPCs, have led to renewed interest in this arena. Here we briefly review early attempts at ex vivo expansion by cytokine stimulation followed by an examination of our studies investigating the role of Notch signaling in HSPC self-renewal. We will also review other recently developed approaches for ex vivo expansion, primarily focused on the more extensively studied cord blood–derived stem cell. Finally, we discuss some of the challenges still facing this field.
HIV disease progression despite suppression of viral replication is associated with exhaustion of lymphopoiesis
Authors: Sauce Delphine , Larsen Martin , Fastenackels Solène , Pauchard Michèle , Ait-Mohand Hocine , Schneider Luminita , Guihot Amélie , Boufassa Faroudy , Zaunders John , Iguertsira Malika , Bailey Michelle , Gorochov Guy , Duvivier Claudine , Carcelain Guislaine , Kelleher Anthony D. , Simon Anne , Meyer Laurence , Costagliola Dominique , Deeks Steven G. , Lambotte Olivier , Autran Brigitte , Hunt Peter W. , Katlama Christine , Appay Victor
Published: March 2011

The mechanisms of CD4+ T-cell count decline, the hallmark of HIV disease progression, and its relationship to elevated levels of immune activation are not fully understood. Massive depletion of CD4+ T cells occurs during the course of HIV-1 infection, so that maintenance of adequate CD4+ T-cell levels probably depends primarily on the capacity to renew depleted lymphocytes, that is, the lymphopoiesis. We performed here a comprehensive study of quantitative and qualitative attributes of CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells directly from the blood of a large set of HIV-infected persons compared with uninfected donors, in particular the elderly. Our analyses underline a marked impairment of primary immune resources with the failure to maintain adequate lymphocyte counts. Systemic immune activation emerges as a major correlate of altered lymphopoiesis, which can be partially reversed with prolonged antiretroviral therapy. Importantly, HIV disease progression despite elite control of HIV replication or virologic success on antiretroviral treatment is associated with persistent damage to the lymphopoietic system or exhaustion of lymphopoiesis. These findings highlight the importance of primary hematopoietic resources in HIV pathogenesis and the response to antiretroviral treatments.
Evaluation of the impact of the voucher and accreditation approach on improving reproductive health behaviors and status in Kenya
Authors: Warren Charlotte , Abuya Timothy , Obare Francis , Sunday Joseph , Njue Rebecca , Askew Ian , Bellows Ben
Published: March 2011

Abtsract

Background

Alternatives to the traditional 'supply-side' approach to financing service delivery are being explored. These strategies are termed results-based finance, demand-side health financing or output-based aid which includes a range of interventions that channel government or donor subsidies to the user rather than the provider. Initial pilot assessments of reproductive health voucher programs suggest that, they can increase access and use, reducing inequities and enhancing program efficiency and service quality. However, there is a paucity of evidence describing how the programs function in different settings, for various reproductive health services. Population Council, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, intends to generate evidence around the 'voucher and accreditation' approaches to improving the reproductive health of low income women in Kenya.

Methods/Design

A quasi-experimental study will investigate the impact of the voucher approach on improving reproductive health behaviors, reproductive health status and reducing inequities at the population level; and assessing the effect of vouchers on increasing access to, and quality of, and reducing inequities in the use of selected reproductive health services. The study comprises of four populations: facilities, providers, women of reproductive health age using facilities and women and men who have been pregnant and/or used family planning within the previous 12 months. The study will be carried out in samples of health facilities - public, private and faith-based in: three districts; Kisumu, Kiambu, Kitui and two informal settlements in Nairobi which are accredited to provide maternal and newborn health and family planning services to women holding vouchers for the services; and compared with a matched sample of non-accredited facilities. Health facility assessments (HFA) will be conducted at two stages to track temporal changes in quality of care and utilization. Facility inventories, structured observations, and client exit interviews will be used to collect comparable data across facilities. Health providers will also be interviewed and observed providing care. A population survey of about 3000 respondents will also be carried out in areas where vouchers are distributed and similar locations where vouchers are not distributed.
The quality of reporting of primary test accuracy studies in obstetrics and gynaecology: application of the STARD criteria
Authors: Selman Tara J , Morris R Katie , Zamora Javier , Khan Khalid S
Published: March 2011

Background

In obstetrics and gynaecology there has been a rapid growth in the development of new tests and primary studies of their accuracy. It is imperative that such studies are reported with transparency allowing the detection of any potential bias that may invalidate the results. The objective of this study was to determine the quality of reporting in diagnostic test accuracy studies in obstetrics and gynaecology using the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy - STARD checklist.

Methods

The included studies of ten systematic reviews were assessed for compliance with each of the reporting criteria. Using appropriate statistical tests we investigated whether there was an improvement in reporting quality since the introduction of the STARD checklist, whether a correlation existed between study sample size, country of origin of study and reporting quality.

Results

A total of 300 studies were included (195 for obstetrics, 105 for gynaecology). The overall reporting quality of included studies to the STARD criteria was poor. Obstetric studies reported adequately > 50% of the time for 62.1% (18/29) of the items while gynaecologic studies did the same 51.7% (15/29). There was a greater mean compliance with STARD criteria in the included obstetric studies than the gynaecological (p < 0.0001). There was a positive correlation, in both obstetrics (p < 0.0001) and gynaecology (p = 0.0123), between study sample size and reporting quality. No correlation between geographical area of publication and compliance with the reporting criteria could be demonstrated.

Conclusions

The reporting quality of papers in obstetrics and gynaecology is improving. This may be due to initiatives such as the STARD checklist as well as historical progress in awareness among authors of the need to accurately report studies. There is however considerable scope for further improvement.
Helicobacter pylori phagosome maturation in primary human macrophages
Authors: Borlace Glenn N , Jones Hilary F , Keep Stacey J , Butler Ross N , Brooks Doug A
Published: March 2011

Background

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a micro-aerophilic, spiral-shaped, motile bacterium that is the principal cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers in humans and is a major risk factor for the development of gastric cancer. Despite provoking a strong innate and adaptive immune response in the host, H. pylori persists in the gastric mucosa, avoiding eradication by macrophages and other phagocytic cells, which are recruited to the site of infection. Here we have characterised the critical degradative process of phagosome maturation in primary human macrophages for five genotypically and phenotypically distinct clinical strains of H. pylori.

Results

All of the H. pylori strains examined showed some disruption to the phagosome maturation process, when compared to control E. coli. The early endosome marker EEA1 and late endosome marker Rab7 were retained on H. pylori phagosomes, while the late endosome-lysosome markers CD63, LAMP-1 and LAMP-2 were acquired in an apparently normal manner. Acquisition of EEA1 by H. pylori phagosomes appeared to occur by two distinct, strain specific modes. H. pylori strains that were negative for the cancer associated virulence factor CagA were detected in phagosomes that recruited large amounts of EEA1 relative to Rab5, compared to CagA positive strains. There were also strain specific differences in the timing of Rab7 acquisition which correlated with differences in the rate of intracellular trafficking of phagosomes and the timing of megasome formation. Megasomes were observed for all of the H. pylori strains examined.

Conclusions

H. pylori appeared to disrupt the normal process of phagosome maturation in primary human macrophages, appearing to block endosome fission. This resulted in the formation of a hybrid phagosome-endosome-lysosome compartment, which we propose has reduced degradative capacity. Reduced killing by phagocytes is consistent with the persistence of H. pylori in the host, and would contribute to the chronic stimulation of the inflammatory immune response, which underlies H. pylori-associated disease.
Shear-Wave Velocity Profiling of Strong Motion Sites that Recorded the 2001 Nisqually, Washington, Earthquake
Authors: Wong Ivan G. , Stokoe Kenneth H. , Cox Brady R. , Lin Yin-Cheng , Menq Farn-Yuh
Published: March 2011

The 2001 M 6.8 Nisqually, Washington, earthquake was recorded by more than 70 strong motion sites in and around the Puget Sound region. We have characterized the shear-wave velocity (VS) structure down to depths of 100 to 300 ft at the 32 permanent strong motion sites, which recorded the highest ground motions (peak horizontal ground accelerations [PGA] of 0.04 to 0.31 g), using the Spectral-Analysis-of-Surface-Waves (SASW) technique. Most of the surveyed sites are underlain by glacial till (Qvt) with the remaining sites on Holocene alluvium (Qal), glacial recessional (Qvr) and advance outwash deposits (Qva), or manmade fill/modified ground (m). VS30 values for Qvt and Qvr range from 1,266 to 1,769 ft/sec and 1,139 to 1,826 ft/sec, respectively, corresponding to NEHRP site class C. In general, a pattern of higher PGAs with lower VS30 was not observed suggesting that VS30 cannot account for all site effects on the 2001 Nisqually ground motions.
Pipeline Vulnerability of Adapazarı during the 1999 Kocaeli, Turkey, Earthquake
Authors: Kurtuluş Aslı
Published: March 2011

Vulnerability of water pipelines in the city of Adapazarı during the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake (Mw = 7.4) is investigated in an attempt to provide a comparison of the observed damage with that which was predicted using empirical methods. The water supply pipeline system in Adapazarı experienced extensive damage during the 1999 earthquake. The main damage was observed on the distribution pipelines primarily due to ground deformations associated with liquefaction and softening of alluvial sediments. Recently, an updated pipeline damage inventory was compiled based on repair reports and interviews with waterworks personnel who worked in Adapazarı during that period. Vulnerability analysis for pipelines is carried out, first by evaluating earthquake characteristics on the ground surface based on site-specific response analyses and then by estimating pipeline damage by means of empirical functions. Agreement between the predicted and the observed damage distribution indicates the importance of site-specific permanent ground deformation (PGD) effects on pipeline vulnerability.
Regulation by Heat Shock Protein 27 of Osteocalcin Synthesis in Osteoblasts
Authors: Kato Kenji , Adachi Seiji , Matsushima-Nishiwaki Rie , Minamitani Chiho , Natsume Hideo , Katagiri Yasuo , Hirose Yoshinobu , Mizutani Jun , Tokuda Haruhiko , Kozawa Osamu , Otsuka Takanobu
Published: March 2011

We have previously reported that various stimuli, including sphingosine 1-phosphate, are able to induce heat shock protein (HSP) 27 in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. However, the precise role of HSP27 in bone metabolism has not been satisfactory clarified. In this study, we investigated the effect of HSP27 on osteocalcin synthesis induced by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-4 or T3 in these cells. In MC3T3-E1 cells, pretreatment with sphingosine 1-phosphate, sodium arsenite, or heat stress caused the attenuation of osteocalcin synthesis induced by BMP-4 or T3 with concurrent HSP27 induction. To further investigate the effect of HSP27, we established stable HSP27-transfected cells. The osteocalcin synthesis was significantly reduced in the stable HSP27-transfected MC3T3-E1 cells and normal human osteoblasts compared with empty-vector transfected cells. On the other hand, anisomycin, a p38 MAPK activator, caused the phosphorylation of HSP27 in both sphingosine 1-phosphate-stimulated untransfected MC3T3-E1 cells and HSP27-transfected MC3T3-E1 cells. An immunofluorescence microscopy study showed that the phosphorylated HSP27 induced by anisomycin concentrated perinuclearly in these cells, in which it colocalized with the endoplasmic reticulum. We also established stable mutant-HSP27-transfected cells. Osteocalcin synthesis induced by either BMP-4 or T3 was markedly suppressed in the nonphosphorylatable HSP27-overexpressing MC3T3-E1 cells compared with the phosphomimic HSP27-overexpressing cells. In contrast, the matrix mineralization was more obvious in nonphosphorylatable HSP27-overexpressing cells than that in phosphomimic HSP27-overexpressing cells. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that unphosphorylated HSP27 has an inhibitory effect on osteocalcin synthesis, but has a stimulatory effect on mineralization, in osteoblasts.
Estrogen-Initiated Transformation of Prostate Epithelium Derived from Normal Human Prostate Stem-Progenitor Cells
Authors: Hu Wen-Yang , Shi Guang-Bin , Lam Hung-Ming , Hu Dan-Ping , Ho Shuk-Mei , Madueke Ikenna C. , Kajdacsy-Balla Andre , Prins Gail S.
Published: March 2011

The present study sought to determine whether estrogens with testosterone support are sufficient to transform the normal human prostate epithelium and promote progression to invasive adenocarcinoma using a novel chimeric prostate model. Adult prostate stem/early progenitor cells were isolated from normal human prostates through prostasphere formation in three-dimensional culture. The stem/early progenitor cell status and clonality of prostasphere cells was confirmed by immunocytochemistry and Hoechst staining. Normal prostate progenitor cells were found to express estrogen receptor α, estrogen receptor β, and G protein-coupled receptor 30 mRNA and protein and were responsive to 1 nm estradiol-17β with increased numbers and prostasphere size, implicating them as direct estrogen targets. Recombinants of human prostate progenitor cells with rat urogenital sinus mesenchyme formed chimeric prostate tissue in vivo under the renal capsule of nude mice. Cytodifferentiation of human prostate progenitor cells in chimeric tissues was confirmed by immunohistochemistry using epithelial cell markers (p63, cytokeratin 8/18, and androgen receptor), whereas human origin and functional differentiation were confirmed by expression of human nuclear antigen and prostate-specific antigen, respectively. Once mature tissues formed, the hosts were exposed to elevated testosterone and estradiol-17β for 1–4 months, and prostate pathology was longitudinally monitored. Induction of prostate cancer in the human stem/progenitor cell-generated prostatic tissue was observed over time, progressing from normal histology to epithelial hyperplasia, prostate intraepithelial neoplasia, and prostate cancer with local renal invasion. These findings provide the first direct evidence that human prostate progenitor cells are estrogen targets and that estradiol in an androgen-supported milieu is a carcinogen for human prostate epithelium.
Tracking the Activation of Stat5 through the Expression of an Inducible Reporter Gene in a Transgenic Mouse Line
Authors: Bednorz Nadja Lydia , Brill Boris , Klein Andreas , Gäbel Katrin , Groner Bernd
Published: March 2011

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5), a latent cytoplasmic transcription factor, becomes activated by phosphorylation upon cytokine, hormone, and growth factor interactions with their appropriate receptors and induces the transcription of target genes. It plays crucial roles in principal cell fate decisions and regulates cell differentiation, development, proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation. It is active in the mammary gland, the liver, hematopoietic cells, and other organs and has pleiotropic functions, depending on its activation pathway and its site of action. We derived transgenic mice in which the expression of a LacZ reporter gene is directed by Stat5-specific response elements and visualized the activation of Stat5 in cells of mouse organs at different developmental stages. The reporter gene activity reflects the timing and the location of Stat5 activation and was documented in mammary epithelial cells during developmental stages of the gland, cells of the liver, kidney, spleen, thymus, and uterus and in granulocytes and macrophages of the transgenic lines.
Processing of Proaugurin Is Required to Suppress Proliferation of Tumor Cell Lines
Authors: Ozawa Akihiko , Lick Adam N. , Lindberg Iris
Published: March 2011

Augurin is a secretory molecule produced in pituitary, thyroid, and esophagus and implicated in a wide array of physiological processes, from ACTH release to tumor suppression. However, the specific proaugurin-derived peptides present in various cell types are not yet known. In order to shed light on the posttranslational modifications required for biological activity, we here describe the posttranslational processing of proaugurin in AtT-20 and Lovo cells and identify proaugurin-derived products generated by convertases. In vitro cleavage of proaugurin with proprotein convertases produced multiple peptides, including a major product with a mass of 9.7 kDa by mass spectrometry. Metabolic labeling of C-terminally tagged proaugurin in AtT-20 and AtT-20/PC2 cells resulted in a major 15-kDa tagged form on SDS-PAGE, which likely corresponds to the 9.7-kDa in vitro fragment, with the added tag, its linker, and posttranslational modification(s). The secretion of neither proaugurin nor this cleavage product was stimulated by forskolin, indicating its lack of storage in regulated secretory granules and lack of cleavage by PC2. Incubation of cells with the furin inhibitor nona-d-arginine resulted in impaired cleavage of proaugurin, whereas metalloprotease inhibitors did not affect proaugurin proteolysis. These data support the idea that proaugurin is cleaved by furin and secreted via the constitutive secretory pathway. Interestingly, proaugurin was sulfated during trafficking; sulfation was completely inhibited by brefeldin A. Proliferation assays with three different tumor cell lines demonstrated that only furin-cleaved proaugurin could suppress cell proliferation, suggesting that proteolytic cleavage is a posttranslational requirement for proaugurin to suppress cell proliferation.
Minireview: Alternative Activation Pathways for the Androgen Receptor in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Lamont Kristin R. , Tindall Donald J.
Published: March 2011

Advanced prostate tumors, which are androgen dependent, are often initially treated in the clinic with hormone ablation therapy, either through surgical castration or administration of small-molecule antiandrogens. Most tumors respond favorably to these treatments, exhibiting regression of the tumor, amelioration of symptoms, and a decrease of prostate-specific antigen in patient sera. However, with time, the majority of tumors recur in a more aggressive, castration-resistant (CR) phenotype. Currently, no effective treatment exists for this stage of the cancer, and patients ultimately succumb to metastatic disease. The androgen receptor (AR), which is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of proteins, is the transcription factor that is responsible for mediating the effects of androgens upon target tissues, and it has been demonstrated to play a central role in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Despite CR tumor cells being able to continue to grow after hormonal therapy in which testosterone and dihydrotestosterone are markedly reduced, they still require the expression and activity of the AR. The AR can become transactivated in this low-androgen environment through a number of different mechanisms, including amplification and mutation of the receptor, cross talk with other signaling pathways, and altered regulation by coregulatory proteins. This review will summarize the most current data regarding non-ligand-mediated activation of the AR in prostate cancer cells. Developing work in this field aims to more clearly elucidate the signals that drive AR activity independently of androgens in CR disease so that better therapeutic targets can be developed for patients with this stage of highly aggressive prostate carcinoma.
Identification, tissue distribution and orexigenic activity of neuropeptide F (NPF) in penaeid shrimp
Authors: Christie Andrew E. , Chapline M. Christine , Jackson James M. , Dowda Jenilee K. , Hartline Niko , Malecha Spencer R. , Lenz Petra H.
Published: March 2011

The neuropeptide Fs (NPFs) are an invertebrate subgroup of the FMRFamide-like peptides, and are proposed by some to be the homologs of vertebrate neuropeptide Y. Although there is some information about the identity, tissue distribution and function of NPFs in insects, essentially nothing is known about them in crustaceans. We have identified and characterized NPF-encoding transcripts from the penaeid shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and Melicertus marginatus. Two transcripts were identified from each species. For each shrimp species, the two transcripts differed from one another by the presence or absence of an insert in the portion of the open reading frame that encodes the NPF peptide. The two NPF isoforms are identical in L. vannamei and M. marginatus, with their predicted structures being KPDPSQLANMAEALKYLQELDKYYSQVSRPRFamide and KPDPSQLANMAEALKYLQELDKYYSQVSRPSPRSAPGPASQIQALENTLKFLQLQELGKLYSLRARPRFamide. RT-PCR tissue profiling showed both transcripts are broadly distributed within the nervous system of each species. The transcript encoding the shorter NPF was detected in some, but not all, midgut samples. The transcript encoding the longer NPF was absent in the midgut of both species, and neither transcript was detected in their skeletal muscle. Juvenile L. vannamei fed on a diet supplemented with the shorter NPF exhibited a marked increase in food intake relative to control individuals that did not receive the supplement; the NPF-fed shrimp also showed a significant increase in growth relative to the control group. Our data suggest that NPF is present in both the nervous system and midgut of penaeid shrimp, functioning, at least in part, as a powerful orexigenic agent.
Steady-state photochemistry (Pschorr cyclization) and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy of twisted 2-bromoaryl ketones
Authors: Moorthy Jarugu Narasimha , Samanta Subhas , Koner Apurba L. , Nau Werner M.
Published: March 2011

The steady-state as well as transient absorption spectroscopy of a series of 2-bromo-aryl ketones have been comprehensively examined to gain insights concerning (i) the transient phenomena (absorption spectral attributes as well as lifetimes), (ii) rates of C–Br homolysis, and (iii) the behavior of 2-aroylaryl radicals thus generated. The X-ray crystal structure analyses of selected ketones in which the mesomeric effects operate differently reveal that the two aryl rings are drastically twisted about the C=O bond. The twisting manifests itself in the spectral features of the transients, attributed to triplet–triplet (T–T) absorptions, such that they are not readily comparable in some cases to the transients of parent diaryl ketones that lack the 2-bromo group. By associating triplet decays with C–Br cleavage rates, the absolute rate data have been determined for diverse 2-bromoaryl ketones. With the exception of 2-bromo ketones containing meta-methoxy substituents, all other ketones are found to undergo efficient C–Br bond cleavage with rates of ca. 0.1–1.0 × 108 s–1. For m-methoxy-substituted ketones, intriguingly slower deactivation of the triplets was observed. Based on solvent-dependent variation of the lifetimes (longer lifetimes in polar solvents), intramolecular charge transfer has been proposed. The preparative photochemistry and transient phenomena permit invaluable inferences as to the reactivity of 2-aroylaryl radicals in general. Quantum yield determinations and product analyses reveal that highly electrophilic aryl radicals undergo radical recombination, in a poor hydrogen-donating solvent, almost exclusively (>90 %) in the absence of incentive for stabilization via conversion to π-conjugated hydrofluorenyl radicals. Of course, when the latter is feasible, Pschorr cyclization leads to productive photochemical outcome. Moderately electrophilic radicals that lack stabilization via conversion to hydrofluorenyl radicals lend themselves to intramolecular 1,5-hydrogen shifts in conjunction with the formation of dehalogenated diaryl ketones and cyclized fluorenones (Fls) or its analogs.
Dressing Angelo Soliman
Authors: Morrison Heather
Published: March 2011

Angelo Soliman, a black African, conveyed his heritage and his full participation in eighteenth-century Habsburg society through a mixture of eastern and western dress. As a freemason, Soliman's costume evoked popular conceptions of 'blackness' while asserting his equality within his lodge. Yet the costumes Soliman wore in the service of Prince von Liechtenstein or in the imperial natural history collection, where his stuffed body was placed after death, displayed political power by symbolically subjugating the African. Soliman's daily, Freemasonic, state ceremonial, and post-mortem dress reveal the complex layers of African identity in eighteenth-century Europe.
Two Versions of General Washington's Resignation : Politics, Commerce, and Visual Culture in 1790s Philadelphia
Authors: Auricchio Laura
Published: March 2011

In a span of less than two years, two versions of John James Barralet's General Washington's Resignation appeared in Philadelphia: a transparency, now lost, that anchored the meaning of a celebratory dinner (1797); and an engraving employed as the frontispiece to a partisan, Federalist magazine (1799). Drawing on the era's burgeoning periodical culture, this essay follows the image through a web of politics and commerce, analyzes the alterations that accompanied its change of medium and venue, and examines some of the contests that swirled around the figure of Washington as his image became synonymous with the well-being of the nation.
Whigs in Heaven: Elizabeth Rowe's Friendship in Death
Authors: Walmsley Peter
Published: March 2011

This essay provides an analysis of Elizabeth Singer Rowe's Friendship in Death (1728), proposing that her fictional letters from the dead offer a new, distinctively Whig vision of heaven. Dominant Anglican theology, following Saint Augustine, held that heaven, in its spiritual perfection, is unimaginable for those on earth. Rowe, an Independent whose circle included Isaac Watts, argues just the opposite. Drawing on Milton, Addison, and Watts, Rowe makes a case for a heaven that is a meaningful sequel to this life, describing a place that is fully available to human sense and imagination and where the souls of the dead continue to work toward personal perfection and enjoy the pleasures of a celestial society.
Prelude to the New World: The Role of Voice in Early Pennsylvanian Mysticism
Authors: Jones Claire Taylor
Published: March 2011

The Pennsylvania German immigrant Conrad Beissel founded a community (Ephrata) in which a form of mystical song based on Jakob Böhme's theory of Adamic speech was both practiced and propounded. That this theology of song was so central to the community's identity can be shown both through the theoretical statements of community leaders and, more importantly, through the changes in the publication of Beissel's numerous hymnals.
Between a Hieroglyph and a Spatula: Authorlessness in Eighteenth-Century French Theater
Authors: Piroux Lorraine
Published: March 2011

One of the curious but salient characteristics of Enlightenment literature is that it often takes great pains to organize not the visibility but the disappearance of the author from its fiction. In this essay, I look at several works by Diderot and Beaumarchais where authorlessness is a form of ciphered authorial presence, that is, a particular mode of authorship capable of articulating both the aesthetic autonomy of the literary work and its inscription in moral and legal modes of individual appropriation. I argue that to account for these representations of authorlessness gives us a clearer picture of what literary authorship meant for those who helped define it in the second half of the eighteenth century.