bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional Roles of the Conserved Glu304 Loop of
Bacillus subtilis
Glutamine Synthetase
Authors: Wray Lewis V. , Fisher Susan H.
Published: July 2010

The enzymatic activity of
Bacillus subtilis
glutamine synthetase (GS), which catalyzes the synthesis of glutamine from ammonium and glutamate, is regulated by glutamine feedback inhibition. The feedback-inhibited form of
B. subtilis
GS regulates the DNA-binding activities of the TnrA and GlnR nitrogen transcriptional factors. Bacterial GS proteins contain a flexible seven-residue loop, the Glu304 flap, that closes over the glutamate entrance to the active site. Amino acid substitutions in Glu304 flap residues were examined for their effects on gene regulation, enzymatic activity, and feedback inhibition. Substitutions in five of the Glu304 loop residues resulted in constitutive expression of both TnrA- and GlnR-regulated genes, indicating that this flap is important for regulating the activity of these transcription factors. The residues in the highly conserved Glu304 flap appear to be optimized for glutamate binding because mutant enzymes with substitutions in five of the flap residues had increased glutamate

K
m

values compared to that for wild-type GS. The E304A and E304D substitutions increased the ammonium

K
m

values compared to that for wild-type GS and conferred high-level resistance to inhibition by glutamine, glycine, and methionine sulfoximine. A model for the role of the Glu304 residue in glutamine feedback inhibition is proposed.
Cardiomyocyte sulfonylurea receptor 2-KATPchannel mediates cardioprotection and ST segment elevation
Authors: Stoller Douglas A. , Fahrenbach John P. , Chalupsky Karel , Tan Bi-Hua , Aggarwal Nitin , Metcalfe Jamie , Hadhazy Michele , Shi Nian-Qing , Makielski Jonathan C. , McNally Elizabeth M.
Published: July 2010

Sulfonylurea receptor-containing ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels have been implicated in cardioprotection, but the cell type and constitution of channels responsible for this protection have not been clear. Mice deleted for the first nucleotide binding region of sulfonylurea receptor 2 (SUR2) are referred to as SUR2 null since they lack full-length SUR2 and glibenclamide-responsive KATPchannels in cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle. As previously reported, SUR2 null mice develop electrocardiographic changes of ST segment elevation that were shown to correlate with coronary artery vasospasm. Here we restored expression of the cardiomyocyte SUR2-KATPchannel in SUR2 null mice by generating transgenic mice with ventricular cardiomyocyte-restricted expression of SUR2A. Introduction of the cardiomyocyte SUR2A transgene into the SUR2 null background restored functional cardiac KATPchannels. Hearts isolated from rescued mice, referred to as MLC2A, had significantly reduced infarct size (27 ± 3% of area at risk) compared with SUR2 null mice (36 ± 3% of area at risk). Compared with SUR2 null hearts, MLC2A hearts exhibited significantly improved cardiac function during the postischemia reperfusion period primarily because of preservation of low diastolic pressures. Additionally, restoration of cardiac SUR2-KATPchannels significantly reduced the degree and frequency of ST segment elevation episodes in MLC2A mice. Therefore, cardioprotective mechanisms both dependent and independent of SUR2-KATPchannels contribute to cardiac function.
Diblock/Triblock Structural Transition and Sol-Gel Transition of Peptide/PEG Diblock Copolymer Having a Terminal Terpyridine Group Induced by Complexation with Metal Ion
Authors: Tanimoto Satoshi , Nakamura Yasushi , Yamaoka Hitoshi , Hirokawa Yoshitsugu
Published: July 2010

Terpyridine-polyethyleneglycol-block-polyleucine block copolymer (tpy-PEG-PLeu) was synthesized by a ring-opening polymerization of L-leucine -carboxyanhydride. The copolymer complexed with ion and its aqueous solution showed a purple color as a result of the complexation. This complexation caused the diblock/triblock structural transition of the copolymer. The change of the aggregation behavior caused by the structural transition was observed by a dynamic light scattering apparatus. The diblock tpy-PEG-PLeu copolymer formed a micelle in the aqueous solution. On the other hand, the triblock-type copolymer, after the complexation, formed the micelle structures and huge aggregates, which is considered to be a network structure. The complexation of the diblock tpy-PEG-PLeu copolymer with Fe ion is consequently considered to be a trigger of the gelation.
Electrodelivery of Drugs into Cancer Cells in the Presence of Poloxamer 188
Authors: Tsoneva Iana , Iordanov Iordan , Berger Annette J. , Tomov Toma , Nikolova Biliana , Mudrov Nikola , Berger Martin R.
Published: July 2010

In the present study it is shown that poloxamer 188, added before or immediately after an electrical pulse used for electroporation, decreases the number of dead cells and at the same time does not reduce the number of reversible electropores through which small molecules (cisplatin, bleomycin, or propidium iodide) can pass/diffuse. It was suggested that hydrophobic sections of poloxamer 188 molecules are incorporated into the edges of pores and that their hydrophilic parts act as brushy pore structures. The formation of brushy pores may reduce the expansion of pores and delay the irreversible electropermeability. Tumors were implanted subcutaneously in both flanks of nude mice using HeLa cells, transfected with genes for red fluorescent protein and luciferase. The volume of tumors stopped to grow after electrochemotherapy and the use of poloxamer 188 reduced the edema near the electrode and around the subcutaneously growing tumors.
New Diagnostic Real-Time PCR for Specific Detection ofMycoplasma hominisDNA
Authors: Pascual Andres , Jaton Katia , Ninet Béatrice , Bille Jacques , Greub Gilbert
Published: July 2010

Mycoplasma hominisis a fastidious micro-organism causing genital and extragenital infections. We developed a specific real-time PCR that exhibits high sensitivity and low intrarun and interrun variabilities. When applied to clinical samples, this quantitative PCR allowed to confirm the role ofM. hominisin three patients with severe extragenital infections.
Influence of Control Valve Delay and Dead Zone on the Stability of a Simple Hydraulic Positioning System
Authors: Magyar Bálint , Hős Csaba , Stépán Gábor
Published: July 2010

This paper deals with the PI control of a highly simplified dynamic model of a hydraulic cylinder. It is assumed that the hydraulic fluid is incompressible and that the pump provides constant flow rates, which results in the possibility of velocity control. Two types of anomalies are taken into account: (a) the time delay due to the controller computations and the internal pressure dynamics and (b) the dead zone of the controller valve. This results in a nonlinear system are described by a piecewise linear discontinuous map. Nonlinear behavior of the system is explored and the practically globally stable parameter domains are identified.
Trisomy 9 Mosaicism Diagnosed In Utero
Authors: Takahashi Hironori , Hayashi Satoshi , Miura Yumiko , Tsukamoto Keiko , Kosaki Rika , Itoh Yushi , Sago Haruhiko
Published: July 2010

We present three cases of trisomy 9 mosaicism diagnosed by amniocentesis with ongoing pregnancies after referral to our center due to fetal abnormalities. Two cases were associated with severe fetal growth restriction (FGR), each of which resulted in an intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) in the third trimester. The other case involved mild FGR with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia and resulted in a live birth with severe development delay. A major prenatal finding of trisomy 9 mosaicism is FGR. Fetuses with trisomy 9 mosaicism can rarely survive in the case of severe FGR.
Toll-Like Receptors Expression and Signaling in Glia Cells in Neuro-Amyloidogenic Diseases: Towards Future Therapeutic Application
Authors: Trudler Dorit , Farfara Dorit , Frenkel Dan
Published: July 2010

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are known to be expressed by innate immune response cells and to play a critical role in their activation against foreign pathogens. It was recently suggested that TLRs have an important role in the crosstalk between neurons and glial cells in the central nervous system (CNS). TLR signaling was reported to be associated with a yin-yang effect in the CNS. While TLR signaling was linked to neurogenesis, it was also found to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. This paper will focus on TLR signaling in glial cells in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, prion diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. Understanding the pattern of TLR signaling in the glial cells may lead to the identification of new targets for therapeutic application.
On Some k‐Dimensional Cyclic Systems of Difference Equations
Authors: Liu Wanping , Yang Xiaofan , Iričanin Bratislav D.
Published: July 2010

Motivated by Iričanin and Stević′s paper (2006) in which for the first time were considered some cyclic systems of difference equations, here we study the global attractivity of some nonlinear k‐dimensional cyclic systems of higher‐order difference equations. To do this, we use the transformation method from Berenhaut et al. (2007) and Berenhaut and Stević (2007). The main results in this paper also extend our recent results in the work of (Liu and Yang 2010, in press).
Evaluation of Mercury Exposure Reduction through a Fish Consumption Advisory Program for Anishinaabe Tribal Members in Northern Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota
Authors: Foran J. A. , DeWeese A. D. , Hudson M. J. , Kmiecik N. E.
Published: July 2010

The Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission has an extensive program to inform Anishinaabe tribal members from northern Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota who harvest and consume walleye about the health risks of consuming these fish, and to encourage harvest and consumption practices that reduce exposure to MeHg. We report here the results of a probabilistic analysis of exposure to methyl mercury (MeHg) among tribal members who consume walleye. The model predicts that the potential for greatest exposures to MeHg occur among women of child-bearing age and children who consume large walleye from lakes that contain heavily contaminated (MeHg concentration>0.5 mg/kg) fish. The analysis allows GLIFWC to evaluate, focus, and fine-tune its initiatives to protect the health of tribal members in ways that result in exposure and risk reduction for tribal harvesters, women of child-bearing age, and children, while maintaining important tribal lifeways, which include the harvest and consumption of walleye.
Decentralized Limited‐Feedback Multiuser MIMO for Temporally Correlated Channels
Authors: Zacarías B Eduardo , Werner Stefan , Wichman Risto
Published: July 2010

This paper proposes a novel multiuser (MU) multiplexing scheme for temporally correlated multiple‐input, multiple‐output (MIMO) channels, suitable for systems employing low‐rate feedback links. A decentralized solution is obtained
by the mobile receivers, which employ interference rejection combiner (IRC) linear filters and command the update of the corresponding per‐user antenna transmit weights through compact feedback messages, thus avoiding explicit transmission of channel information. The proposed limited‐feedback algorithm outperforms existing MU‐MIMO solutions employing quantized matrices, operating at the same feedback overhead. A compensation mechanism is presented, which enables the proposed solution to operate under moderate probabilities of feedback errors, at the expense of a small downlink overhead.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection in a Child Presenting as Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Tullu Milind S. , Patil Dhananjay P. , Muranjan Mamta N. , Kher Archana S. , Lahiri Keya R.
Published: July 2010

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is an extremely rare occurrence in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We describe an 8-year-old male child who presented with weakness of both lower limbs for 10 days and focal convulsions for 2 days. The child had left, upper motor neuron facial palsy, lower limb hypotonia, and exaggerated deep tendon reflexes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay antibodies for HIV tested positive and the CD4 count was 109 cells/µL. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, brain) revealed extensive confluent hyperintensities (on T2-weighted images) in left parietal, right temporal, and right occipital regions of the white matter, and similar signals were seen in right lentiform nucleus and right posterior thalami, suggesting acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. There was transient improvement with intravenous methyl prednisolone. The patient succumbed to the illness. Perinatally transmitted pediatric HIV infection presenting with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis has not yet been reported in the medical literature.
Designation of imidazole-containing dipeptides as pharmacological chaperones
Authors: Babizhayev Mark A
Published: July 2010

We review the dichotomous regulatory roles of natural imidazole-containing peptidomimetics (N-acetylcarnosine [NAC], carcinine, non-hydrolized carnosine) in maintaining skin homeostasis that determines whether keratinocytes survive or undergo apoptosis in response to various insults and in the development of skin diseases. General strategies addressing common ground techniques to improve absorption of usually active chaperone proteins or their dipeptide inducer (usually poorly absorbed) compounds include encapsulation into hydrophobic carriers, combination with penetration enhancers, active electrical transport or chemical modification to increase hydrophobicity. A growing evidence is presented that demonstrates the ability of NAC (lubricant eye drops) or carcinine to act as pharmacological chaperones, or being synergistically coupled in patented formulations with another imidazole-containing peptidomimetic (such as, Leucyl-histidylhydrazide), to decrease oxidative stress and ameliorate oxidative and excessive glycation stress-related eye disease phenotypes, suggesting that the field of chaperone therapy might hold novel treatments for age-related cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and ocular complications of diabetes (OCD). Current efforts are being directed towards exploring therapeutic approaches of pharmacological targeting and human drug delivery for chaperone molecules based on innovative patented strategies.
A Case Study for Outreach: The Auckland Experience of the New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge
Authors: Dowie Megan J. , Nicholson Louise F. B.
Published: July 2010

The 3rd hosting of the Auckland region New Zealand Brain Bee Challenge was held in 2009. Designed as a neuroscience quiz for high school students, the competition provides a valuable case study for science outreach. By engaging with teenagers, the field of neuroscience presents an exciting area of science but also stimulates those in the field to promote and share their research. Neuroscience is the ideal subject to highlight and promote science to young people and the community, as the brain defines unique features such as our personality, emotions, creativity, and intelligence. Understanding brain function and, importantly, determining dysfunction is a growing area of research interest, with relevance to health care systems and government policy, especially in light of the aging population. Feedback from students and teachers indicated that they had learned something about research and the brain, were more aware of options within science including considering neuroscience as a career option, and would recommend participation in the Brain Bee Challenge to other students. A number of participants indicated it was interesting/valuable to have interaction with neuroscientists. Although there are many synergistic benefits resulting from an undertaking such as the Brain Bee Challenge, the following profile highlights the value of the interaction and promotion of research to the community.
Intraoperative Hemodynamic Instability During and After Separation From Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Authors: Denault André Y. , Deschamps Alain , Couture Pierre
Published: July 2010

Every year, more than 1 million patients worldwide undergo cardiac surgery. Because of the aging of the population, cardiac surgery will increasingly be offered to patients at a higher risk of complications. The consequence is a reduced physiological reserve and hence an increased risk of mortality. These issues will have a significant impact on future health care costs because the population undergoing cardiac surgery will be older and more likely to develop postoperative complications. One of the most dreaded complications in cardiac surgery is difficult separation from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). When separation from CPB is associated with right-ventricular failure, the mortality rate will range from 44% to 86%. Therefore, the diagnosis and the preoperative prediction of difficult separation from CPB will be crucial to improve the selection and care of patients and to prevent complications for this high-risk patient population.
Effect of Simulator Training on Fitness-to-Drive After Stroke: A 5-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Devos Hannes , Akinwuntan Abiodun Emmanuel , Nieuwboer Alice , Ringoot Isabelle , Van Berghen Karen , Tant Mark , Kiekens Carlotte , De Weerdt Willy
Published: July 2010

Background. No long-term studies have been reported on the effect of training programs on driving after stroke. Objectives. The authors’ primary aim was to determine the effect of simulator versus cognitive rehabilitation therapy on fitness-to-drive at 5 years poststroke. A second aim was to investigate differences in clinical characteristics between stroke survivors who resumed and stopped driving. Methods. In a previously reported randomized controlled trial, 83 stroke survivors received 15 hours of simulator training (n = 42) or cognitive therapy (n = 41). In this 5-year follow-up study, 61 participants were reassessed. Fitness-to-drive decisions were obtained from medical, visual, neuropsychological, and on-road tests; 44 participants (simulator group, n = 21; cognitive group, n = 23) completed all assessments. The primary outcome measures were fitness-to-drive decision and current driving status. Results. The authors found that 5 years after stroke, 18 of 30 participants (60%) in the simulator group were considered fit to drive, compared with 15 of 31 (48%) in the cognitive group ( P = .36); 34 of 61 (56%) participants were driving. Current drivers were younger ( P = .04), had higher Barthel scores ( P = .008), had less comorbidity ( P = .01), and were less severely depressed ( P = .02) than those who gave up driving. Conclusions. The advantage of simulator-based driving training over cognitive rehabilitation therapy, evident at 6 months poststroke, had faded 5 years later. Poststroke drivers were younger and less severely affected and depressed than nondrivers.
Working Ethics: William Beaumont, Alexis St. Martin, and Medical Research in Antebellum America
Authors: Green Alexa
Published: July 2010

Analyzing William Beaumont’s relationship with his experimental subject, Alexis St. Martin, this article demonstrates how the “research ethics” of antebellum America were predicated on models of employment, servitude, and labor. The association between Beaumont and St. Martin drew from and was understood in terms of the ideas and practices of contract labor, informal domestic servitude, indentures, and military service. Beaumont and St. Martin lived through an important period of transition in which personal master–servant relations existed alongside the “free” contract labor of market capitalism. Their relationship reflected and helped constitute important developments in nineteenth-century American labor history.
“Dancing on Eggs”: Charles H. Bynum, Racial Politics, and the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, 1938–1954
Authors: Mawdsley Stephen E.
Published: July 2010

In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his law partner Basil O’Connor formed the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (NFIP) to battle the viral disease poliomyelitis. Although the NFIP program was purported to be available for all Americans irrespective of “race, creed, or color,” officials encountered numerous difficulties upholding this pledge in a nation divided by race. In 1944, NFIP officials hired educator Charles H. Bynum to head a new department of “Negro Activities.” Between 1944 and 1954, Bynum negotiated the NFIP bureaucracy to educate officials and influence their national health policy. As part of the NFIP team, he helped increase interracial fund-raising in the March of Dimes, improve polio treatment for black Americans, and further the civil rights movement.
Leonard Roberts, The Farmer-Lewis-Muncy Family, and the Magic Circle of the Mountain Märchen (American Folklore Society Fellows Invited Plenary Address, October 2008)
Authors: Lindahl Carl
Published: July 2010

This address—presented at the American Folklore Society's 2008 Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky—celebrates the narrators and narratives recorded by Kentucky folklorist Leonard Roberts (1912-1983) and commemorates Roberts's first audio folktale recording, a 1949 performance of "Merrywise" by Janie Muncy (now Margarett Jane Muncy Fugate). The narrator's memories and interpretations reveal mountain märchen telling as three continuous arcs: the forestory (the pool of previous images, tellers, and stories that frame the tale), the performance (the tale itself in the moment of oral creation), and the understory (the tale as re-created simultaneously and lived inside the listener). The performance is the only audible arc in this three-part circle of narration: each telling inspires an understory, which then becomes the unheard script for the forestory that shapes the next performance. Through saturation fieldwork and by coming together with performers and collectors—as on the occasion of this address—folklorists attain greater understanding of the dynamics of the full narrative circle.
Kita and Kosmos : The Poetics of Ornamentation in Bosniac and Homeric Epic
Authors: Elmer David F.
Published: July 2010

Milman Parry recorded detailed interviews with Bosniac singers of oral epic. Based on an analysis of these recordings, this article extends Parry's comparison of poetic form in Bosniac and Homeric epic to examine the internal aesthetic criteria of these traditions. The comparison hinges on the similarity of the Bosniac notion of kita , which refers to the ornamental, descriptive details of a song, and the Homeric notion of kosmos , which refers to the orderly arrangement of details. These concepts are similar insofar as each involves the negotiation of the relationship between a notional reality in the past and the representation of that reality in epic song. The ways in which both traditions address this relationship point to the importance of concrete imagery for the stability of memory in oral tradition.
Times of Theory: On Writing the History of French Theory
Authors: Breckman Warren
Published: July 2010

"French Theory" is a hard case for historians. Through a discussion of recent historical work, this essay explores the challenge of identifying the contexts, institutional settings and lines of affiliation that produced figures like Barthes, Derrida, Kristeva, Deleuze, and Foucault. Basic to the historicizing effort is the question of our own temporal relationship to Theory. While many treatments of theory are governed by the rhetoric of the "end" of Theory, which would consign it to the past, the essay concludes by examining contrasting images of Theory's "future" through readings of works by Terry Eagleton, Jean-Michel Rabaté, and Slavoj Žižek.
Some Reflections on Liberty: Bruce Winick’s ‘Civil Commitment: A Therapeutic Jurisprudence Model’
Authors: Gray James
Published: July 2010

In the United States, involuntary hospitalization of the mentally ill through the civil commitment process results in a curtailment of the fundamental liberty interest of freedom from external restraint; part of the constitutional guarantee. Apart from the loss of freedom through physical confinement, the labeling that inevitably accompanies commitment can give rise to significant social stigma and restricted life chances. In the last 50 years, the power of doctors to commit on a best interests basis has been replaced by a legal process in which the grounds for involuntary hospitalization have been restricted and the rights of patients prioritized. The problems inherent to both models have led to the development of therapeutic jurisprudence in which the therapeutic possibilities of law and the legal process are studied with the aim of optimizing the therapeutic outcomes of commitment. Any model of involuntary hospitalization necessarily gives rise to basic philosophical and political questions about the nature of individual liberty, freedom, and the relationship between the individual and the state. As historically contingent concepts, what meaning can be attached to them and the goal of striving for a better balance in the context of the mentally ill between freedom and coercion?
New approach in the interpretation of the adipose tissue
Authors: Antal Magda , Regöly-Mérei Andrea
Published: July 2010

Az elmúlt másfél évtized kutatásai bebizonyították, hogy a zsírszövet aktív endokrin szerv, amely számos hormont választ el. A szerzők a leptin, az adiponektin, a rezisztin, a visfatin és az omentin hormonok működését mutatják be, különös tekintettel az anyagcsere-folyamatokra gyakorolt hatásukra.
Quality assurance of fine-needle aspiration cytology of the organized mammography screening
Authors: Bak Mihály , Konyár Éva , Schneider Ferenc , Bidlek Mária , Szabó Éva , Nyári Tibor , Gődény Mária , Kásler Miklós
Published: July 2010

A Nemzeti Népegészségügyi Program az emlőrák szervezett szűrését biztosítja.Célkitűzés:Dolgozatunk célja a szervezett emlőrákszűrés során a mammográfia, illetve ultrahangvizsgálatokkal nem negatív elváltozások aspirációs citológiai diagnózisainak minőségbiztosítása.Módszer:A citológiai diagnózisokat 5 kategóriába (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5) soroltuk. A citológiai módszer diagnosztikus érzékenységét a szövettani eredményekhez viszonyítva elemeztük.Eredmények:Összesen 47718 mammográfiás és ultrahangvizsgálattal a kóros emlőelváltozásokból 1361 citológiai vizsgálatot végeztünk. A leggyakoribb diagnózis benignus (805 eset, 59, 1%), illetve carcinoma (187 eset, 13,7%) volt. Az összesített pozitív, negatív esetek számításánál a szenzitivitás 91%, a specificitás 88%, a pozitív prediktív érték 96,6%, a negatív prediktív érték 71%-nak (p<0,001) bizonyult.Megbeszélés:Megállapítottuk, hogy tanulmányunkban az emlőelváltozások vékonytű-aspirációs citológiai vizsgálatainak minőségbiztosítási eredményei megfelelnek, és több tekintetben jobbak a nemzetközileg elvárt követelményeknél.
Sexual Identity and the LINC Classroom
Authors: Dumas Jacqueline
Published: July 2010

Instructors in the federally funded program of Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) are responsible for teaching both the English language and citizenship values to adult immigrants. The recent legalization of same-sex marriage implies that a gay and lesbian presence is an acknowledged fact of Canadian life, with gay rights now entrenched in the value system. This context led to questions of if, how, and why teachers do or do not address sexual diversity in the classroom. A preliminary study utilizing a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interview was carried out with Alberta LINC teachers to explore perceptions of sexual diversity in relation to their teaching. Results indicate that the learning environment is characterized by the invisibility of the issue. Various redresses are suggested: teachers can utilize an inquiry approach to identity and learner autonomy; publishers can produce materials that include sexual diversity; and teacher-training programs can revise syllabi and teaching approaches in core TESL classes.
Neuropathic Pain in Patients with Upper-Extremity Nerve Injury
Authors: Novak Christine B. , Katz Joel
Published: July 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to present an analysis of the literature of the outcome studies reported in patients following traumatic upper-extremity (UE) nerve injuries (excluding amputation), to assess the presence of an association between neuropathic pain and outcome in patients following traumatic UE nerve injuries, and to provide recommendations for inclusion of more comprehensive outcome measures by clinicians who treat these patients.

Summary of Key Points: A Medline and CINAHL literature search retrieved 48 articles. This review identified very few studies of patients with peripheral nerve injury that reported neuropathic pain. When pain was reported, visual analogue or numeric rating scales were most frequently used; standardized questionnaires measuring pain or psychosocial function were rarely administered. Recent evidence shows substantial long-term disability and pain in patients following peripheral nerve injury.

Recommendation: To better understand neuropathic pain in patients following peripheral nerve injury, future outcome studies should include valid, reliable measures of physical impairment, pain, disability, health-related quality of life, and psychosocial functioning.
The Effect of Abdominal Support on Functional Outcomes in Patients Following Major Abdominal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Cheifetz Oren , Lucy S. Deborah , Overend Tom J. , Crowe Jean
Published: July 2010

Purpose: Immobility and pain are modifiable risk factors for development of venous thromboembolism and pulmonary morbidity after major abdominal surgery (MAS). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of abdominal incision support with an elasticized abdominal binder on postoperative walk performance (mobility), perceived distress, pain, and pulmonary function in patients following MAS.

Methods: Seventy-five patients scheduled to undergo MAS via laparotomy were randomized to experimental (binder) or control (no binder) groups. Sixty (33 male, 27 female; mean age 58±14.9 years) completed the study. Preoperative measurements of 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance, perceived distress, pain, and pulmonary function were repeated 1, 3, and 5 days after surgery.

Results: Surgery was associated with marked postoperative reductions (p<0.001) in walk distance (∼75–78%, day 3) and forced vital capacity (35%, all days) for both groups. Improved 6MWT distance by day 5 was greater (p<0.05) for patients wearing a binder (80%) than for the control group (48%). Pain and symptom-associated distress remained unchanged following surgery with binder usage, increasing significantly (p<0.05) only in the no binder group.

Conclusion: Elasticized abdominal binders provide a non-invasive intervention for enhancing recovery of walk performance, controlling pain and distress, and improving patients' experience following MAS.
Cessation of Exercise in the Institutionalized Elderly: Effects on Physical Function
Authors: Marshall Sarah C. , Berg Katherine
Published: July 2010

Purpose: The objectives of this study were (1) to examine the effects of a 12-week exercise cessation period separating two 12-week exercise sessions on physical variables in an elderly institutionalized population and (2) to explore overall programme effectiveness.

Methods: The functional mobility of 25 elderly institutionalized adults participating in an existing exercise programme was examined using a one-group, interrupted time-series design. Functional mobility was evaluated at four time points during two cycles of a 12-week exercise programme, alternating with a 12-week period of no formal exercise.

Results: The primary outcome was the change in functional mobility scores, assessed at baseline, 12, 24 and 36 weeks. In both the higher-functioning (HF) group and the lower-functioning (LF) group, the cessation of exercise was associated with deterioration in physical function. The overall non-continuous nature of the programming under study also seemed to be detrimental to the physical function of the LF group.

Conclusions: Findings of this small-sample study support the need to modify common practices in exercise programming for older, institutionalized people.
Examining International Clinical Internships for Canadian Physical Therapy Students from 1997 to 2007
Authors: Crawford Elizabeth , Biggar John M. , Leggett Adrienne , Huang Adrian , Mori Brenda , Nixon Stephanie A. , Landry Michel D.
Published: July 2010

Purpose: To describe international clinical internships (ICIs) for Canadian physical therapy (PT) students, explore the experiences of individuals involved in ICIs, and develop recommendations for future ICIs based on these findings.

Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods approach. An online questionnaire surveyed academic coordinators of clinical education (ACCEs, n=14) on the availability, destinations, and number of ICIs from 1997 to 2007. Semi-structured telephone interviews were then conducted with eight PT students, seven ACCEs, and three supervising clinicians to investigate their ICI experiences. Interview transcripts were coded descriptively and thematically using NVivo.

Results: ICIs are currently available at 12 of 14 Canadian PT schools. A total of 313 students participated in ICIs in 51 different destination countries from 1997 to 2007. Over this period, increasing numbers of students participated in ICIs and developing countries represented an increasing proportion of ICI destinations. Key themes identified in the interviews were opportunities, challenges, and facilitating factors.

Conclusions: ICIs present unique opportunities for Canadian PT students. Recommendations to enhance the quality of future ICIs are (1) clearly defined objectives for ICIs, (2) additional follow-up post-ICI, and (3) improved record keeping and sharing of information on ICI destination countries and host sites.
Hereditary Hemochromatosis: A Literature Review and Case Report
Authors: Allen Mary K.
Published: July 2010

Purpose: To improve understanding in the physical therapy (PT) community of hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), a common but little-known iron overload disorder, symptoms of which may mimic other orthopaedic conditions. Medical management typically involves phlebotomy to remove excess iron; however, there is little specific information in the literature on PT management of patients with HH after trauma.

Case description: The patient was a 65-year-old woman with multiple fall-related traumas, including right wrist, thumb, and patellar fractures and left thigh muscle strain with significant ecchymosis and effusion. Medical history included HH. Iron-related lab values had been analyzed 9 days prior to the fall and had demonstrated a steady increase over the previous 4 months since her last phlebotomy.

Outcomes: As the level of exercise and activity increased during the course of PT treatment, the patient developed shortness of breath and increased fatigue. The exercise level in therapy was reduced to accommodate the change in the patient's response. Blood values analyzed 7 weeks after the fall demonstrated a drop in haemoglobin and hematocrit values, while serum ferritin levels had risen.

Implications: Understanding early symptoms and management of a patient with manifestations of HH will better enable physical therapists to consider this disorder as a differential diagnosis or co-morbidity that affects treatment considerations.
Role of Nicotinamide in DNA Damage, Mutagenesis, and DNA Repair
Authors: Surjana Devita , Halliday Gary M. , Damian Diona L.
Published: July 2010

Nicotinamide is a water‐soluble amide form of niacin (nicotinic acid or vitamin B3). Both niacin and nicotinamide are widely available in plant and animal foods, and niacin can also be endogenously synthesized in the liver from dietary tryptophan. Nicotinamide is also commercially available in vitamin supplements and in a range of cosmetic, hair, and skin preparations. Nicotinamide is the primary precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), an essential coenzyme in ATP production and the sole substrate of the nuclear enzyme poly‐ADP‐ribose polymerase‐1 (PARP‐1). Numerousin vitroandin vivostudies have clearly shown that PARP‐1 and NAD+status influence cellular responses to genotoxicity which can lead to mutagenesis and cancer formation. This paper will examine the role of nicotinamide in the protection from carcinogenesis, DNA repair, and maintenance of genomic stability.
DNA‐Destabilizing Agents as an Alternative Approach for Targeting DNA: Mechanisms of Action and Cellular Consequences
Authors: Lenglet Gaëlle , David-Cordonnier Marie-Hélène
Published: July 2010

DNA targeting drugs represent a large proportion of the actual anticancer drug pharmacopeia, both in terms of drug brands and prescription volumes. Small DNA‐interacting molecules share the ability of certain proteins to change the DNA helix′s overall organization and geometrical orientation via tilt, roll, twist, slip, and flip effects. In this ocean of DNA‐interacting compounds, most stabilize both DNA strands and very few display helix‐destabilizing properties. These types of DNA‐destabilizing effect are observed with certain mono‐ or bis‐intercalators and DNA alkylating agents (some of which have been or are being developed as cancer drugs). The formation of locally destabilized DNA portions could interfere with protein/DNA recognition and potentially affect several crucial cellular processes, such as DNA repair, replication, and transcription. The present paper describes the molecular basis of DNA destabilization, the cellular impact on protein recognition, and DNA repair processes and the latter′s relationships with antitumour efficacy.
Delayed Lead Perforation: Can We Ever Let the Guard Down?
Authors: Alla Venkata M. , Reddy Yeruva M. , Abide William , Hee Tom , Hunter Claire
Published: July 2010

Lead perforation is a major complication of cardiac rhythm management devices (CRMD), occurring in about 1%. While most lead perforations occur early, numerous instances of delayed lead perforation (occurring 30 days after implantation) have been reported in the last few years. Only about 40 such cases have been published, with the majority occurring 1 year after implantation. Herein, we describe the case of an 84-year-old female who presented with recurrent syncope and was diagnosed to have delayed pacemaker lead perforation 4.8 years after implantation. Through this report, we intend to highlight the increasing use of CRMD in elderly patients, and the lifelong risk of complications with these devices. Presentation can be atypical and a high index of suspicion is necessary for diagnosis.
Influence of XRCC1 Genetic Polymorphisms on Ionizing Radiation‐Induced DNA Damage and Repair
Authors: Sterpone Silvia , Cozzi Renata
Published: July 2010

It is well known that ionizing radiation (IR) can damage DNA through a direct action, producing single‐ and double‐strand breaks on DNA double helix, as well as an indirect effect by generating oxygen reactive species in the cells. Mammals have evolved several and distinct DNA repair pathways in order to maintain genomic stability and avoid tumour cell transformation. This review reports important data showing a huge interindividual variability on sensitivity to IR and in susceptibility to developing cancer; this variability is principally represented by genetic polymorphisms, that is, DNA repair gene polymorphisms. In particular we have focussed on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of XRCC1, a gene that encodes for a scaffold protein involved basically in Base Excision Repair (BER). In this paper we have reported and presented recent studies that show an influence of XRCC1 variants on DNA repair capacity and susceptibility to breast cancer.
Stimulation of DNA Glycosylase Activities by XPC Protein Complex: Roles of Protein‐Protein Interactions
Authors: Shimizu Yuichiro , Uchimura Yasuhiro , Dohmae Naoshi , Saitoh Hisato , Hanaoka Fumio , Sugasawa Kaoru
Published: July 2010

We showed that XPC complex, which is a DNA damage detector for nucleotide excision repair, stimulates activity of thymine DNA glycosylase (TDG) that initiates base excision repair. XPC appeared to facilitate the enzymatic turnover of TDG by promoting displacement from its own product abasic site, although the precise mechanism underlying this stimulation has not been clarified. Here we show that XPC has only marginal effects on the activity of E. coli TDG homolog (EcMUG), which remains bound to the abasic site like human TDG but does not significantly interacts with XPC. On the contrary, XPC significantly stimulates the activities of sumoylated TDG and SMUG1, both of which exhibit quite different enzymatic kinetics from unmodified TDG but interact with XPC. These results point to importance of physical interactions for stimulation of DNA glycosylases by XPC and have implications in the molecular mechanisms underlying mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in XP‐C patients.
Coincident In Vitro Analysis of DNA‐PK‐Dependent and ‐Independent Nonhomologous End Joining
Authors: Hendrickson Cynthia L. , Purkayastha Shubhadeep , Pastwa Elzbieta , Neumann Ronald D. , Winters Thomas A.
Published: July 2010

In mammalian cells, DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs) are primarily repaired by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). The current model suggests that the Ku 70/80 heterodimer binds to DSB ends and recruits DNA‐PKcs to form the active DNA‐dependent protein kinase, DNA‐PK. Subsequently, XRCC4, DNA ligase IV, XLF and most likely, other unidentified components participate in the final DSB ligation step. Therefore, DNA‐PK plays a key role in NHEJ due to its structural and regulatory functions that mediate DSB end joining. However, recent studies show that additional DNA‐PK‐independent NHEJ pathways also exist. Unfortunately, the presence of DNA‐PKcs appears to inhibit DNA‐PK‐independent NHEJ, and in vitro analysis of DNA‐PK‐independent NHEJ in the presence of the DNA‐PKcs protein remains problematic. We have developed an in vitro assay that is preferentially active for DNA‐PK‐independent DSB repair based solely on its reaction conditions, facilitating coincident differential biochemical analysis of the two pathways. The results indicate the biochemically distinct nature of the end‐joining mechanisms represented by the DNA‐PK‐dependent and ‐independent NHEJ assays as well as functional differences between the two pathways.
Regulation of HuR by DNA Damage Response Kinases
Authors: Kim Hyeon Ho , Abdelmohsen Kotb , Gorospe Myriam
Published: July 2010

As many DNA‐damaging conditions repress transcription, posttranscriptional processes critically influence gene expression during the genotoxic stress response. The RNA‐binding protein HuR robustly influences gene expression following DNA damage. HuR function is controlled in two principal ways: (1) by mobilizing HuR from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where it modulates the stability and translation of target mRNAs and (2) by altering its association with target mRNAs. Here, we review evidence that two main effectors of ataxia‐telangiectasia‐mutated/ATM‐ and Rad3‐related (ATM/ATR), the checkpoint kinases Chk1 and Chk2, jointly influence HuR function. Chk1 affects HuR localization by phosphorylating (hence inactivating) Cdk1, a kinase that phosphorylates HuR and thereby blocks HuR′s cytoplasmic export. Chk2 modulates HuR binding to target mRNAs by phosphorylating HuR′s RNA‐recognition motifs (RRM1 and RRM2). We discuss how HuR phosphorylation by kinases including Chk1/Cdk1 and Chk2 impacts upon gene expression patterns, cell proliferation, and survival following genotoxic injury.
La teoria dei perimetri di Caccioppoli–De Giorgi e i suoi più recenti sviluppi
Authors: Ambrosio Luigi
Published: July 2010

In this paper we illustrate the theory of sets of finite perimeter, starting from the pioneering intuitions of Caccioppoli and De Giorgi’s seminal papers. In the second part of the paper we illustrate some more recent developments and open problems in metric measure spaces, in Carnot groups and in infinite-dimensional Gaussian spaces.
Brody hyperbolicity and homotopy
Authors: Borghesi Simone , Tomassini Giuseppe
Published: July 2010

The paper’s aim is to develop a theory in which the concept of Brody hyperbolicity of a complex space (cfr. [2]) is interpreted in terms of homotopy-theoretic structures. We contend that this interplay will be particularly useful if implemented by applying homotopy-theoretical techniques and constructions to get information on hyperbolic spaces. Imitating the construction of homotopy groups, we will define
holotopy groups
that will be able to tell apart different complex structures. From our point of view, the most important feature of these groups is that they vanish in a certain range if evaluated on a Brody hyperbolic complex space (see Theorem 4.1), providing therefore a way to reduce the proof of non hyperbolicity of a complex space to the existence of a nonzero holotopy class in these groups.
Mechanism of shopping difficulties for low‐income households caused by the increase in high‐income households in central Tokyo: A case study of Azabu and Takanawa districts of Minato‐ku
Authors: Nakamura Emi , Asami Yasushi
Published: May 2024

This study analyzed the mechanism of shopping difficulties for low‐income groups in central Tokyo, where economic disparity is progressing due to gentrification. Through questionnaire and interview surveys, as well as analysis of time‐series environmental changes, we found that since 2000, shopping difficulties have been induced by the decline of shopping streets and the upgrading of supermarkets in parallel. Furthermore, in the areas where the percentage of high‐income groups due to redevelopments has significantly increased, luxury supermarkets opened at the same time as the construction of luxury condominiums, making it difficult for affordable supermarkets to locate.
Large Coercivity and High Remanence in Iron‐Rich 2:17‐Type SmCo Magnets:Effect of Dislocation on Solid‐Solution Precursors
Authors: Hu Mingyao , He Yangkun , Liu Yang , Liu Ziheng , Xi Longlong , Yang Lei , Zhang Tianli , Kang Dazhuang , Si Chen , Zhao Mingjing , Jiang Chengbao
Published: May 2024

Iron‐rich 2:17‐type SmCo magnets are expected to achieve high performance and relatively low cost. However, inhomogeneous cellular structures usually exist in iron‐rich magnets, resulting in a drastic reduction in coercivity and energy product. Herein, a strategy is proposed to regulate the dislocation by decreasing the Sm content and extending the solid‐solution duration in precursor of iron‐rich SmCo magnet. High‐density dislocations in precursor contributed to 1:5H nucleation, leading to uniform cellular structures in final magnets. As a result, a remarkable intrinsic coercivity of 1.50 T and one of the highest remanences (1.24 T) are simultaneously achieved in the iron‐rich Sm25Co42Fe26Cu5Zr2 (wt%) magnet. This study provides valuable insights into the design and development of iron‐rich 2:17‐type SmCo magnets.