bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Piroxicam and laser phototherapy in the treatment of TMJ arthralgia: a double‐blind randomised controlled trial
Authors: de Carli M. L. , Guerra M. B. , Nunes T. B. , di Matteo R. C. , de Luca C. E. P. , Aranha A. C. C. , Bolzan M. C. , Witzel A. L.
Published: December 2012

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of piroxicam associated with low‐level laser therapy compared with single therapies in 32 patients presenting temporomandibular joint arthralgia in a random and double‐blind research design. The sample, divided into laser + piroxicam, laser + placebo piroxicam and placebo laser + piroxicam groups, was submitted to the treatment with infrared laser (830 nm, 100 mW, 28 s, 100 J cm−2) at 10 temporomandibular joint and muscle points on each side during four sessions concomitant to take one capsule a day of piroxicam 20 mg during 10 days. The treatment was evaluated throughout four sessions and 30 days follow‐up through visual analogue scale (VAS), maximum mouth opening and joint and muscle (temporal and masseter) pain on palpation. The results showed that all the study groups had a significant improvement in the VAS scores (P < 0·05), and there were no significant group differences. Piroxicam was effective in the reduction of joint and muscle pain on palpation (P < 0·05) and showed the lowest temporal pain (P = 0·02) at the 30‐day follow‐up. The combination of low‐level laser therapy and piroxicam was not more effective than single therapies in the treatment of temporomandibular joint arthralgia. The use of piroxicam was more effective in the following 30 days.
Situational and Dispositional Goal Adjustment in the Context of Metastatic Cancer
Authors: Thompson Elizabeth , Stanton Annette L. , Bower Julienne E.
Published: December 2012

Striving toward goals is associated with higher levels of subjective well‐being; however, many potential roadblocks to goal achievement exist. The current study extends the understanding of goal regulation processes in its examination of the relationships between dispositional and situational goal adjustment to a profound stressor and their associations with psychological adjustment. Women (N = 103; M age = 57.2 years; 82% Caucasian) with metastatic breast cancer completed semistructured interviews and self‐report measures at study entry and 3 months later. Measures of dispositional and situational goal reengagement were significantly correlated, but dispositional and situational goal disengagement were unrelated. Greater dispositional and situational goal disengagement abilities were associated with fewer cancer‐related intrusive thoughts at Time 1. Dispositional and situational reengagement were positively associated with life satisfaction and sense of purpose and negatively associated with depressive symptoms at Time 1. However, greater initial situational goal disengagement predicted an increase in depressive symptoms over time. Both how an individual typically responds to goal blockage, as well as how an individual is currently responding to a specific blocked goal, appear related to psychological adjustment.
Disseminated tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis in Australian‐born children; case reports and review of current epidemiology and management
Authors: Smith Benjamin B , Hazelton Briony J , Heywood Anita E , Snelling Thomas L , Peacock Kenneth M , Macartney Kristine K
Published: December 2012

We present two cases of tuberculous meningitis in Australian‐born children. We review the current literature surrounding management of paediatric tuberculosis and disseminated disease, emphasising the importance of prompt diagnosis and intervention. We discuss the epidemiology of tuberculosis in the Australian paediatric population and highlight the sentinel role of childhood infection in public health surveillance.
Implementing Inclusion and Collaborative Teaming in a Model Program of Postsecondary Education for Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Folk Eric D. R. , Yamamoto Kathryn K. , Stodden Robert A.
Published: December 2012

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Education announced an initiative to improve transitioning to postsecondary education (PSE) for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) by funding the model comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) program. The TPSID provides for grants to create or expand inclusive comprehensive transition and postsecondary programs for students with ID. The authors provide a descriptive report of one such TPSID‐funded demonstration in the state of Hawai‘i and share preliminary feedback from student participants, agency and institutional partners, and project staff. The authors' interviews with the participants and collaborators provided insights and perspectives of the challenges inherent in implementing such a demonstration model. They found that student participants with ID, who were culturally and linguistically diverse, relished the opportunity to participate in PSE and were motivated by the opportunity to learn, meet new people, and contribute to their families. Interagency partners valued the process and benefits of interagency teaming, with most reporting that participating in collaborative teaming resulted in a shift in their views on inclusion of students with ID in PSE. The authors concluded that the implementation of an inclusive PSE transition model can be a transformative process for students with ID, PSE institutions, and support agencies. Furthermore, that collaborative interagency teaming is a powerful method to inform and empower the implementation of change and stimulate and facilitate new opportunities and approaches to improve transition outcomes for students with ID.
Effects of Low-Energy Shockwave Therapy on the Erectile Function and Tissue of a Diabetic Rat Model
Authors: Qiu Xuefeng , Lin Guiting , Xin Zhongcheng , Ferretti Ludovic , Zhang Haiyang , Lue Tom F. , Lin Ching-Shwun
Published: December 2012

Introduction

Low-energy shockwave therapy (LESWT) has been shown to improve erectile function in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus (DM)-associated erectile dysfunction (ED). However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown.

Aim

The aim of this study is to investigate whether LESWT can ameliorate DM-associated ED in a rat model and examine the associated changes in the erectile tissues.

Methods

Newborn male rats were intraperitoneally injected with 5-ethynyl-2-deoxyuridine (EdU; 50 mg/kg) for the purpose of tracking endogenous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Eight weeks later, eight of these rats were randomly chosen to serve as normal control (N group). The remaining rats were injected intraperitoneally with 60 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) to induce DM. Eight of these rats were randomly chosen to serve as DM control (DM group), whereas another eight rats were subject to shockwave (SW) treatment (DM+SW group). Each rat in the DM+SW group received 300 shocks at energy level of 0.1 mJ/mm2 and frequency of 120/minute. This procedure was repeated three times a week for 2 weeks. Another 2 weeks later, all 24 rats were evaluated for erectile function by intracavernous pressure (ICP) measurement. Afterward, their penile tissues were examined by histology.

Main Outcome Measures

Erectile function was measured by ICP. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-positive nerves and the endothelium were examined by immunofluorescence staining. Smooth muscle and MSCs were examined by phalloidin and EdU staining, respectively.

Results

STZ treatment caused a significant decrease in erectile function and in the number of nNOS-positive nerves and in endothelial and smooth muscle contents. These DM-associated deficits were all partially but significantly reversed by LESWT. MSCs (EdU-positive cells) were significantly more numerous in DM+SW than in DM rats.

Conclusion

LESWT can partially ameliorate DM-associated ED by promoting regeneration of nNOS-positive nerves, endothelium, and smooth muscle in the penis. These beneficial effects appear to be mediated by recruitment of endogenous MSCs.
Hypoxia‐Inducible Factor‐1 Is a Determinant of Lobular Structure and Oxygen Consumption in the Liver
Authors: Tsukada Kosuke , Tajima Toshihide , Hori Shutaro , Matsuura Tomomi , Johnson Randall S. , Goda Nobuhito , Suematsu Makoto
Published: December 2012

Objective

Hypoxia‐inducible factor is a hypoxia‐responsive transcriptional factor that controls the expression of proteins contributing to homeostatic responses to hypoxia. Spatial heterogeneity of tissue oxygenation has been postulated as a determinant of structure and function of hepatic lobules, although its molecular mechanisms remain unknown. This study aimed to examine the role of HIF‐1 expressed in hepatocytes in regulation of hepatic microcirculation.

Methods

We have generated mice harboring a floxed HIF‐1α allele, and employed the albumin‐Cre transgenic line to inactivate the gene site‐specifically in hepatocytes.

Results

Intravital observation of the hepatic microcirculation revealed extension of hepatic lobules in HIF‐1α‐deficient mice. Measurement of microvascular diameter, velocity, and local oxygen tension by laser‐assisted phosphorimetry showed that the oxygen consumption in the lobules of HIF‐1α‐deficient mice was greater than that in those of control mice. Isolated hepatocytes from HIF‐1α‐deficient mice also stimulated oxygen consumptions with increased contents of mtDNA. Overexpression of HIF‐1α decreased the expression of PGC‐1α mRNA, whereas the knockdown of the HIF‐1α gene increased it, suggesting that HIF‐1 regulates cellular respiration through mitochondrial biogenesis.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that constitutive expression of HIF‐1α in hepatocytes acts as a determinant of hepatic lobular structure and oxygen consumption by changing mitochondrial contents.
Trees are major conduits for methane egress from tropical forested wetlands
Authors: Pangala Sunitha R. , Moore Sam , Hornibrook Edward R. C. , Gauci Vincent
Published: December 2012

Wetlands are the largest source of methane to the atmosphere, with tropical wetlands comprising the most significant global wetland source component. The stems of some wetland‐adapted tree species are known to facilitate egress of methane from anoxic soil, but current ground‐based flux chamber methods for determining methane inventories in forested wetlands neglect this emission pathway, and consequently, the contribution of tree‐mediated emissions to total ecosystem methane flux remains unknown.

In this study, we quantify in situ methane emissions from tree stems, peatland surfaces (ponded hollows and hummocks) and root‐aerating pneumatophores in a tropical forested peatland in Southeast Asia.

We show that tree stems emit substantially more methane than peat surfaces, accounting for 62–87% of total ecosystem methane flux. Tree stem flux strength was controlled by the stem diameter, wood specific density and the amount of methane dissolved in pore water.

Our findings highlight the need to integrate this emission pathway in both field studies and models if wetland methane fluxes are to be characterized accurately in global methane budgets, and the discrepancies that exist between field‐based flux inventories and top‐down estimates of methane emissions from tropical areas are to be reconciled.
A proteomic approach identifies many novel palmitoylated proteins in Arabidopsis
Authors: Hemsley Piers A. , Weimar Thilo , Lilley Kathryn S. , Dupree Paul , Grierson Claire S.
Published: December 2012

S‐acylation (palmitoylation) is a poorly understood post‐translational modification of proteins involving the addition of acyl lipids to cysteine residues. S‐acylation promotes the association of proteins with membranes and influences protein stability, microdomain partitioning, membrane targeting and activation state. No consensus motif for S‐acylation exists and it therefore requires empirical identification.

Here, we describe a biotin switch isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ)‐based method to identify S‐acylated proteins from Arabidopsis. We use these data to predict and confirm S‐acylation of proteins not in our dataset.

We identified c. 600 putative S‐acylated proteins affecting diverse cellular processes. These included proteins involved in pathogen perception and response, mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs), leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like kinases (LRR‐RLKs) and RLK superfamily members, integral membrane transporters, ATPases, soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor‐activating protein receptors (SNAREs) and heterotrimeric G‐proteins. The prediction of S‐acylation of related proteins was demonstrated by the identification and confirmation of S‐acylation sites within the SNARE and LRR‐RLK families. We showed that S‐acylation of the LRR‐RLK FLS2 is required for a full response to elicitation by the flagellin derived peptide flg22, but is not required for localization to the plasma membrane.

Arabidopsis contains many more S‐acylated proteins than previously thought. These data can be used to identify S‐acylation sites in related proteins. We also demonstrated that S‐acylation is required for full LRR‐RLK function.
Three‐dimensional analysis of facial shape and symmetry in twins using laser surface scanning
Authors: Djordjevic J. , Jadallah M. , Zhurov A. I. , Toma A. M. , Richmond S.
Published: December 2012

Structured Abstract

Objectives

Three‐dimensional analysis of facial shape and symmetry in twins.

Setting and Sample Population

Faces of 37 twin pairs [19 monozygotic (MZ) and 18 dizygotic (DZ)] were laser scanned at the age of 15 during a follow‐up of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), South West of England.

Material and Methods

Facial shape was analysed using two methods: 1) Procrustes analysis of landmark configurations (63 x, y and z coordinates of 21 facial landmarks) and 2) three‐dimensional comparisons of facial surfaces within each twin pair. Monozygotic and DZ twins were compared using ellipsoids representing 95% of the variation in landmark configurations and surface‐based average faces. Facial symmetry was analysed by superimposing the original and mirror facial images.

Results

Both analyses showed greater similarity of facial shape in MZ twins, with lower third being the least similar. Procrustes analysis did not reveal any significant difference in facial landmark configurations of MZ and DZ twins. The average faces of MZ and DZ males were coincident in the forehead, supraorbital and infraorbital ridges, the bridge of the nose and lower lip. In MZ and DZ females, the eyes, supraorbital and infraorbital ridges, philtrum and lower part of the cheeks were coincident. Zygosity did not seem to influence the amount of facial symmetry. Lower facial third was the most asymmetrical.

Conclusion

Three‐dimensional analyses revealed differences in facial shapes of MZ and DZ twins. The relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors is different for the upper, middle and lower facial thirds.
Anxiety and Depression in Patients with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator and Their Partners: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: VAN DEN BROEK KRISTA C. , HEIJMANS NAOMI , VAN ASSEN MARCEL A.L.M.
Published: December 2012

Background

Little is known about the relation between emotional distress of patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) and distress of their partners. This longitudinal study aimed to determine the association between patient and partner distress, and to explain distress in patients and partners using demographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics of patients and partners.

Methods

In total, 343 patients (84% male, mean age = 63.2 ± 9.2 years) and partners (18% male, mean age = 60.3 ± 9.4 years) completed self‐report measures on anxiety and depressive symptoms at the time of implantation and at 2, 12, and 18 months follow‐up. Type D personality (DS14; nonexpression of negative emotions) was assessed at baseline. Clinical information was gathered from medical records. Multilevel modeling was applied.

Results

The correlations between distress in patients and partners were positive (range r = 0.19–0.43; all P's < 0.001). Generally, partners experienced more anxiety and patients more depression. Patient and partner characteristics explained about half of the variance of distress of patients and partners. As expected, psychological characteristics had the strongest effect on distress. Patient anxiety was associated with patient depression and Type D, and to the corresponding distress variable of the partner (anxiety). Similar results were found for patient depression, partner anxiety, and partner depression.

Conclusion

Distress of ICD patients is associated with distress of their partners. Future studies need to investigate mechanisms of these patient‐partner dynamics, such as communication and behavioral issues. It may be timely to not only focus emotional support on patients, but also on their partners.
RhoJ modulates melanoma invasion by altering actin cytoskeletal dynamics
Authors: Ho Hsiang , Soto Hopkin Amelia , Kapadia Rubina , Vasudeva Priya , Schilling Jonathan , Ganesan Anand K.
Published: December 2012

Rho family GTPases regulate diverse processes in human melanoma ranging from tumor formation to metastasis and chemoresistance. In this study, a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches was utilized to determine whether RHOJ, a CDC42 homologue that regulates melanoma chemoresistance, also controls melanoma migration. Depletion or overexpression of RHOJ altered cellular morphology, implicating a role for RHOJ in modulating actin cytoskeletal dynamics. RHOJ depletion inhibited melanoma cell migration and invasion in vitro and melanoma tumor growth and lymphatic spread in mice. Molecular studies revealed that RHOJ alters actin cytoskeletal dynamics by inducing the phosphorylation of LIMK, cofilin, and p41‐ARC (ARP2/3 complex subunit) in a PAK1‐dependent manner in vitro and in tumor xenografts. Taken together, these observations identify RHOJ as a melanoma linchpin determinant that regulates both actin cytoskeletal dynamics and chemoresistance by activating PAK1.
Linear Lupus Erythematosus Profundus as an Initial Manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Child
Authors: Fernandes Sónia , Santos Sónia , Freitas Isabel , Salgado Manuel , Afonso Ana , Cardoso Jorge
Published: December 2012

The case of a 13‐year‐old Caucasian girl with a 1‐year history of a linear plaque on her thigh is reported. Histopathologic examination of the incisional biopsy tissue established the diagnosis of lupus erythematosus panniculitis. Six months later she developed the clinical and laboratory criteria for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). She was treated with azathioprine and oral prednisolone, with a favorable clinical outcome. Our case illustrates a child with linear lupus erythematosus profundus as an initial manifestation of SLE. To our knowledge, only eight other cases of linear lupus erythematosus profundus have been reported in the literature, five in children. In contrast to our patient, none of those cases progressed to SLE during the reported follow‐up period. The authors report this case to illustrate an unusual superimposed segmental manifestation of an inflammatory polygenic disorder.
Goodbye Warts, Hello Vitiligo: Candida Antigen‐Induced Depigmentation
Authors: Wilmer Erin N. , Burkhart Craig N. , Morrell Dean S.
Published: December 2012

Depigmentation after the use of topical immune modulators is a rare but reported event. Herein we present what is to our knowledge the first case of vitiligo at a site of Candida antigen injection.
UVB‐Induced Inflammatory Cytokine Release, DNA Damage and Apoptosis of Human Oral Compared with Skin Tissue Equivalents
Authors: Breger Joyce , Baeva Larissa , Agrawal Anant , Shindell Eli , Godar Dianne E.
Published: December 2012

People can get oral cancers from UV (290–400 nm) exposures. Besides high outdoor UV exposures, high indoor UV exposures to oral tissues can occur when consumers use UV‐emitting tanning devices to either tan or whiten their teeth. We compared the carcinogenic risks of skin to oral tissue cells after UVB (290–320 nm) exposures using commercially available 3D‐engineered models for human skin (EpiDerm™), gingival (EpiGing™) and oral (EpiOral™) tissues. To compare the relative carcinogenic risks, we investigated the release of cytokines, initial DNA damage in the form of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), repair of CPDs and apoptotic cell numbers. We measured cytokine release using cytometric beads with flow cytometry and previously developed a fluorescent immunohistochemical assay to quantify simultaneously CPD repair rates and apoptotic cell numbers. We found that interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) release and the initial CPDs are significantly higher, whereas the CPD repair rates and apoptotic cell numbers are significantly lower for oral compared with skin tissue cells. Thus, the increased release of the inflammatory cytokine IL‐8 along with inefficient CPD repair and decreased death rates for oral compared with skin tissue cells suggests that mutations are accumulating in the surviving population of oral cells increasing people's risks for getting oral cancers.
Detection of HEY1‐NCOA2 fusion by fluorescence in‐situ hybridization in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissues as a possible diagnostic tool for mesenchymal chondrosarcoma
Authors: Nakayama Robert , Miura Yasuhiro , Ogino Jiro , Susa Michiro , Watanabe Itsuo , Horiuchi Keisuke , Anazawa Ukei , Toyama Yoshiaki , Morioka Hideo , Mukai Makio , Hasegawa Tadashi
Published: December 2012

Mesenchymal chondrosarcoma (MC) is an extremely rare subtype of chondrosarcoma. A tumor specific fusion gene, HEY1‐NCOA2 fusion, was recently identified in this tumor. The finding raises the possibility that the diagnosis of MC can be improved by examining the fusion gene. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in detecting HEY1‐NCOA2 fusion for the diagnosis of MC. Specimens from 10 patients diagnosed with MC were used for the study. Dual‐color FISH was performed using two different probes that specifically hybridize to HEY1 and NCOA2, respectively. Fusion signals were identified in all but two specimens, in which no signal was detected, presumably because of inadequate sample preparation. In accordance with results of a previous study, FISH analysis was highly sensitive in detecting HEY1‐NCOA2 fusion in adequately prepared MC samples. The current study adds further support for the use of HEY1‐NCOA2 fusion as a valid diagnostic marker for MC.
Attachment disorganization moderates the effect of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms on infant autonomic functioning
Authors: Tharner Anne , Dierckx Bram , Luijk Maartje P.C.M. , van Ijzendoorn Marinus H. , Bakermans‐Kranenburg Marian J. , van Ginkel Joost R. , Moll Henriette A. , Jaddoe Vincent W.V. , Hofman Albert , Hudziak James J. , Verhulst Frank C , Tiemeier Henning
Published: December 2012

We examined associations of disorganized attachment and maternal depressive symptoms with infant autonomic functioning in 450 infant‐mother dyads enrolled in the Generation R study. Maternal depressive symptoms were measured 2 months postpartum with the Brief Symptom Inventory. At 14 months, we assessed infant attachment with a slightly shortened Strange Situation and measured infant resting heart rate. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was calculated using spectral analysis. Higher levels of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms predicted lower resting RSA in disorganized infants (B = −0.31, SE = 0.15, p = .04, R2 = .05) but not in nondisorganized infants (B = 0.05, SE = 0.06, p = .36). This effect was buffered in disorganized infants with a secondary secure attachment classification. Disorganized infants were more vulnerable to the effect of maternal postnatal depressive symptoms on the physiological stress systems.
Specific fear modulates attentional selectivity during visual search: Electrophysiological insights from the N2pc
Authors: Weymar Mathias , Gerdes Antje B. M. , Löw Andreas , Alpers Georg W. , Hamm Alfons O.
Published: December 2012

In the present study, we used high‐density EEG during a visual search task to investigate the dynamics of spatial attention to fear‐relevant targets and background stimuli in small animal phobia during a visual search task. Twenty‐five spider fearful (22 females) and 25 healthy nonfearful participants (19 females) were measured, while searching for discrepant objects in visual arrays. Compared to nonfearful participants, spider fearful individuals showed a more enhanced posterior N2pc to spider (vs. butterfly) targets in an array of flowers. Furthermore, spider fearful participants showed enhanced hypervigilance for all presented stimuli compared to controls as reflected by enhanced N1 amplitudes (160–200 ms). Our findings provide neural evidence for early, enhanced selective spatial attention for fear‐relevant stimuli.
How Does Fiscal Consolidation Impact on Income Inequality?
Authors: Agnello Luca , Sousa Ricardo M.
Published: December 2012

In this paper, we assess the impact of fiscal consolidation on income inequality. Using a panel of 18 industrialized countries from 1978 to 2009, we find that income inequality significantly rises during periods of fiscal consolidation. In addition, while fiscal policy that is driven by spending cuts seems to be detrimental for income distribution, tax hikes seem to have an equalizing effect. We also show that the size of the fiscal consolidation program (in percentage of GDP) has an impact on income inequality. In particular, when consolidation plans represent a small share of GDP, the income gap widens, suggesting that the burden associated with the effort affects disproportionately households at the bottom of the income distribution. Considering the linkages between banking crises and fiscal consolidation, we find that the effect on the income gap is amplified when fiscal adjustments take place after the resolution of such financial turmoil. Similarly, fiscal consolidation programs combined with inflation are likely to increase inequality and the effects of fiscal adjustments on inequality are amplified during periods of relatively low growth. Our results also provide support for a non‐linear relationship between inequality and income and corroborate the idea that trade can promote a more equal distribution of income.
High emotional arousal and failures in reality monitoring: Pathways to auditory hallucinations in non‐psychotic children?
Authors: MERTIN PETER , O’BRIEN NIAMH
Published: December 2012

Recent research has confirmed the presence of auditory hallucinations in non‐psychotic children, with this research also suggesting that such hallucinations may be more common than previously thought. While auditory hallucinations in children have frequently been associated with high levels of emotional stress, there is still a poor understanding of how this stress may precipitate hallucinations, and why some children experience hallucinations while others seem not to. The current study assessed the association between high levels of trauma symptomatology, anxiety and depression, and the presence of hallucinations against matched controls. Results indicated that hallucinating children had significantly higher mean anxiety, depression and, in particular, re‐experiencing scores than did the children in the control group. These results were examined within the framework of reality monitoring, that is, the ability to distinguish between externally or internally generated sources of information. The notion of high levels of emotional distress decreasing the efficiency of reality monitoring and leading to the possibility of confusion between internally and externally generated stimuli was discussed, with the conclusion advanced that the misattribution of an externally generated source – either held as a memory or as a traumatic re‐experiencing – as an internally generated one, underlies hallucinatory experiences.
“What do coaches do” and “how do they relate”: Their effects on athletes' psychological needs and functioning
Authors: Felton L. , Jowett S.
Published: December 2012

Grounded in self‐determination theory, this study aimed to examine the links of the social environment, as defined by coach interpersonal behaviors and coach–athlete relationships, with athletes' psychological need satisfaction and indexes of well‐being. Athletes (N = 300) completed a multi‐section questionnaire assessing the study variables. Bootstrap mediation analysis highlighted significant indirect effects whereby the competence need mediated associations between the social environment of coaching and athletes' vitality, negative affect, and physical self‐concept (defined as skillfulness and performance). Findings support theoretical assumptions and highlight that athletes' perceptions of what coaches do, and how they relate, are important to their psychological needs satisfaction and optimal functioning.
The −521 C/T variant in the dopamine‐4‐receptor gene (DRD4) is associated with skiing and snowboarding behavior
Authors: Thomson C. J. , Hanna C. W. , Carlson S. R. , Rupert J. L.
Published: December 2012

Sensation seeking is the tendency to seek out new and thrilling experiences and to take risks for the sake of such experiences. A single‐nucleotide polymorphism, −521 C/T (rs1800955) in the promoter region of the dopamine‐4‐receptor gene (DRD4), is associated with approach‐related traits including novelty seeking and extraversion, in some, but not all studies. To our knowledge, no studies have been conducted on the genetics of risk‐taking behavior in sports. Using a joint‐analysis approach, we measured sensation seeking in two cohorts of experienced male and female skiers and snowboarders (n = 503) using a sports‐specific tool developed for this study, the Contextual Sensation Seeking Questionnaire for Skiing and Snowboarding (CSSQ‐S), and a more general trait measure, the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire impulsive sensation‐seeking subscale. We detected, and then replicated a significant association between the DRD4 −521CC genotype and sports‐specific sensation seeking as measured using the CSSQ‐S (P < 0.001). These data suggest that the DRD4 −521 C/T polymorphism contributes to a “risk‐taking phenotype” in skiers and snowboarders, but the variant was not associated with impulsive sensation seeking (P = 0.9).
Revisiting the orogenic energy balance in the western Taiwan orogen with weak faults
Authors: Meade Brendan J.
Published: December 2012

Orogens at convergent margins must meet the energetic requirements necessary to lift rocks against gravity, allow for frictional sliding along basal detachments and accommodate internal deformation processes. The combination of critical taper and kinematic wedge theories predicts the partitioning between these energy sinks as a function of both fault and crustal strengths. Integrating contemporary estimates of both crustal pore fluid pressures and the coefficient of friction on major faults, we find that work associated with internal deformation processes is the dominant energy sink in the western Taiwan orogenic wedge. These processes consume 54% of the total work budget, while the dissipation rates associated with frictional sliding on the basal detachment and lifting rocks against gravity are lower, requiring only 11% and 35% respectively. These results suggest a mechanical dichotomy in orogenic wedges where the faulting dominates the kinematic deformation budget, but internal distributed deformation processes dominate the energy budget.
Inorganic nitrogen release kinetics and exchangeable inorganic nitrogen of the sediments from shallow lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River region
Authors: Wang Shengrui , Jiao Lixin , Jin Xiangcan , Wang Juan
Published: December 2012

Inorganic nitrogen (IN) release kinetics and exchangeable inorganic nitrogen (EIN) of the sediments from shallow lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River region were investigated. The results showed that the EIN contents of the studied sediments ranged from 131 to 274 mg/kg. With the increase of the total nitrogen (TN) contents, their EIN also significantly increased. Their ratios of EIN to TN ranged from 5 to 17%, and with the increase of their TN contents, their ratios decreased. The relative contribution of NH4+‐N and NO3‐N to EIN ranged from 83 and 11% to 89 and 17%, respectively. The curves of the NO3‐N release kinetics of the studied sediments were not completely consistent with those of IN and NH4+‐N. The amounts of the IN released from sediments not only relate to their EIN contents, but also to other N fractions.
X‐ray acoustic computed tomography with pulsed x‐ray beam from a medical linear accelerator
Authors: Xiang Liangzhong , Han Bin , Carpenter Colin , Pratx Guillem , Kuang Yu , Xing Lei
Published: December 2012

Purpose:

The feasibility of medical imaging using a medical linear accelerator to generate acoustic waves is investigated. This modality, x‐ray acoustic computed tomography (XACT), has the potential to enable deeper tissue penetration in tissue than photoacoustic tomography via laser excitation.

Methods:

Short pulsed (μs‐range) 10 MV x‐ray beams with dose‐rate of approximately 30 Gy/min were generated from a medical linear accelerator. The acoustic signals were collected with an ultrasound transducer (500 KHz central frequency) positioned around an object. The transducer, driven by a computer‐controlled step motor to scan around the object, detected the resulting acoustic signals in the imaging plane at each scanning position. A pulse preamplifier, with a bandwidth of 20 KHz–2 MHz at −3 dB, and switchable gains of 40 and 60 dB, received the signals from the transducer and delivered the amplified signals to a secondary amplifier. The secondary amplifier had bandwidth of 20 KHz–30 MHz at −3 dB, and a gain range of 10–60 dB. Signals were recorded and averaged 128 times by an oscilloscope. A sampling rate of 100 MHz was used to record 2500 data points at each view angle. One set of data incorporated 200 positions as the receiver moved 360°. The x‐ray generated acoustic image was then reconstructed with the filtered back projection algorithm.

Results:

The x‐ray generated acoustic signals were detected from a lead rod embedded in a chicken breast tissue. The authors found that the acoustic signal was proportional to the x‐ray dose deposition, with a correlation of 0.998. The two‐dimensional XACT images of the lead rod embedded in chicken breast tissue were found to be in good agreement with the shape of the object.

Conclusions:

The first x‐ray acoustic computed tomography image is presented. The new modality may be useful for a number of applications, such as providing the location of a fiducial, or monitoring x‐ray dose distribution during radiation therapy. Although much work is needed to improve the image quality of XACT and to explore its performance in other irradiation energies, the benefits of this modality, as highlighted in this work, encourage further study.
Neurons Get the Neuroligin-1 Advantage
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: December 2012

The more neuroligin-1 present, the more likely a synapse is to form.
New Life for an Old Drug: the Anthelmintic Drug Niclosamide Inhibits Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing
Authors: Imperi Francesco , Massai Francesco , Ramachandran Pillai Cejoice , Longo Francesca , Zennaro Elisabetta , Rampioni Giordano , Visca Paolo , Leoni Livia
Published: December 2012

The need for novel antibacterial strategies and the awareness of the importance of quorum sensing (QS) in bacterial infections have stimulated research aimed at identifying QS inhibitors (QSIs). However, clinical application of QSIs identified so far is still distant, likely due to their unsuitability for use in humans. A promising way to overcome this problem is searching for anti-QS side activity among the thousands of drugs approved for clinical use in the treatment of different diseases. Here, we applied this strategy to the search for QSIs, by screening a library of FDA-approved compounds for their ability to inhibit the QS response in the Gram-negative pathogenPseudomonas aeruginosa. We found that the anthelmintic drug niclosamide strongly inhibits theP. aeruginosaQS response and production of acyl-homoserine lactone QS signal molecules. Microarray analysis showed that niclosamide affects the transcription of about 250 genes, with a high degree of target specificity toward the QS-dependent regulon. Phenotypic assays demonstrated that niclosamide suppresses surface motility and production of the secreted virulence factors elastase, pyocyanin, and rhamnolipids, and it reduces biofilm formation. In accordance with the strong antivirulence activity disclosedin vitro, niclosamide preventedP. aeruginosapathogenicity in an insect model of acute infection. Besides the finding that an FDA-approved drug has a promising antivirulence activity against one of the most antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, this work provides a proof of concept that a lateral anti-QS activity can be detected among drugs already used in humans, validating a new approach to identify QSIs that could easily move into clinical applications.
Long-Term Risk for Readmission, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Infection, and Death among MRSA-Colonized Veterans
Authors: Quezada Joaquin Nestor M. , Diekema Daniel J. , Perencevich Eli N. , Bailey George , Winokur Patricia L. , Schweizer Marin L.
Published: December 2012

While numerous studies have assessed the outcomes of methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) colonization over the short term, little is known about longer-term outcomes after discharge. An assessment of long-term outcomes could provide information about the utility of various MRSA prevention approaches. A matched-cohort study was performed among Veterans Affairs (VA) patients screened for MRSA colonization between the years 2007 and 2009 and followed to evaluate outcomes until 2010. Cox proportional-hazard models were used to evaluate the association between MRSA colonization and long-term outcomes, such as infection-related readmission and crude mortality. A total of 404 veterans were included, 206 of whom were MRSA carriers and 198 of whom were noncarriers. There were no culture-proven MRSA infections on readmission among the noncarriers, but 13% of MRSA carriers were readmitted with culture-proven MRSA infections on readmission (
P
< 0.01). MRSA carriers were significantly more likely to be readmitted, to be readmitted more than once due to proven or probable MRSA infections, and to be readmitted within 90 days of discharge than noncarriers (
P
< 0.05). Infection-related readmission (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 4.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.16 to 7.67) and mortality (adjusted HR = 2.71; 95% CI, 1.87 to 3.91) were significantly higher among MRSA carriers than among noncarriers after statistically adjusting for potential confounders. Among a cohort of VA patients, MRSA carriers are at high risk of infection-related readmission, MRSA infection, and mortality compared to noncarriers. Noncarriers are at very low risk of subsequent MRSA infection. Future studies should address whether interventions such as nasal or skin decolonization could result in improved outcomes for MRSA carriers.
Impact of Pharmacogenetic Markers ofCYP2B6, Clinical Factors, and Drug-Drug Interaction on Efavirenz Concentrations in HIV/Tuberculosis-Coinfected Patients
Authors: Manosuthi Weerawat , Sukasem Chonlaphat , Lueangniyomkul Aroon , Mankatitham Wiroj , Thongyen Supeda , Nilkamhang Samruay , Manosuthi Sukanya , Sungkanuparph Somnuek
Published: December 2012

Comprehensive information on the effects of cytochrome P450 2B6 (CYP2B6) polymorphisms, clinical factors, and drug-drug interactions on efavirenz concentrations in HIV/tuberculosis-coinfected (HIV/TB) patients is unavailable. A total of 139 HIV/TB adults, 101 of whom received a rifampin-containing anti-TB regimen, were prospectively enrolled to receive efavirenz (600 mg)/tenofovir/lamivudine. Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) withinCYP2B6were genotyped. Plasma efavirenz concentrations were measured at 12 weeks. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) efavirenz concentration was 2.3 (1.4 to 3.9) mg/liter. The SNPs (frequencies of heterozygous and homozygous mutants) were 64C>T (10% and 1%), 499C>G (0% and 0%), 516G>T (47% and 8%), 785A>G (54% and 10%), 1375A>G (0% and 0%), 1459C>T (3% and 0%), 3003C>T (44% and 27%), 18492T>C (39% and 6%), and 21563C>T (57% and 5%). The four most frequentCYP2B6haplotypes identified were *1/*6 (41%), *1/*1 (35%), *1/*2 (7%), and *6/*6 (7%). The heterozygous/homozygous mutation associated with low efavirenz concentrations was 18492T>C (P< 0.001), and those associated with high efavirenz concentrations were 516G>T, 785A>G, and 21563C>T (allP< 0.05). Haplotype *1/*1 was associated with low efavirenz concentrations, and *6/*6, *1/*6, and *5/6 were associated with high efavirenz concentrations. As shown by multivariate analysis, low efavirenz concentrations were significantly associated with the *1/*1 haplotype (beta = −1.084,P= 0.027) and high body weight (beta = −0.076,P= 0.002). In conclusion, pharmacogenetic markers ofCYP2B6have the greatest impact with respect to inducing low plasma efavirenz concentrations in HIV/TB Thai patients.
The Genetic Environment of the
cfr
Gene and the Presence of Other Mechanisms Account for the Very High Linezolid Resistance of Staphylococcus epidermidis Isolate 426-3147L
Authors: LaMarre Jacqueline , Mendes Rodrigo E. , Szal Teresa , Schwarz Stefan , Jones Ronald N. , Mankin Alexander S.
Published: December 2012

The clinical
Staphylococcus epidermidis
isolate 426-3147L exhibits an unusually high resistance to linezolid that exceeds 256 μg/ml. The presence of the
cfr
gene, encoding the RNA methyltransferase targeting an rRNA nucleotide located in the linezolid binding site, accounts for a significant fraction of resistance. The association of
cfr
with a multicopy plasmid is one of the factors that contribute to its elevated expression. Mapping of the
cfr
transcription start sites identified the native
cfr
promoter. Furthermore, analysis of the
cfr
transcripts in
Staphylococcus epidermidis
426-3147L showed that some of them originate from the upstream plasmid-derived promoters whose activity contributes to efficient
cfr
transcription. The genetic environment of the
cfr
gene and its idiosyncratic transcription pattern result in increased activity of Cfr methyltransferase, leading to a high fraction of the ribosomes being methylated at A2503 of the 23S rRNA. Curing of the
Staphylococcus epidermidis
426-3147L isolate from the
cfr
-containing plasmid reduced the linezolid MIC to 64 μg/ml, indicating that other determinants contribute to resistance. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed the presence of the C2534T mutation in two of the six 23S rRNA gene alleles as well as the presence of mutations in the genes of ribosomal proteins L3 and L4, which were previously implicated in linezolid resistance. Thus, the combination of resistance mechanisms operating through alteration of the drug target site appears to cause an unusually high level of linezolid resistance in the isolate.
Linezolid Surveillance Results for the United States: LEADER Surveillance Program 2011
Authors: Flamm Robert K. , Mendes Rodrigo E. , Ross James E. , Sader Helio S. , Jones Ronald N.
Published: December 2012

The LEADER surveillance program monitors the
in vitro
activity of linezolid and comparator agents against Gram-positive bacteria in the United States. In its eighth consecutive year (2011), a total of 60 medical centers from the United States, including seven medical centers specializing in children's health care contributed a total of 7,303 Gram-positive pathogens. The MIC
90
value for
Staphylococcus aureus
was 2 μg/ml, and for coagulase-negative staphylococci, enterococci,
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, β-hemolytic streptococci, and viridans group streptococci, the MIC
90
was 1 μg/ml. The “all organism” linezolid-resistant and nonsusceptible rate was only 0.19%.
The B Subunit of an AB5 Toxin Produced by Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Up-Regulates Chemokines, Cytokines, and Adhesion Molecules in Human Macrophage, Colonic Epithelial, and Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cell Lines
Authors: Wang Hui , Paton James C. , Herdman Brock P. , Rogers Trisha J. , Beddoe Travis , Paton Adrienne W.
Published: December 2012

The principal function of bacterial AB5 toxin B subunits is to interact with glycan receptors on the surfaces of target cells and mediate the internalization of holotoxin. However, B subunit-receptor interactions also have the potential to impact cell signaling pathways and, in so doing, contribute to pathogenesis independently of the catalytic (toxic) A subunits. Various
Salmonella enterica
serovars, including
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhi, encode an AB5 toxin (ArtAB), the A subunit of which is an ADP-ribosyltransferase related to the S1 subunit of pertussis toxin. However, although the A subunit is able to catalyze ADP-ribosylation of host G proteins, a cytotoxic phenotype has yet to be identified for the holotoxin. We therefore examined the capacity of the purified B subunit (ArtB) from
S
. Typhi to elicit cytokine, chemokine, and adhesion molecule responses in human macrophage (U937), colonic epithelial (HCT-8) cell, and brain microvascular endothelial cell (HBMEC) lines. Secretion of the chemokines monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) was increased in all three tested cell lines, with macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α), MIP-1β, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) also significantly increased in U937 cells. ArtB also upregulated the cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and IL-6 in HBMECs and HCT-8 cells, but not in U937 cells, while intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) was upregulated in HCT-8 and U937 cells and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) was upregulated in HBMECs. Thus, ArtB may contribute to pathogenesis independently of the A subunit by promoting and maintaining a strong inflammatory response at the site of infection.
Lipopolysaccharide-Deficient Acinetobacter baumannii Shows Altered Signaling through Host Toll-Like Receptors and Increased Susceptibility to the Host Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37
Authors: Moffatt Jennifer H. , Harper Marina , Mansell Ashley , Crane Bethany , Fitzsimons Timothy C. , Nation Roger L. , Li Jian , Adler Ben , Boyce John D.
Published: December 2012

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
have emerged as a serious global health problem. We have shown previously that
A. baumannii
can become resistant to the last-line antibiotic colistin via the loss of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), including the lipid A anchor, from the outer membrane (J. H. Moffatt, M. Harper, P. Harrison, J. D. Hale, E. Vinogradov, T. Seemann, R. Henry, B. Crane, F. St. Michael, A. D. Cox, B. Adler, R. L. Nation, J. Li, and J. D. Boyce, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.
54:
4971–4977, 2010). Here, we show how these LPS-deficient bacteria interact with components of the host innate immune system. LPS-deficient
A. baumannii
stimulated 2- to 4-fold lower levels of NF-κB activation and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) secretion from immortalized murine macrophages, but it still elicited low levels of TNF-α secretion via a Toll-like receptor 2-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, we show that while LPS-deficient
A. baumannii
was not altered in its resistance to human serum, it showed increased susceptibility to the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37. Thus, LPS-deficient, colistin-resistant
A. baumannii
shows significantly altered activation of the host innate immune inflammatory response.