bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blau syndrome‐associated mutations in exon 4 of the caspase activating recruitment domain 15 (CARD 15) gene are not found in ethnic Danes with sarcoidosis
Authors: Milman Nils , Nielsen Finn Cilius , Hviid Thomas Vauvert F. , Van Overeem Hansen Thomas
Published: November 2007

Background:  Distinct mutations of the caspase activating recruitment domain 15 (CARD15) gene (also known as nucleotide‐binding oligomerisation domain protein 2) on chromosome 16q are associated with the chronic granulomatous disease called Blau syndrome. Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease, which has features in common with Blau syndrome.

Aim:  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ethnic Danes with sarcoidosis have CARD15 mutations associated with Blau syndrome.

Methods:  Analysis of exon 4 of the CARD15 gene containing mutations associated with Blau syndrome was performed by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of genomic DNA from 52 patients with histologically verified sarcoidosis.

Results:  None of the patients had mutations in CARD15 associated with Blau syndrome. Eight other variations were found in exon 4: single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)6 in 40% of the 104 alleles examined, SNP7 in 26%, c. 1833 C > T and SNP8 in 4%, c. 2107 C > T in 2%, and c. 931 C > T, c. 1292 C > T and c. 2377 G > A in 1%. One variation was found in intron 4 (IVS4 + 10 A > C) in 3% of the alleles. The frequencies of the variations in sarcoidosis patients were not statistically significant compared with frequencies in a control group of 103 healthy subjects. The course of disease was not significantly different in patients with or without variations in CARD15 or in the 46 patients with SNP6 and/or SNP7.

Conclusions:  Danish sarcoidosis patients have frequent variations in CARD15 exon 4, but do not present any mutation associated with Blau syndrome. The variations found had no influence on the course of disease.

Please cite this paper as: Milman N, Nielsen FC, Hviid TVF and van Overeem Hansen T. Blau syndrome‐associated mutations in exon 4 of the caspase activating recruitment domain 15 (CARD15) gene are not found in ethnic Danes with sarcoidosis. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2007; 1: 74–79.
Four‐Year Cost‐Utility Analyses of Sealed and Nonsealed First Permanent Molars in Iowa Medicaid‐Enrolled Children
Authors: Bhuridej Patita , Kuthy Raymond A. , Flach Stephen D. , Heller Keith E. , Dawson Deborah V. , Kanellis Michael J. , Damiano Peter C.
Published: November 2007

Objectives:Dental sealants, by their ability to prevent caries and maintain teeth in better health, have some inherent utility to individuals, programs, or society. This study assessed the 4‐year incremental cost utility of sealing first permanent molars of 6‐year‐old Iowa Medicaid enrollees from a societal perspective and identified the group of teeth or children in whom sealants are most cost effective.

Methods:Dental services for first permanent molars were assessed using claims and encounter data for a group of continuously enrolled Medicaid enrollees who turned 6 between 1996 and 1999. Previously published utilities were used to weight the different health states. The weighted sum of outcomes [Quality‐Adjusted Tooth‐Years (QATYs)] was the measure of effectiveness. Costs and QATYs were discounted to the time of the child’s sixth birthday.

Results:For all first molars, the cost of treatment associated with sealed teeth was higher but the utility was also slightly higher over the 4‐year period. The relative incremental cost per 0.19 QATY ratio [changing the health state from a restored tooth (utility=0.81) to a nonrestored tooth (utility=1)] by sealing the molar ranged from$36.7 to$83.5 per 0.19 QATY. The incremental cost/QATY ratio was lower for sealing lower utilizers and for mandibular versus maxillary molars.

Conclusions:Sealants improved overall utility of first permanent molars after 4 years. The 4‐year cost/QATY ratio of sealing the first permanent molar varied by arch and type of utilizers. Sealing first permanent molars in lower dental utilizers is the most cost‐effective approach for prioritizing limited resources.
A Comparison of Dental Treatment Utilization and Costs by HMO Members Living in Fluoridated and Nonfluoridated Areas
Authors: Maupomé Gerardo , Gullion Christina M. , Peters Dawn , Little Sally Jo
Published: November 2007

Objectives:To compare dental treatment experiences and costs in members of a health maintenance organization (HMO) in areas with and without community water fluoridation.

Methods:HMO members with continuous dental eligibility (January 1, 1990 to December 31, 1995) who resided in Oregon and Washington were identified using administrative databases. Fluoridation status was determined by geocoding subscriber address. Measures were utilization of dental procedures, fluoride dispensings, and associated costs. Costs were based on nonmember fees, adjusted to 1995 dollar values. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance, controlling for age and interactions.

Results:About 85 percent of eligible members (n = 51,683) were classified as residing either in a fluoridated (n = 12,194) or nonfluoridated (n = 39,489) area. Mean age was 40.0 years; 52.3 percent were women. More than 92 percent of members had one or more dental visits. Community water fluoridation was associated with reduced total and restorative costs among members with one or more visits, but the magnitude and direction of the effect varied with locale and age and the effects were generally small. In two locales, the cost of restorations was higher in nonfluoridated areas in young people (age 58). In younger adults, the opposite effect was observed. The impact of fluoridation may be attenuated by higher use of preventive procedures, in particular supplemental fluorides, in the nonfluoridated areas.

Conclusions:These results are particularly relevant to insured populations with established access to dental care. Differences in treatment costs (savings) associated with water fluoridation should be estimated and included in future cost‐effectiveness analyses of community water fluoridation.
q-STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF LARGE CRITICAL CLUSTERS
Authors: ROBLEDO A.
Published: November 2007

We consider both static (fractal) and dynamical (intermittent) properties of large clusters of order parameter φ at critical points in thermal systems and highlight their association to q-statistics. These properties, previously obtained through the saddle-point approximation in a coarse-grained partition function, are reexamined by considering a phenomenological scheme based on sub-occupation of φ-phase space.
NOETHER CHARGES, BLACK HOLES AND THE IMMIRZI PARAMETER
Authors: YU HOI-LAI
Published: November 2007

We have shown that terms in the action which won't contribute to local equation of motions do contribute to globally conversed physical quantities in classical theories of gravity due to general coordinate covariance. This observation allows one to determining the Immirzi parameter in the Ashtekar variable formulation of gravitational theories even at classical level. Applying Wald's Noether charge approach and identifying the entropy on black hole horizon as the Noether charge for translation, one can demonstrate explicitly that the Immirzi parameter does make its contributions through the boundary term. Our results also shed lights in connecting the Immirzi paramter to quasi-normal modes of black holes.
FRACTIONAL DIFFUSION EQUATION, QUANTUM SUBDYNAMICS AND EINSTEIN'S THEORY OF BROWNIAN MOTION
Authors: ABE SUMIYOSHI
Published: November 2007

The fractional diffusion equation for describing the anomalous diffusion phenomenon is derived in the spirit of Einstein's 1905 theory of Brownian motion. It is shown how naturally fractional calculus appears in the theory. Then, Einstein's theory is examined in view of quantum theory. An isolated quantum system composed of the objective system and the environment is considered, and then subdynamics of the objective system is formulated. The resulting quantum master equation is found to be of the Lindblad type.
HEAT SWITCH AND MODULATOR: A MODEL OF THERMAL TRANSISTOR
Authors: WANG LEI , LI BAOWEN
Published: November 2007

A model of a thermal transistor to control heat flow is reported. Like its electronic counterpart, the thermal transistor is a three-terminal device with the important feature that the heat current through two terminals can be switched or modulated by the temperature of the third terminal. The thermal transistor model is possible because of the negative differential thermal resistance.
EPOCH LIFETIMES IN THE DYNAMICS OF A COMPETING POPULATION
Authors: YEUNG C. H. , MA Y. P. , WONG K. Y. MICHAEL
Published: November 2007

We propose a dynamical model of a competing population whose agents have a tendency to balance their decisions in time. The model is applicable to financial markets in which the agents trade with finite capital, or other multiagent systems such as routers in communication networks attempting to transmit multiclass traffic in a fair way. We find an oscillatory behavior due to the segregation of agents into two groups. Each group remains winning over epochs. The aggregation of smart agents is able to explain the lifetime distribution of epochs to 8 decades of probability. The existence of the super agents further refines the lifetime distribution of short epochs.
INDEPENDENT-DEPENDENT TRANSITION BEFORE COMPLETE OR GENERALIZED SYNCHRONIZATION
Authors: LIU ZONGHUA
Published: November 2007

A novel phase transition, independent-dependent transition, is revealed in the coupling regime before the complete or generalized synchronization. The coupled chaotic behaviors will change from an approximately independent phase to a mutual correlated phase when coupling passes through the dependent transition point.
SOLID FRICTION: SPINNING AT THE ONSET OF SLIDING
Authors: WOLF DIETRICH E. , DAHMEN SILVIO R. , HINRICHSEN HAYE
Published: November 2007

The majority of experimental and theoretical friction studies considers translational motion, where all coarse-grained interface elements are displaced alike. An additional rotation of the slider introduces a well controlled displacement inhomogeneity across the interface. The friction response now consists of a force and a torque that are generally coupled. Recent results for a cylindrical slider are reviewed and applied to rigid objects with rotational symmetry about an axis. It is predicted that the difference between static and dynamic friction force can be suppressed, if a certain torque is applied. Moreover, we study the dynamics of the transition from sticking to sliding.
STUDY OF AN ACOUSTOELECTRIC INSTABILITY IN PIEZOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTORS
Authors: SZEFTEL JACOB , HUANG GUOXIANG
Published: November 2007

The coupling between the acoustic transverse phonons and the electron drift current, in piezoelectric semiconductors, has long been known to give rise to a negative acoustoelectric current, thereby leading to a decreased conductivity with respect to the value derived from the Ohm law. Increasing the electric field above a threshold causes the differential conductivity to become eventually negative, which triggers off an instability. The latter has been characterized experimentally by a mm-wide, high-field soliton moving at transverse sound velocity and by low-frequency current oscillations. However it is shown here to consist actually of a high-amplitude acoustoelectric microwave-packet. Because the electric permitivity is inferred to be renormalized to zero, the properties of this solution, including its vibrational frequency and amplitude, are shown to be shaped by the nonlinear piezoelectric interaction. All experimental features turn out to be accounted for satisfactorily within the framework of the present analysis. The relatively long initial transient regime, exhibiting interesting observations by Brillouin scattering, is also addressed.
QUANTUM BIT COMMITMENT WITH SECRET PARAMETERS
Authors: CHEUNG CHI-YEE
Published: November 2007

The proof of the no-go theorem of unconditionally secure quantum bit commitment depends crucially on the assumption that Alice knows every detail of the protocol so that no secret parameters exist. In this paper we show that, for the perfectly concealing case, it is possible to establish the no-go theorem without making this assumption.
Immigration Law, Race, and Identity
Authors: Calavita Kitty
Published: November 2007

This review examines the scholarship at the intersection of immigration law, race, and identity. Historically, much of the literature has focused on the ways immigration law has constructed, and been constructed by, racial categories. I argue that African American racialization has been a central component of immigrant exclusion and that immigrant racialization has paradoxically hardened images of blackness. Whereas this literature emphasizes the role of law in this process, much of the more recent literature decenters law. This scholarship privileges issues of identity construction, with the fluidity and contingency of racial identity taking center stage. Despite this decentering, law clearly still matters. Examining the reference to Hurricane Katrina victims as “refugees” and the vehement reaction against that reference, we can see the complexities of the connection between racial construction and immigration and the implications for future scholarship.
Law and Lawyers Preparing the Holocaust
Authors: Stolleis Michael
Published: November 2007

After an introduction into the paradoxes of the coexistence of a traditional legal order, oppression, and persecution of opponents and minorities under the National Socialist government in Germany (1933–1945), the article explains how deep the National Socialist ideology penetrated several fields (constitutional and administrative law, penal law, tax law, etc.). I conclude with a short reflection concerning the problem of historicizing Nazi law.
Mechanisms of Sperm Chemotaxis
Authors: Kaupp U. Benjamin , Kashikar Nachiket D. , Weyand Ingo
Published: November 2007

Sperm are attracted by chemical factors that are released by the egg—a process called chemotaxis. Most of our knowledge on sperm chemotaxis originates from the study of marine invertebrates. In recent years, the main features of the chemotactic signaling pathway and the swimming behavior evoked by chemoattractants have been elucidated in sea urchins. In contrast, our understanding of mammalian sperm chemotaxis is still rudimentary and subject to an ongoing debate. In this review, we raise new questions and discuss current concepts of sperm chemotaxis. Finally, we highlight commonalities and differences of sensory signaling in sperm, photoreceptors, and olfactory neurons.
GH-releasing peptide-2 administration prevents liver inflammatory response in endotoxemia
Authors: Granado Miriam , Martín Ana Isabel , López-Menduiña María , López-Calderón Asunción , Villanúa M. Angeles
Published: November 2007

It has been reported that growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2), a ghrelin receptor agonist, has an anti-inflammatory effect. We investigated whether this GH secretagogue attenuates liver injury in LPS-treated rats. Wistar rats were simultaneously injected (ip) with LPS (1 mg/kg) and/or GHRP-2 (100 μg/kg). Serum levels of aspartate and alanine transaminases were measured as an index of liver damage. Circulating nitrites/nitrates and hepatic IGF-I and TNF-α were evaluated as possible mediators of GHRP-2 actions. LPS increased serum levels of transaminases and nitrites/nitrates. Moreover, LPS increased hepatic TNF-α and decreased hepatic IGF-I mRNAs. GHRP-2 administration attenuated the effects of LPS on transaminases, nitrites/nitrates, TNF-α, and IGF-I in vivo. This GHRP-2 effect does not seem to be due to modifications in food intake, since fasting did not modify serum levels of transaminases, serum nitrites/nitrates, and hepatic TNF-α mRNA both in vehicle rats and in LPS-injected rats. To elucidate whether GHRP-2 is acting directly on the liver, cocultures of hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells and monocultures of isolated hepatocytes were incubated with LPS and GHRP-2. The ghrelin receptor agonist prevented an endotoxin-induced increase in transaminases and nitrite/nitrate release as well as in TNF-α mRNA and increased IGF-I mRNA from cocultures of hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells, but not from monocultures. In summary, these data indicate that GHRP-2 has a protective effect on the liver in LPS-injected rats that seems to be mediated by IGF-I, TNF-α, and nitric oxide. Our data also suggest that the anti-inflammatory effect of GHRP-2 in the liver is exerted on nonparenchymal cells.
Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children and Young Adults: A Birth Cohort Study from Northern Finland
Authors: Winqvist Satu , Lehtilahti Maria , Jokelainen Jari , Luukinen Heikki , Hillbom Matti
Published: November 2007

Aims: Incidence and mortality rates of traumatic brain injury (TBI) were investigated by using the Northern Finland Birth Cohort. This cohort provides a valuable source of data from the population born in 1966 (n = 12,058) in the 2 northernmost provinces of Finland. Methods: The cohort was followed for 34 years, and data were gathered from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register and the Registry for Causes of Death by Statistics Finland. Results: The annual incidence of and mortality from TBI were 118 and 14/100,000, respectively. Case fatality was 12%. An estimated prevalence of TBI at the age of 34 years was 269/100,000. Peak occurrences were observed at the age of 6–7 years in both genders and at the age of 18–23 years in men. The proportion of TBI mortality out of total mortality was 12%. Young men aged 16–34 years had 10-fold proportionate mortality from TBI compared to boys aged ≤15 years. Alcohol drinking was associated with a particularly prominent number of intentional injuries in young men. Conclusion: Incidence and mortality rates of TBI vary according to age and gender. Peaks occur in children at the age of school entry and in men at the age of 18–23 years. Children have mild injuries, whereas the injuries of young men are frequently intentional and fatal and associated with alcohol drinking.
Jephthah's Daughter as Object of Desire or Feminist Icon
Authors: Sjöberg Mikael
Published: October 2007

The narrative of Jephthah and his daughter (Judg. 10:6-12:7) has inspired approximately five hundred artistic treatments throughout history. In this article, I investigate two works of fiction from the twentieth century: Richardt Gandrup's Jeftas Datter (1922) and Naomi Ragen's Jephte's Daughter (1989). My main purpose is to see how these pieces of literature deal with the issue of violence by engaging in dialogue with the biblical tradition. On the basis of a narratological analysis, I discuss these works in terms of their strategies for interpreting the biblical text and of their impact on society.
Latecomers: Four Novelists Rewrite the Bible
Authors: Swindell Anthony
Published: October 2007

This essay examines the use of biblical stories as sourcetexts in four novels: David Maine's Fallen, Howard Jacobson's The Very Model of a Man, Muriel Spark's The Only Problem, and Gloria Naylor's Bailey's Café. While each goes about its business of rewriting the biblical story in relation to a particular contemporary agenda or concern (American consumerism, the crisis of theism, the viability of happy endings in fiction, the revolt against patriarchy), they have in common a sense of lateness which they ironically project onto the biblical urtext. A sense of lateness is typical of modern and postmodern rewritings of ancient narratives and indeed is a characteristic of late-twentieth and early-twenty-first century literary consciousness. By turning the biblical story into a latecomer, the four novelists simultaneously free themselves from deference to a story deemed sacred in Western culture and pay homage to its indispensability as a platform. Rewritings of this kind are of value both as a reality-test for pro-theological readings of the Bible and, by their very existence, as a barometer of interest in the Bible among the general reading (or cinema-going) public.
The Big Sleep: Strategic Ambiguity in Judges 4-5 and in Classic film noir
Authors: Christianson Eric
Published: October 2007

Ambiguity is a driving force of the narrative world of film noir. It is expressed through unconventional characterization as well as innovative and excessive visual and narrative techniques. Through all of the gaps and unanswered questions film noir poses, viewers are engaged in an intellectually demanding process. The book of Judges makes similar demands of its readers and shares a number of the concerns found in film noir, such as: anxiety over constructs of masculinity and normality, interest in ritualized violence, fetishization of women, existential deliberation over character, resignation to the fate of the individual (and by extension the nation), withering acknowledgment of the façade of material progress—all expressed with indeterminate narrative modes that frustrate attempts at making meaning. My argument in particular is that film noir and the Jael episode (Judg. 4; 5:24–31) share a remarkably similar rhetoric of ambiguity, and that examination of their correspondences, by an evidence-based comparison, can lead to fruitful hypothesis regarding the social context from which the Judges stories emerged.
Pathogenicity of two Pratylenchus coffeae populations from Brazil on coffee plants
Authors: Inomoto Mario M. , Kubo Roberto K. , Silva Rosangela A. , Oliveira Claudio M.G. , Tomazini Melissa D. , Mazzafera Paulo
Published: October 2007

There is limited information on the influence of Pratylenchus coffeae on the
growth and development of coffee plants, in spite of the widespread
occurrence of this nematode in coffee plantations. In addition, populations
of P. coffeae vary in morphological and molecular features, as well as
reproductive fitness and pathological potential. The objective of the
present study was to compare the pathogenicity of two Brazilian P. coffeae
populations, K5 from Coffea arabica roots and M2 from Aglaonema sp. roots,
in terms of their influence on the plant growth and photosynthesis of
Arabian coffee (C. arabica). Five experiments were conducted in controlled
conditions, and the results demonstrated that K5 is pathogenic on coffee, as
it can reproduce and causes obvious damage on the plant. Moreover K5 proved
to be very virulent on Arabian coffee, considering its effects on seedling
mortality, plant growth and photosynthesis. By contrast, M2 was considered
to be of low virulence, or even non-pathogenic, on coffee because it failed
to reproduce. Thus, the results indicate that K5 and M2 may be distinct
species, supporting the hypothesis of previous authors.
Host status of green manures for two isolates of Pratylenchus brachyurus in Brazil
Authors: Machado Andressa C.Z. , Motta Luis C.C. , de Siqueira Kércya M.S. , Ferraz Luiz C.C.B. , Inomoto Mário M.
Published: October 2007

Due to the complexity of management of plant-parasitic nematodes in cash
crops, the use of non-chemical methods, such as rotation with green manures,
has increased in recent years. However, data about the host status of green
manures for lesion nematodes are scarce. Thus, two glasshouse trials were
carried out to evaluate the host status of some green manures for two
isolates of Pratylenchus brachyurus, a root-lesion nematode often found
attacking soybean, maize and cotton in Brazil. Green manures tested were
pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) cultivars Fava Larga and Iapar 43, Crotalaria
juncea, C. spectabilis, C. mucronata, C. breviflora, C. ochroleuca, C.
paulina, velvetbean (Mucuna pruriens) cvs Black, Dwarf and Gray. Soybean cv.
Pintado and French marigold (Tagetes patula) were included as standard good
and poor hosts for P. brachyurus. In a separate glasshouse experiment, a
naturally infested soil was used to evaluate the suitability of two green
manures to P. brachyurus in comparison with two gramineaceous cover crops.
In addition, morphometric studies were carried out with the two isolates of
P. brachyurus used in experiments in order to confirm the species. Among the
11 green manures tested, at least two, C. spectabilis and C. breviflora, can
be useful as rotation crops to reduce population densities of P. brachyurus,
irrespective of the origin of the nematode. By contrast, all velvetbean
cultivars and C. juncea must be avoided in infested areas as they are good
hosts for the nematode.
The effect of sandy soil, bacterium dose and time on the efficacy of Pasteuria penetrans to control Meloidogyne incognita race 1 on coffee
Authors: Carneiro Regina M.D.G. , de Mesquita Luiz F.G. , Cirotto Pedro A.S. , Mota Fabiane C. , Almeida Maria Ritta A. , Cordeiro Maria Célia
Published: October 2007

An obligate parasite bacterium of the root-knot nematode, Pasteuria penetrans
strain P10, isolated from Meloidogyne incognita females on banana roots in
Imperatriz Maranhão State, Brazil, was evaluated in glasshouse conditions,
using two doses of a dry root bionematicide (107 endospores (5.0 g/seedling)
and 106 endospores (0.5 g/seedling)) on seedlings of cv. Mundo Novo coffee.
The soil in which coffee seedlings were raised was inoculated previously
with these two doses of P. penetrans and after 2 months the plants were
transferred to soils of different textures: clay-sandy soil (38% clay, 2%
silt and 60% sand) and sandy soil (17% clay, 0% silt and 83% sand). When the
coffee plants were 30 cm high, they were inoculated with 20 000 eggs/plant
of M. incognita race 1. The coffee plants were examined 8, 16 and 24 months
after nematode plant infestation. The effectiveness of the biological
control was determined by the reduction of nematode reproduction factor,
which ranged from 62 to 67% in clay-sandy soil and 80 to 85% in sandy soil.
The mechanism of suppression caused by the bacterium was evaluated by the
percentage of infected second-stage juveniles (J2), number of endospores
attached/J2 and number of infected females. The high levels of suppression
were related to time, increasing from 8 to 24 months, and to the percentage
of sand in the soil.
Description of Bursaphelenchus anamurius sp. n. (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae) from Pinus brutia in Turkey
Authors: Akbulut Süleyman , Braasch Helen , Baysal İsmail , Brandstetter Martin , Burgermeister Wolfgang
Published: October 2007

Bursaphelenchus anamurius sp. n. isolated from wilted Turkish pine (Pinus
brutia Ten.) wood is described. The new species shares several characters
with the hofmanni-group sensu Braasch (2001). It is characterised by a body
length of 633 (540-749) μm and 744 (638-867) μm for males and females,
respectively, stout body (a = 29 in male and 27 in female), stylet 14 μm
long in both males and females, lateral field with three lines, length of
postuterine branch one-third to one-half of the vulva to anus distance,
conoid female tail (c′ = 3.4) with a finely rounded or pointed terminus,
very delicate and relatively straight spicules 10 (9-11) μm long with
compact capitulum, broad, not distinctly offset condylus and strong rostrum
with a more or less rounded tip lacking a cucullus, shovel-shaped bursa and
the presence of seven caudal papillae. Bursaphelenchus anamurius sp. n.
differs from other species of the hofmanni-group mainly by having smaller,
unusually shaped spicules, shorter condylus and no cucullus. The new species
can be differentiated from other Bursaphelenchus species morphologically and
by means of ITS-RFLP patterns, particularly by digestion of the PCR product
with RsaI, HaeIII, MspI, HinfI and AluI.
Bursaphelenchus clavicauda n. sp. (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae) isolated from Cryphalus sp. emerged from a dead Castanopsis cuspidata (Thunb.) Schottky var. sieboldii (Makino) Nakai in Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan
Authors: Kanzaki Natsumi , Maehara Noritoshi , Masuya Hayato
Published: October 2007

Bursaphelenchus clavicauda n. sp. is described and figured. The new species was isolated from Cryphalus sp., a species of bark beetle emerging from a dead log of Castanopsis cuspidata, and reared on Botrytis cinerea. Type specimens were collected from a 2- and 4-week-old culture on Botrytis cinerea. The new species has a body length of ca 665 μm (male) and 770 μm (female), medium (ca 30-50 for males and ca 30-45 for females) a values, b values of ca 9-13 (male) and 10-13 (female), c values of ca 20-28 (male) and 20-27 (female), c′ values of ca 2 (male) and ca 3-5 (female), ca 9-13 μm long stylet, three lines in the lateral field, relatively small (ca 14 μm) and strongly arcuate spicule with recurved and pointed condylus, seven (1 + 2 + 2 + 2) male caudal papillae and club-like female tail with rounded terminus and with or without various shapes of mucro. The new species is close to B. eremus, B. uncispicularis, B. yongensis and several other species possessing a large, recurved and pointed spicular condylus and is distinguished from these species mainly by male spicule, male caudal papillae and female tail morphologies, number of lateral lines and several morphometric values of females and males. Cultured nematodes were used for sequencing the partial (ca 1.6 kbps) small subunit, ITS regions and large subunit of ribosomal DNA for comparisons with those deposited at GenBank. The DNA sequences of the B. clavicauda n. sp. were close to those of B. eggersi, B. eremus, B. tusciae and B. yongensis.
Characteristics of the emergence of Monochamus alternatus, the vector of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae), from Pinus thunbergii logs in Nanjing, China, and of the transmission of the nematodes through feeding wounds
Authors: Li Hongmei , Shen Peiyin , Fu Peng , Lin Maosong , Moens Maurice
Published: October 2007

The pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, which in China and
East Asia is vectored by Monochamus alternatus, is the causal agent of pine
wilt disease of Japanese black pine, Pinus thunbergii. The vector emergence
and the transmission of nematodes through vector feeding on pine twigs were
monitored during 2004 and 2005 in Nanjing, China. The emergence started from
late April to the end of June and peaked from late May to early June. There
were 438 and 927 adults collected in 2004 and 2005, respectively, and
approximately 70% of the beetles emerged during the peak period. Visual
estimation of the nematode burden on vectors by observation of the atrium of
the first abdominal spiracle gave unreliable information. The percentage of
beetles carrying PWN of the total number of emerged beetles was between 20
and 30%. Seventy percent of the nematodes were released from beetle cadavers
after 3 days of extraction. The sex and longevity of the beetle had no
significant relationship with the number of nematodes that remained in
cadavers. Transmission of nematodes into pine twigs through beetle feeding
started 10 days after emergence of the vector. The period of nematode
transmission could last for up to 79 days after beetle emergence. Two types
of nematode-transmission curve were found by measuring the number of
nematodes transmitted into pine twigs per day. The unimodal pattern peaked
between 3 and 6 weeks after adult emergence; the bimodal pattern had two
transmission peaks: one between 2 and 3 weeks, and another between 5 to 7
weeks after beetle emergence.
Nematodes of the order Dorylaimida from Romania. The genus Thonus Thorne, 1974. Part I
Authors: Ciobanu Marcel , Popovici Iuliana , Abolafia Joaquín , Peña-Santiago Reyes
Published: October 2007

Two known and two new species belonging to the genus Thonus, namely T. angulosus sp. n., T. circulifer, T. cylindricus and T. diversus sp. n., collected from several locations in Romania, are described. Thonus angulosus sp. n. is characterised by body 1.53-1.75 mm long, lip region cap-like (i.e., with its inner perioral area elevated) and 12.5 μm diam., odontostyle 13-16 μm long or slightly longer (ca 1.2 times) than lip region diam., neck 335-385 μm long, pharyngeal expansion ca two-fifths of total neck length, female genital system amphidelphic, uterus 1.1-1.7 body diam. long, pars refringens vaginae with two widely separated triangular pieces, vulva a post-equatorial (V = 54-60) longitudinal slit, glands present near the vagina-vulva junction, female tail rounded to convex conoid (30-35 μm, c= 48-56, c′ = 0.8-1.0), and males unknown. Thonus diversus sp. n. is characterised by body 1.41-1.78 mm long in females and 1.33-1.96 mm in males, lip region offset by depression or weak constriction and 15-17.5 μm diam., odontostyle 15-17 μm long and 5.5-6.8 as long as wide, neck 350-410 μm long, pharyngeal expansion occupying 40-48% of total neck length, a ring-like structure surrounding the pharyngeal base-cardia junction, uterus 1.5-3.6 body diam. long, pars refringens vaginae with two closely arranged pieces, vulva a post-equatorial (V = 54-57) transverse slit, gland cells present near the vagina-vulva junction, tail rounded-conoid to rounded (18-23 μm, c = 68-87, c′ = 0.6-0.8 in females; 18-24 μm, c = 58-89, c′ = 0.6-0.8 in males) with abundant saccate bodies and with inner cuticle layer separated from outer layer, spicules 46.5-54 μm long and 4-7 separated ventromedian supplements. Thonus cylindricus is reported for the first time in Europe and T. circulifer is new record for the Romanian nematode fauna. Descriptions, measurements, illustrations, including SEM pictures of T. diversus sp. n. and distribution data of the species are provided.
Bursaphelenchus debrae n. sp. (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae), an associate of the bee Halictus brunnescens in Turkey
Authors: Hazir Canan , Giblin-Davis Robin M. , Keskin Nevin , Ye Weimin , Kanzaki Natsumi , Center Barbara J. , Hazir Selçuk , Kaya Harry K. , Thomas W. Kelley
Published: October 2007

Bursaphelenchus debrae n. sp. was cultured from dauer juveniles recovered
from the poison sac of a female sweat bee, Halictus brunnescens from Ankara,
Turkey, in June 2004. The new species appears to be most similar to B.
kevini and B. anatolius based upon the synapomorphies of their associations
with soil-dwelling halictid bees, morphological features such as four
lateral incisures, male caudal papillae arrangement, spicule morphology,
female tail shape and ratio a, and molecular analysis of sequences of the
D2/D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) rDNA and partial
mitochondrial DNA COI (mtCOI). In addition to significant molecular sequence
differences in LSU and COI consistent with separate species status, B.
debrae n. sp. can be differentiated from both B. kevini and B. anatolius by
differences in the host halictid bee species with which they are
phoretically associated, rostrum shape and size, and presence of a unique
protuberance on the ventral aspect of the spicules. The nematode is
mycophagous and can be cultured in the laboratory at 23°C on Monilinia
fructicola growing on lactic acid-treated, 5% glycerin-supplemented potato
dextrose agar (LGPDA).
Distribution and diversity of root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) associated with Ammophila arenaria in coastal dunes of Western Europe
Authors: Moens Maurice , de la Peña Eduardo , Karssen Gerrit
Published: October 2007

The distribution and diversity of Pratylenchus species associated with
Ammophila arenaria was investigated in its natural range of distribution.
Twelve localities with vigorous stands of A. arenaria along the European
Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts were sampled. The populations were
identified based on morphology and morphometrics, and further characterised
based on sequences of the rDNA D2D3 region. Pratylenchus spp. were present
in all of the sampled sites. A total of 19 populations were detected
belonging to Pratylenchus dunensis, P. brzeskii, P. pratensis or P.
penetrans. Pratylenchus dunensis was widely distributed from Blakeney Point
(UK) to Comporta (Portugal). Pratylenchus brzeskii was found in South
European localities along the Atlantic coast and also in the Mediterranean
region. Pratylenchus pratensis was found associated with A. arenaria for the
first time and occurred at different locations along the Atlantic coast.
Pratylenchus penetrans was only detected in Biarritz (France). The P.
dunensis populations from the south west Iberian Peninsula differed from the
original P. dunensis description and showed two incisures on the lip region
instead of one. Pratylenchus brzeskii populations did not vary
morphologically from the original descriptions; however, the range of their
morphometrical characters was wider than that of the type population. The
D2D3 rDNA region revealed large interspecific and low intraspecific
variation, supporting the morphological identification. The phylogenetic
relationships of the populations with respect to other species of the genus
were inferred from partial sequences of the rDNA and positioned P. dunensis
within the same group as P. convallariae, P. penetrans and P. fallax.
Poly-G/poly-C tracts in the genomes of Caenorhabditis
Authors: Zhao Yang , O'Neil Nigel J , Rose Ann M
Published: November 2007

Background

In the genome ofCaenorhabditis elegans, homopolymeric poly-G/poly-C tracts (G/C tracts) exist at high frequency and are maintained by the activity of the DOG-1 protein. The frequency and distribution of G/C tracts in the genomes ofC. elegansand the related nematode,C. briggsaewere analyzed to investigate possible biological roles for G/C tracts.

Results

InC. elegans, G/C tracts are distributed along every chromosome in a non-random pattern. Most G/C tracts are within introns or are close to genes. Analysis of SAGE data showed that G/C tracts correlate with the levels of regional gene expression inC. elegans. G/C tracts are over-represented and dispersed across all chromosomes in anotherCaenorhabditisspecies,C. briggsae. However, the positions and distribution of G/C tracts inC. briggsaediffer from those inC. elegans. Furthermore, theC. briggsae dog-1ortholog CBG19723 can rescue the mutator phenotype ofC. elegans dog-1mutants.

Conclusion

The abundance and genomic distribution of G/C tracts inC. elegans, the effect of G/C tracts on regional transcription levels, and the lack of positional conservation of G/C tracts inC. briggsaesuggest a role for G/C tracts in chromatin structure but not in the transcriptional regulation of specific genes.
Catecholamine Regulation of Local Lactate Production in Vivo in Skeletal Muscle and Adipose Tissue: Role of β-Adrenoreceptor Subtypes
Authors: Qvisth Veronica , Hagström-Toft Eva , Enoksson Staffan , Bolinder Jan
Published: November 2007

Context: The regulation of lactate production in skeletal muscle (SM) and adipose tissue (AT) is not fully elucidated.

Objective: Our objective was to investigate the catecholamine-mediated regulation of lactate production and blood flow in SM and AT in healthy, normal-weight subjects by using microdialysis.

Methods: First, lactate levels in SM and AT were measured during an iv norepinephrine infusion (n = 11). Local blood flow was determined with the 133Xe-clearance technique. Second, muscle lactate was measured during hypoglycemia and endogenous epinephrine stimulation (n = 12). Third, SM was perfused with selective β1–3-adrenoreceptor agonists in situ (n = 8). Local blood flow was measured with the ethanol perfusion technique.

Results: In response to iv norepinephrine, the fractional release of lactate (difference between tissue and arterial lactate) increased by 40% in SM (P = 0.001), whereas remaining unchanged in AT. Blood flow decreased by 40% in SM (P < 0.005) and increased by 50% in AT (P < 0.05). In response to hypoglycemia, epinephrine increased 10-fold, and the fractional release of lactate in SM doubled (P < 0.0001). The blood flow remained unchanged. The β2-agonist, terbutaline, caused a marked concentration-dependent increase of muscle lactate and blood flow (P < 0.0001). The β1-agonist, dobutamine, induced a discrete increase of muscle lactate (P < 0.0001), and the blood flow remained unchanged. The β3-agonist, CPG 12177, did not affect muscle lactate or blood flow.

Conclusions: Catecholamines stimulate lactate production in SM, but not in AT. In SM, the β2-adrenoreceptor is the most important β-adrenergic receptor subtype in the regulation of lactate production.
Prevalence and intensity of Paragonimus uterobilateralis infection among school children in Oban village, South Eastern, Nigeria
Authors: Ochigbo S O , Ekanem E E , Udo J J
Published: October 2007

A Survey of Paragonimus infection among primary school children aged 6-10 years in Oban village, Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria, was conducted. A total of 198 children were examined:112 (56.6%) were boys while 86 (43.4%) were girls. Eleven of the subjects were sputum positive for paragonimus eggs, giving an overall prevalence rate of 5.5%. The findings show that paragonimiasis is a significant health problem in South Eastern Nigeria; the risk of infection could be minimized by the proper cooking of fresh water crabs and crayfish before consumption.
For how long should antibiotics be given in acute paediatric septic arthritis? A prospective audit of 96 cases
Authors: Lavy C B D , Thyoka M
Published: October 2007

Ninety-six cases of uncomplicated acute septic arthritis in children aged 12 years and under were treated by arthrotomy under general anaesthesia, saline washout and antibiotics for six weeks. They were prospectively studied for 24 weeks to assess clinical, haematological and radiological changes. Clinical improvement was most marked in the first two weeks and did not change significantly after six weeks. Haematological indices (haemoglobin concentration, serum white cell count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) all improved from the start of treatment and continued to improve throughout the study, even after antibiotics were finished. Radiological changes in the bone adjacent to the infected joint were noted to be present in 21 cases by two weeks after presentation, and in a further 10 cases by six weeks after presentation, suggesting some continued infective activity in the bone adjacent to the septic joint even after two weeks of antibiotics. No new radiological changes were noted after six weeks. It is therefore suggested that antibiotics in septic arthritis should be continued for six weeks.
Stroke in CT-scan Department of Khartoum Hospital, Sudan
Authors: El Zein Ahmed M , Bukhari Elfateh A , Homeida Susan , Adam Ishag
Published: October 2007

Prospective data were collected on consecutive patients admitted to Khartoum Teaching Hospital with a diagnosis of stroke. Risk factors and clinical characteristics were assessed by neurological examination and computed tomography scan. A total of 128 patients were enrolled in the study, of whom 74 (57.8%) were men. The age (mean±standard deviation) of the patients was 53±18.5 years. Eighty-five (66.4%) and 43 (33.6%) patients had ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke, respectively. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, heart disease and hypercholesterolaemia were the risk factors for stroke. Thus, further studies are needed on stroke. Hypertension should be discovered early and treated effectively.
Green pit viper (Trimeresurus albolabris and T. macrops) venom antigenaemia and kinetics in humans
Authors: Rojnuckarin Ponlapat , Banjongkit Sukit , Chantawibun Walee , Akkawat Benjaporn , Juntiang Jumlong , Noiphrom Jureeporn , Pakmanee Narumol , Intragumtornchai Tanin
Published: October 2007

Green pit viper bite is a common public health problem in Southeast Asia. Although most patients experience only local swelling, some may suffer from severe systemic bleeding that can be delayed. Venom antigenaemia was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and correlated with clinical findings in 42 patients. Initial venom antigenaemia was not predictive enough for clinical uses. A kinetic study ( n = 27) showed highest levels at presentation and, then, progressive decline. The average half-life was 27.5 h during the first three days and over 50 h on days 5-7 after bite. Two small subsets (7.4% each) showed persistently detectable venom on day 14 and a subsequent rise in venom antigenaemia. They were associated with prolonged thrombocytopaenia and coagulopathy, respectively. These data demonstrated the long half-life of the venom, suggesting that waiting for spontaneous resolution of coagulopathy is not preferable. In addition, the delayed venom disappearance, not the initial values, was correlated with haemostatic disorders.
Childhood circumcision: a planned approach
Authors: Ahmed Adamu
Published: October 2007

We prospectively reviewed 3824 boys circumcised during two circumcision festivities. The boys were circumcised in their respective houses under aseptic conditions by teams of nurses, midwives and surgical aids locally trained for that purpose. Complications were seen in 2.3% of the boys, the commonest being infection that was easily controlled by local wound care.
Assessment of the ideal body image of women in Accra, Ghana
Authors: Duda Rosemary B , Jumah Naana Afua , Hill Allan G , Seffah Joseph , Biritwum Richard
Published: October 2007

The hypothesis tested in this study was that the 'traditional build' is the culturally valued body shape by Ghanaian women. Culturally sensitive figural stimuli were designed to assess the current body image (CBI) and the ideal body image (IBI) of Ghanaian women. The most frequently selected model for the CBI was one that represented a slightly overweight woman; the IBI selected was consistent with a representation of normal body mass index; and the least healthy image was that figure that represented morbidly obesity.
Surgical management of ruptured gravid uterus in Bida, North Central Nigeria
Authors: Ojenuwah S A , Olowosulu R O
Published: October 2007

Thirty-eight consecutive unbooked patients with ruptured gravid uterus (RGU) were studied over a four-year period, 2001-2005, at Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Nigeria. The total number of deliveries during the period was 4644. Nineteen patients had subtotal hysterectomy, and 19 had repair of RGU±sterilization. All patients had either one form of postoperative complication or the other; many had multiple complications ranging from hypovolaemia, 38 (100%); wound infection, 21(56.3%); septicaemia, five (3.2%); prolonged hospital stay > 10 days, 24 (63.2%) and vesico-vaginal fistula, two(10.5%). Perinatal mortality was 38 (100%) while maternal mortality was five (13.2%). There were no statistically significant differences in morbidity and mortality indices in patients who had subtotal hysterectomy and repair of RGU.
Households that harbour zero-dose children after door-to-door national immunization campaigns
Authors: Tshikuka Jose Gaby , Gueim Morgaye , Diallo Pathé Mamadou
Published: October 2007

Data from two consecutive rounds of national immunization days were analysed to identify households that harboured zero-dose children after door-to-door immunization campaigns, and to highlight settings and features associated with these households in Chad. The proportion of households harbouring zero-dose children were higher among rural than among urban dwellers and were prevalent among parents who did not know the benefit of polio immunization. These results show the need for more attention to be given to rural dwellers and parent awareness of the benefit of polio immunization.
Widow inheritance and HIV/AIDS in rural Uganda
Authors: Mabumba E D , Mugyenyi P , Batwala V , Mulogo E M , Mirembe J , Khan F A , Liljestrand J
Published: October 2007

Despite current efforts to combat HIV/AIDS through behavioural change, ingrained socio-cultural practices such as widow inheritance in south-western Uganda has not changed. Low education, unemployment, dowry, widows' socioeconomic demands and the inheritor's greed for the deceased's wealth, influence widow inheritance. Voluntary counselling and testing is needed for the widows and their inheritors; formal dowry should be removed from marriage and widow inheritance stripped of its sexual component.