bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Novel Positive-Strand RNA Viruses by Metagenomic Analysis of Archaea-Dominated Yellowstone Hot Springs
Authors: Bolduc Benjamin , Shaughnessy Daniel P. , Wolf Yuri I. , Koonin Eugene V. , Roberto Francisco F. , Young Mark
Published: March 2012

There are no known RNA viruses that infect
Archaea
. Filling this gap in our knowledge of viruses will enhance our understanding of the relationships between RNA viruses from the three domains of cellular life and, in particular, could shed light on the origin of the enormous diversity of RNA viruses infecting eukaryotes. We describe here the identification of novel RNA viral genome segments from high-temperature acidic hot springs in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. These hot springs harbor low-complexity cellular communities dominated by several species of hyperthermophilic
Archaea
. A viral metagenomics approach was taken to assemble segments of these RNA virus genomes from viral populations isolated directly from hot spring samples. Analysis of these RNA metagenomes demonstrated unique gene content that is not generally related to known RNA viruses of
Bacteria
and
Eukarya
. However, genes for RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a hallmark of positive-strand RNA viruses, were identified in two contigs. One of these contigs is approximately 5,600 nucleotides in length and encodes a polyprotein that also contains a region homologous to the capsid protein of nodaviruses, tetraviruses, and birnaviruses. Phylogenetic analyses of the RdRps encoded in these contigs indicate that the putative archaeal viruses form a unique group that is distinct from the RdRps of RNA viruses of
Eukarya
and
Bacteria
. Collectively, our findings suggest the existence of novel positive-strand RNA viruses that probably replicate in hyperthermophilic archaeal hosts and are highly divergent from RNA viruses that infect eukaryotes and even more distant from known bacterial RNA viruses. These positive-strand RNA viruses might be direct ancestors of RNA viruses of eukaryotes.
The Contribution of Systemic and Pulmonary Immune Effectors to Vaccine-Induced Protection from H5N1 Influenza Virus Infection
Authors: Lau Yuk-Fai , Wright Amber R. , Subbarao Kanta
Published: March 2012

Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIVs) are effective in providing protection against influenza challenge in animal models and in preventing disease in humans. We previously showed that LAIVs elicit a range of immune effectors and that successful induction of pulmonary cellular and humoral immunity in mice requires pulmonary replication of the vaccine virus. An upper respiratory tract immunization (URTI) model was developed in mice to mimic the human situation, in which the vaccine virus does not replicate in the lower respiratory tract, allowing us to assess the protective efficacy of an H5N1 LAIV against highly pathogenic H5N1 virus challenge in the absence of significant pulmonary immunity. Our results show that, after one dose of an H5N1 LAIV, pulmonary influenza-specific lymphocytes are the main contributors to clearance of challenge virus from the lungs and that contributions of influenza-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) antibodies in serum and splenic CD8+T cells were negligible. Complete protection from H5N1 challenge was achieved after two doses of H5N1 LAIV and was associated with maturation of the antibody response. Although passive transfer of sera from mice that received two doses of vaccine prevented lethality in naive recipients following challenge, the mice showed significant weight loss, with high pulmonary titers of the H5N1 virus. These data highlight the importance of mucosal immunity in mediating optimal protection against H5N1 infection. Understanding the requirements for effective induction and establishment of these protective immune effectors in the respiratory tract paves the way for a more rational and effective vaccine approach in the future.
Genome-wide analysis of the MADS-box gene family in cucumber
Authors: Hu Lifang , Liu Shiqiang
Published: March 2012

MADS-box transcription factors are known to be involved in many important processes during plant growth and development. To date, few cucumber MADS-box genes and little tissue expression profiling have been reported. Recent completion of the cucumber whole-genome sequencing has allowed genome-wide analysis of the MADS-box gene family in cucumber as well as its comparison with other species. Here, we performed comprehensive analyses of the 43 cucumber MADS-box genes and compared them with those in Arabidopsis, poplar, and grapevine. The phylogenetic analysis showed that most cucumber members were comparable with those in other species, with the exception of AG members. At the same time, the three subfamilies FLC, AGL12, and Bs were absent in the cucumber genome. The conserved motif analysis revealed that most motifs outside the MADS domain were distributed only in specific groups. The analysis of chromosomal localization suggested that tandem duplication might contribute to the MADS-box gene expansion. Expression analysis revealed that 42 of 43 cucumber MADS-box members were expressed in multiple plant tissues, thereby implying their various roles in plants.
Crustal architecture of the Almada Basin, NE Brazil: an example of a non-volcanic rift segment of the South Atlantic passive margin
Authors: Gordon Andrés C. , Mohriak Webster Ueipass , Barbosa Valeria C. F.
Published: March 2012

The Almada Basin, located in the southern Bahia State segment of NE Brazil, shares a similar sedimentation history and stress regime with the other eastern Brazilian basins. But when considering the composition of the transitional crust, a remarkably different behaviour is observed between the Almada Basin and the other eastern Brazilian basins. The architectural elements of the basin such as the reflection Moho discontinuity, the oceanic and continental basements, and the sedimentary section, as well as the tectonic style, are discussed in this study using gravity, seismic, regional geology and well-drilling results.

The Almada Basin is part of a continental rift system that developed during the Early Cretaceous, heralding the Gondwana break-up and subsequently evolving into a passive divergent margin. Deep seismic profiles show the progressive thinning of the continental crust but there is no clear evidence of mantle exhumation.

The Almada Basin is the conjugate margin of the South Gabon Basin in West Africa. Although both basins display similar stratigraphic record and geological evolution, the rifting mechanism resulted in a considerable asymmetric break-up. The Almada Basin is floored by the Itabunas–Salvador–Curaçá Belt of the São Francisco Craton and is characterized by Palaeoproterozoic granulites in a high-angle east-dipping thrust fault regime. However, the South Gabon Basin lies on the Neoproterozoic West Congolian Belt that is made up of low- to medium-grade metamorphic rocks in a low-angle thrust tectonic regime. The Precambrian basement fabric of both the Almada and South Gabon basins is marked by lithospheric-scale discontinuities that controlled the implantation of the rift zone and the extension style during the Mesozoic. The strong basement structural inheritance can be recognized in both the geological and geophysical records.

The key architectural elements of a volcanic margin, such as large igneous provinces, seaward-dipping reflectors and the basinal syn-rift magmatism, are not recognized in the Almada Basin. Although the South Atlantic margin is mostly volcanic in the southernmost segment, the presence of these two non-volcanic segments – the southern Bahia State and the southern Gabon – are important as a record of the differences in the geotectonic process that governed the formation of the South Atlantic divergent margins.
A novel inverse relationship between metformin-triggered AMPK-SIRT1 signaling and p53 protein abundance in high glucose-exposed HepG2 cells
Authors: Nelson Lauren E. , Valentine Rudy J. , Cacicedo José M. , Gauthier Marie-Soleil , Ido Yasuo , Ruderman Neil B.
Published: March 2012

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the NAD+-dependent histone/protein deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) are metabolic sensors that can increase each other's activity. They are also both activated by the antidiabetic drug metformin and downregulated in the liver under conditions of nutrient excess (e.g., hyperglycemia, high-fat diet, obesity). In these situations, the abundance of the tumor suppressor p53 is increased; however, the relevance of this to the changes in AMPK and SIRT1 is not known. In the present study we investigated this question in HepG2 cells under high glucose conditions. Metformin induced activation of AMPK and SIRT1 and decreased p53 protein abundance. It also decreased triglyceride accumulation and cytosolic oxidative stress (a trigger for p53 accumulation) and increased the deacetylation of p53 at a SIRT1-targeted site. The decrease in p53 abundance caused by metformin was abolished by inhibition of murine double minute 2 (MDM2), a ubiquitin ligase that mediates p53 degradation, as well as by overexpression of a dominant-negative AMPK or a shRNA-mediated knockdown of SIRT1. In addition, overexpression of p53 decreased SIRT1 gene expression and protein abundance, as well as AMPK activity in metformin-treated cells. It also diminished the triglyceride-lowering action of metformin, an effect that was rescued by incubation with the SIRT1 activator SRT2183. Collectively, these findings suggest the existence of a novel reciprocal interaction between AMPK/SIRT1 and p53 that may have implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of metabolic diseases.
Voluntary running in mice beneficially modulates myocardial ischemic tolerance, signaling kinases, and gene expression patterns
Authors: Budiono Boris P. , See Hoe Louise E. , Peart Jason N. , Sabapathy Surendran , Ashton Kevin J. , Haseler Luke J. , Headrick John P.
Published: March 2012

Exercise triggers hormesis, conditioning hearts against damaging consequences of subsequent ischemia-reperfusion (I/R). We test whether “low-stress” voluntary activity modifies I/R tolerance and molecular determinants of cardiac survival. Male C57BL/6 mice were provided 7-day access to locked (7SED) or rotating (7EX) running-wheels before analysis of cardiac prosurvival (Akt, ERK 1/2) and prodeath (GSK3β) kinases, transcriptomic adaptations, and functional tolerance of isolated hearts to 25-min ischemia/45-min reperfusion. Over 7 days, 7EX mice increased running from 2.1 ± 0.2 to 5.3 ± 0.3 km/day (mean speed 38 ± 2 m/min), with activity improving myocardial I/R tolerance: 7SED hearts recovered 43 ± 3% of ventricular force with diastolic contracture of 33 ± 3 mmHg, whereas 7EX hearts recovered 63 ± 5% of force with diastolic dysfunction reduced to 23 ± 2 mmHg ( P < 0.05). Cytosolic expression (total protein) of Akt and GSK3β was unaltered, while ERK 1/2 increased 30% in 7EX vs. 7SED hearts. Phosphorylation of Akt and ERK 1/2 was unaltered, whereas GSK3β phosphorylation increased ∼90%. Microarray interrogation identified significant changes (≥1.3-fold expression change, ≤5% FDR) in 142 known genes, the majority (92%) repressed. Significantly modified paths/networks related to inflammatory/immune function (particularly interferon-dependent), together with cell movement, growth, and death. Of only 14 induced transcripts, 3 encoded interrelated sarcomeric proteins titin, α-actinin, and myomesin-2, while transcripts for protective actin-stabilizing ND1-L and activator of mitochondrial biogenesis ALAS1 were also induced. There was no transcriptional evidence of oxidative heat-shock or other canonical “stress” responses. These data demonstrate that relatively brief voluntary activity substantially improves cardiac ischemic tolerance, an effect independent of shifts in Akt, but associated with increased total ERK 1/2 and phospho-inhibition of GSK3β. Transcriptomic data implicate inflammatory/immune and sarcomeric modulation in activity-dependent protection.
Anterograde transneuronal viral tract tracing reveals central sensory circuits from brown fat and sensory denervation alters its thermogenic responses
Authors: Vaughan Cheryl H. , Bartness Timothy J.
Published: March 2012

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenic activity and growth are controlled by its sympathetic nervous system (SNS) innervation, but nerve fibers containing sensory-associated neuropeptides [substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)] also suggest sensory innervation. The central nervous system (CNS) projections of BAT afferents are unknown. Therefore, we used the H129 strain of the herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), an anterograde transneuronal viral tract tracer used to delineate sensory nerve circuits, to define these projections. HSV-1 was injected into interscapular BAT (IBAT) of Siberian hamsters and HSV-1 immunoreactivity (ir) was assessed 24, 48, 72, 96, and 114 h postinjection. The 96- and 114-h groups had the most HSV-1-ir neurons with marked infections in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, periaqueductal gray, olivary areas, parabrachial nuclei, raphe nuclei, and reticular areas. These sites also are involved in sympathetic outflow to BAT suggesting possible BAT sensory-SNS thermogenesis feedback circuits. We tested the functional contribution of IBAT sensory innervation on thermogenic responses to an acute (24 h) cold exposure test by injecting the specific sensory nerve toxin capsaicin directly into IBAT pads and then measuring core (Tc) and IBAT (TIBAT) temperature responses. CGRP content was significantly decreased in capsaicin-treated IBAT demonstrating successful sensory nerve destruction. TIBATand Tcwere significantly decreased in capsaicin-treated hamsters compared with the saline controls at 2 h of cold exposure. Thus the central sensory circuits from IBAT have been delineated for the first time, and impairment of sensory feedback from BAT appears necessary for the appropriate, initial thermogenic response to acute cold exposure.
Renal actions of atrial natriuretic peptide in spontaneously hypertensive rats: the role of nitric oxide as a key mediator
Authors: Elesgaray Rosana , Caniffi Carolina , Savignano Lucía , Romero Mariana , Mac Laughlin Myriam , Arranz Cristina , Costa María A.
Published: March 2012

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is an important regulator of blood pressure (BP). One of the mechanisms whereby ANP impacts BP is by stimulation of nitric oxide (NO) production in different tissues involved in BP control. We hypothesized that ANP-stimulated NO is impaired in the kidneys of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and this contributes to the development and/or maintenance of high levels of BP. We investigated the effects of ANP on the NO system in SHR, studying the changes in renal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and expression in response to peptide infusion, the signaling pathways implicated in the signaling cascade that activates NOS, and identifying the natriuretic peptide receptors (NPR), guanylyl cyclase receptors (NPR-A and NPR-B) and/or NPR-C, and NOS isoforms involved. In vivo, SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were infused with saline (0.05 ml/min) or ANP (0.2 μg·kg−1·min−1). NOS activity and endothelial (eNOS), neuronal (nNOS), and inducible (iNOS) NOS expression were measured in the renal cortex and medulla. In vitro, ANP-induced renal NOS activity was determined in the presence of iNOS and nNOS inhibitors, NPR-A/B blockers, guanine nucleotide-regulatory (Gi) protein, and calmodulin inhibitors. Renal NOS activity was higher in SHR than in WKY. ANP increased NOS activity, but activation was lower in SHR than in WKY. ANP had no effect on expression of NOS isoforms. ANP-induced NOS activity was not modified by iNOS and nNOS inhibitors. NPR-A/B blockade blunted NOS stimulation via ANP in kidney. The renal NOS response to ANP was reduced by Giprotein and calmodulin inhibitors. We conclude that ANP interacts with NPR-C, activating Ca-calmodulin eNOS through Giprotein. NOS activation also involves NPR-A/B. The NOS response to ANP was diminished in kidneys of SHR. The impaired NO system response to ANP in SHR participates in the maintenance of high blood pressure.
Genetic deficiency of Smad3 protects the kidneys from atrophy and interstitial fibrosis in 2K1C hypertension
Authors: Warner Gina M. , Cheng Jingfei , Knudsen Bruce E. , Gray Catherine E. , Deibel Ansgar , Juskewitch Justin E. , Lerman Lilach O. , Textor Stephen C. , Nath Karl A. , Grande Joseph P.
Published: March 2012

Although the two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C) model is widely used as a model of human renovascular hypertension, mechanisms leading to the development of fibrosis and atrophy in the cuffed kidney and compensatory hyperplasia in the contralateral kidney have not been defined. Based on the well-established role of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling pathway in renal fibrosis, we tested the hypothesis that abrogation of TGF-β/Smad3 signaling would prevent fibrosis in the cuffed kidney. Renal artery stenosis (RAS) was established in mice with a targeted disruption of exon 2 of the Smad3 gene (Smad3 KO) and wild-type (WT) controls by placement of a polytetrafluoroethylene cuff on the right renal artery. Serial pulse-wave Doppler ultrasound assessments verified that blood flow through the cuffed renal artery was decreased to a similar extent in Smad3 KO and WT mice. Two weeks after surgery, systolic blood pressure and plasma renin activity were significantly elevated in both the Smad3 KO and WT mice. The cuffed kidney of WT mice developed renal atrophy (50% reduction in weight after 6 wk, P < 0.0001), which was associated with the development of interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, and interstitial inflammation. Remarkably, despite a similar reduction of renal blood flow, the cuffed kidney of the Smad3 KO mice showed minimal atrophy (9% reduction in weight, P = not significant), with no significant histopathological alterations (interstitial fibrosis, tubular atrophy, and interstitial inflammation). We conclude that abrogation of TGF-β/Smad3 signaling confers protection against the development of fibrosis and atrophy in RAS.
Changes in motor unit recruitment thresholds of the human anconeus muscle during torque development preceding shortening elbow extensions
Authors: Harwood B. , Rice C. L.
Published: March 2012

Rate of torque development and the subsequent movement velocity are modulated by motor unit (MU) properties, primarily MU discharge rate and MU recruitment threshold (MURT). In isometric conditions, MURTs have been shown to decrease with increased rates of torque development. It is unclear whether this relationship is similar in the production of dynamic shortening contractions. Using fast joint velocities to drive the system, we aimed to determine how anconeus MURTs recorded during the torque production phase preceding movement were affected in relation to the resultant peak elbow extension velocity. Recruitment thresholds of 17 MUs from 9 young men were tracked throughout non-isokinetic dynamic elbow extensions with velocities ranging from 64°/s to 500°/s at a constant resistance of 25% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction and during isometric elbow extensions (0°/s). Relative MURTs decreased ∼50% from the slowest (<25% of maximal velocity) to the fastest (>75% of maximal velocity) resultant velocity ranges ( P < 0.05). Although a significant ( P < 0.001) but weak ( r = −0.27, R2= 0.08) relationship was observed between MURT and resultant peak elbow extension velocity for the group, only 7 of the 17 MUs displayed significant moderate ( r = −0.40, R2= 0.17) to strong ( r = −0.85, R2= 0.73) negative MURT-velocity relationships. These data indicate variable responses of MURTs with increasing resultant peak velocity, which may be related to the intrinsic properties of individual MUs.
Abnormal Mitochondria Organization and Oxidative Activity in the Palate Muscles of Long-Term Snorers with Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Stål Per S. , Johansson Bengt
Published: March 2012

Background: Histopathological alterations and a reduced number of capillaries have been observed in the palate muscles of snorers with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). These changes may create a substrate for decreased microcirculation, impaired aerobic metabolism and muscle dysfunction and contribute to upper airway obstruction during sleep. Objectives: The aim was to analyze mitochondria distribution and oxidative enzyme activity in relation to capillary supply in the palate muscles of patients with a history of long-term snoring and OSAS. Methods: Palatopharyngeus (PP) and uvula (UV) muscle samples were obtained from 8 patients undergoing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty due to habitual snoring and OSAS. The muscles were analyzed with enzyme- and immunohistochemistry and morphometry. Results: Abnormalities in the internal organization of mitochondria and oxidative activity were observed in 39 ± 15% of the fibers in the PP and 4 ± 3% in the UV, but not in control samples. The majority of these fibers had a lobulated contour and trabecular internal organization of mitochondria. The number of capillaries around abnormal fibers (PP 0.9 ± 0.3, UV 0.4 ± 0.1) was lower than in fibers of a normal appearance in both patients (PP 1.4 ± 0.6, UV 1.2 ± 0.3) and references (PP 2.7 ± 0.7, UV 1.9 ± 0.9) (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Abnormal mitochondrial distribution, a low capillary supply and signs of impaired oxidative activity suggest that muscle dysfunction of the palate muscles in long-term snorers may contribute to the upper airway obstruction during sleep. The cause of these abnormalities remains unclear, but local muscle and nerve trauma due to vibration and stretch is a possible etiology.
Ciprofloxacin and Epirubicin Synergistically Induce Apoptosis in Human Urothelial Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Engeler Daniel S. , Scandella Elke , Ludewig Burkhard , Schmid Hans-Peter
Published: March 2012

Introduction: Few published in vitro studies have shown antitumor drug action or possible synergistic effects of fluoroquinolones. To assess the potential role of combination therapy, cytotoxic effects of ciprofloxacin and epirubicin alone and in combination were determined. Material and Methods: Human urothelial cancer cell lines HT1197 and HT1376 were exposed in vitro for 1 h to different concentrations of epirubicin (0.02–2 mg/ml) and for 72 h to ciprofloxacin (0.004–0.8 mg/ml). Cytotoxicity was determined using the microculture tetrazolium assay and flow cytometry. Synergistic cytotoxic effects were determined by calculating combination indices. Results: Median effect concentrations of epirubicin for HT1376 and HT1197 cells were as low as 124 and 117 µg/ml, respectively. Ciprofloxacin-treated cells exhibited profound cytotoxic effects at concentrations of 50–100 µg/ml, which is far below the intravesical concentration reached by standard oral application. In addition, a pronounced synergistic effect was found when the two treatments were combined. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that ciprofloxacin and epirubicin exhibit synergistic cytotoxic effects in vitro. After confirmatory animal experiments, future clinical studies of adjuvant chemotherapy after transurethral bladder resection may include treatment arms with combinations of fluoroquinolones based on the observed synergistic effects to reduce both side effects and costs.
Efficacy of Bronchoscopic Thermal Vapor Ablation and Lobar Fissure Completeness in Patients with Heterogeneous Emphysema
Authors: Gompelmann Daniela , Heussel Claus Peter , Eberhardt Ralf , Snell Gregory , Hopkins Peter , Baker Kim , Witt Christian , Valipour Arschang , Wagner Manfred , Stanzel Franz , Egan Jim , Ernst Armin , Kesten Steven , Herth Felix J.F.
Published: March 2012

Background: Bronchoscopic thermal vapor ablation (BTVA) ablates emphysematous tissue through a localized inflammatory response followed by contractive fibrosis and tissue shrinkage leading to lung volume reduction that should not be influenced by collateral ventilation. Objectives: To determine the correlation of clinical data from a trial of BTVA with fissure integrity visually assessed by computed tomography (CT). Methods: We conducted a single-arm study of patients with upper lobe-predominant emphysema (n = 44). Patients received BTVA either to the right upper lobe or left upper lobe, excluding the lingula. Primary efficacy outcomes were forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) at 6 months. Lobar volume reduction from CT was another efficacy outcome measurement. The fissure of the treated lobe was analyzed visually on preinterventional CT. Incompleteness of the small fissure, the upper half of the right large fissure and the whole left large fissure were estimated visually in 5% increments, and the relative amount of fissure incompleteness was calculated. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for the association between fissure incompleteness and change in efficacy outcomes (baseline to 6 months) of BTVA. Results: A total of 38 out of 44 patients (86%) had incompleteness in the relevant fissure. Calculated relevant fissure incompleteness was a mean of 13% of fissure integrity (range 0–63). Correlation coefficients for the association of incompleteness with outcomes were as follows: FEV1 = 0.17; lung volume reduction = –0.27; SGRQ score = –0.10; 6-min walk distance = 0.0; residual volume (RV) = –0.18, and RV/total lung capacity = –0.14. Conclusions: Lobar fissure integrity has no or minimal influence on BTVA-induced lung volume reduction and improvements in clinical outcomes.
Oral Health Behavior and Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components in Adults
Authors: Kobayashi Y. , Niu K. , Guan L. , Momma H. , Guo H. , Cui Y. , Nagatomi R.
Published: March 2012

Inflammation has been strongly related to metabolic syndrome (MetS). Periodontal disease is the most common chronic infection in adults. We investigated a cross-sectional (n = 925) and 3-year longitudinal (n = 685) relationship between the daily frequency of toothbrushing and MetS. In the cross-sectional analysis, the prevalence of MetS was 15.7%. After adjustment for potential confounding factors (including all lifestyle factors), the odds ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) of having MetS in those who brushed 2 times/day and ≥ 3 times/day were 0.71 (0.48-1.05) and 0.47 (0.24-0.92), respectively, as compared with ratios in those with a toothbrushing frequency of ≤ 1 time/day. Increasing toothbrushing frequency tended to relate inversely to hypertriglyceridemia and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. In the longitudinal analysis, 99 participants were newly diagnosed with MetS. The adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) of the MetS in participants who brushed 2 times/day and ≥ 3 times/day as compared with participants who brushed ≤ 1 time/day were 0.80 (0.49-1.31) and 0.43 (0.19-0.97), respectively. The frequency of toothbrushing was related inversely only to hypertriglyceridemia, consistent with the cross-sectional analysis. This study found that more frequent toothbrushing is related to a lower prevalence and incidence of MetS. These results suggest that more frequent toothbrushing may contribute to the prevention of MetS due to the inflammation/triglyceride pathway.
Regulation, Managerial Discretion and Family-Friendliness in Australia’s Changing Industrial Relations Environment
Authors: Reeve Belinda H , Broom Dorothy H , Strazdins Lyndall , Shipley Megan
Published: March 2012

This article examines how managers grant employees access to family-friendly work conditions and the institutional, organization and individual-level factors affecting their decision-making processes. This research question is addressed by comparing family-friendly conditions in collective agreements in the Australian retail and public service sectors. An analysis of interviews with management staff in the two sectors then explores how access to these family-friendly conditions works in practice. We found that at an institutional level, the different collective agreement conditions in each sector enabled or constrained managers’ ability to create family-friendly working arrangements for employees. Industry-specific pressures and workplace ‘cultures’ also shaped the ease with which managers could grant employees access to conditions. Most importantly, managers’ discretion operated on the basis of a cost–benefit analysis, where managers weighed up the benefits of retaining an employee’s skills and knowledge against the costs of implementing a particular family-friendly arrangement. The article concludes by considering managerial discretion in relation to recent reforms to Australia’s industrial relations laws.
Introduction
Authors: Perkiss Abigail
Published: March 2012

Using the post-war industrial landscape of metropolitan Philadelphia as a case study, this special section of the Journal of Urban History examines the making and meaning of residentially integrated space in the latter half of the twentieth century. These three projects (Abigail Perkiss’ “Managed Diversity;” James Wolfinger’s “The American Dream for All Americans;” and Cheryl Greenburg’s “Liberal NIMBY”) look at racial integration not as an idealized form of racial justice, nor as a fleeting notion of residential life doomed for failure. Writing at the intersection of the historiographies on the American urban experience and the northern civil rights struggle, these scholars push beyond the historic notion that integration was the period between the first black family moving into a neighborhood and the last white family moving out, to examine residential integration as an historic process, a political objective, and a cultural experience.
Projecting Pornography and Mapping Modernity in Mexico City
Authors: Sluis Ageeth
Published: March 2012

Drawing on Elizabeth Grosz’s and Doreen Massey’s insights that place and gender are mutually constitutive, this article examines the articulation among the embodied city, sexual desire, and changing gender norms in the wake of the Mexican Revolution. At this time, a newly governing revolutionary elite sought to reinvigorate and “civilize” Mexico City through a series of urban reforms and public works, partly in response to their concern over women in public as a social problem. By analyzing depictions of female nudity as conversant with urban landscapes in the banned magazine Vea, the author argues that pornography connected Mexico City to transnational ideas of the early twentieth century that held that sexually liberated women were part and parcel of cosmopolitan modernity. Vea exemplified and fueled concerns over “public women” and helps scholars understand larger debates on the gendered effects of revolution, urbanization, and transnational currents of global modernity.
Social Reform and Allotment Gardening in Twentieth-Century York
Authors: Wilson Ross J.
Published: March 2012

This article examines the development of allotment gardens in the northern English city of York at the start of the twentieth century. Using archive material and newspaper reports, the role of the allotment gardens within wider issues of urban social reform is explored. Through Giddens’s theory of structuration, the manner in which relationships between citizens and the City Corporation of York developed is investigated. In this manner, the place of allotment gardens as a means of understanding wider urban life in Britain can be reexamined. Although allotment gardens have only partially featured in studies of civic reform, identity and governmentality, their place as a central feature of working-class life in Britain demands that a greater focus of attention be placed on these plots of land.
Your Love Lifts Me Higher! The Energizing Quality of Secure Relationships
Authors: Luke Michelle Anne , Sedikides Constantine , Carnelley Kathy
Published: March 2012

Three studies tested and confirmed the hypothesis that secure attachment relationships lead to feelings of security and energy, as well as willingness to explore. In Study 1, priming a secure attachment relationship increased felt security and energy. In Studies 2 and 3, felt energy mediated the effect of (primed) secure attachment relationships on willingness to explore. In Study 3, the effect of (primed) secure attachment relationships on felt energy and willingness to explore was independent of general positive affect. Secure attachments energize partners, thus enabling exploration.
Bad for Me or Bad for Us? Interpersonal Orientations and the Impact of Losses on Unethical Behavior
Authors: Reinders Folmer Christopher P. , De Cremer David
Published: March 2012

The present research examines the role of allocations of losses versus gains on the emergence of unethical behavior as a function of people’s social value orientation. The authors demonstrate that (a) proselfs regard unethical behavior to prevent losses as more justified than prosocials (Study 1) and (b) proselfs engage in more unethical behavior to prevent losses than prosocials (Study 2). These differences are explained by prosocials’ greater concern for harm to interdependent others in the domain of losses. A third study further substantiates these findings by revealing that unethical behavior to prevent losses increases among prosocials as harm to others is reduced. In sum, these results reveal that depending on whether people attend only to their self-interest or also consider the outcomes of others, losses either may increase or curtail unethical conduct. Considering social value orientations thus may reconcile conflicting theoretical perspectives on the impact of losses on social decisions.
Infants' behavioral and physiological profile and mother–infant interaction
Authors: Costa Raquel , Figueiredo Barbara
Published: March 2012

This study aims to (a) identify and profile groups of infants according to their behavioral and physiological characteristics, considering their neurobehavioral organization, social withdrawal behavior, and endocrine reactivity to stress, and to (b) analyze group differences in the quality of mother–infant interaction. Ninety-seven 8-week-old infants were examined using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale and the Alarm Distress Baby Scale. Cortisol levels were measured both before and after routine inoculation between 8 and 12 weeks. At 12 to 16 weeks mother–infant interaction was assessed using the Global Rating Scales of Mother–Infant Interaction. Three groups of infants were identified: (a) “withdrawn”; (b) “extroverted”; (c) “underaroused.” Differences between them were found regarding both infant and mother behaviors in the interaction and the overall quality of mother–infant interaction. The identification of behavioral and physiological profiles in infants is an important step in the study of developmental pathways.
Utility Outcome Assessment of the Aging Neck following Massive Weight Loss
Authors: Sinno Hani H. , Ibrahim Ahmed M. S. , Izadpanah Ali , Thibaudeau Stephanie , Christodoulou George , Tahiri Youssef , Slavin Sumner A. , Lin Samuel J.
Published: March 2012

Objective

The authors set out to quantify the health state utility assessment of living with the physical appearance of the aging neck following massive weight loss. Described utility scores may help to establish the health burden of the aging neck in the growing bariatric patient population.

Study Design

Prospective cohort observational study.

Setting

Tertiary referral medical center.

Subjects and Methods

Three validated tools were used to determine utility scores for living with an aging neck: visual analog scale (VAS), time trade‐off (TTO), and standard gamble (SG). A 5‐point Likert scale was used to evaluate the subjects’ ease of understanding. A prospective sample of volunteers from the general population and medical students was used for this assessment.

Results

In total, 118 prospective volunteers were included in the survey. All measures (VAS, TTO, SG); (0.89 ± 0.07, 0.94 ± 0.08, and 0.95 ± 0.10, respectively) varied (P <. 0001) from the corresponding ones for monocular blindness (0.62 ± 0.18, 0.87 ± 0.15, and 0.85 ± 0.20, respectively) and binocular blindness (0.32 ± 0.18, 0.66 ± 0.25, and 0.64 ± 0.28, respectively).

Conclusion

The authors objectified the health state of living with an aging neck in the massive weight loss patient with utility scores (TTO, 0.94) comparable with those living with obstructive sleep apnea. This sample population, if faced with an aging neck following massive weight loss, would undertake a neck rejuvenation procedure with a theoretical 5% chance of mortality and would be willing to trade 2.1 years of remaining life‐years to attain this procedure.
Active Comparator-Controlled, Rater-Blinded Study of Corticotropin-Based Immunotherapies for Opsoclonus-Myoclonus Syndrome
Authors: Tate Elizabeth D. , Pranzatelli Michael R. , Verhulst Steven J. , Markwell Stephen J. , Franz David Neal , Graf William D. , Joseph S. Anne , Khakoo Yasmin N. , Lo Warren D. , Mitchell Wendy G. , Sivaswamy Lalitha
Published: March 2012

To test the efficacy and safety of corticotropin-based immunotherapies in pediatric opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome, 74 children received corticotropin alone or with intravenous immunoglobulin (groups 1 and 2, active controls); or both with rituximab (group 3) or cyclophosphamide (group 4); or with rituximab plus chemotherapy (group 5) or steroid sparers (group 6). There was 65% improvement in motor severity score across groups ( P < .0001), but treatment combinations were more effective than corticotropin alone ( P = .0009). Groups 3, 4, and 5 responded better than group 1; groups 3 and 5 responded better than group 2. The response frequency to corticotropin was higher than to prior corticosteroids ( P < .0001). Fifty-five percent had adverse events (corticosteroid excess), more so with multiagents ( P = .03); and 10% had serious adverse events. This study demonstrates greater efficacy of corticotropin-based multimodal therapy compared with conventional therapy, greater response to corticotropin than corticosteroid-based therapy, and overall tolerability.
Congenital Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Associated With Moyamoya Syndrome in a 3-Year-Old Girl
Authors: Jain Puneet , Yoganathan Sangeetha , Sharma Suvasini , Motwani Jayashree , Kumar Atin , Kabra Madhulika , Gulati Sheffali
Published: March 2012

A 3-year-old girl who presented with anemia, thrombocytopenia, and recurrent strokes is described. The cerebral angiography revealed moyamoya vasculopathy. Her younger brother also had anemia and thrombocytopenia but no neurologic abnormalities. Both children had severe deficiency of ADAMTS13 (A Disintegrin And Metalloprotease with Thrombospondin like domain activity) confirming the diagnosis of congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The children responded well to regular fresh-frozen plasma infusions. This report expands the spectrum of hematologic diseases associated with moyamoya syndrome. Unexplained thrombocytopenia, especially in the presence of neurologic symptoms, should prompt an evaluation for ADAMTS13deficiency. The diagnosis has significant implications not only for therapy but also for genetic counseling.
Novel Assessment of Cortical Response to Somatosensory Stimuli in Children With Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Maitre Nathalie L. , Barnett Zachary P. , Key Alexandra P. F.
Published: March 2012

The brain’s response to somatosensory stimuli is essential to experience-driven learning in children. It was hypothesized that advances in event-related potential technology could quantify the response to touch in somatosensory cortices and characterize the responses of hemiparetic children. In this prospective study of 8 children (5-8 years old) with hemiparetic cerebral palsy, both event-related potential responses to sham or air puff trials and standard functional assessments were used. Event-related potential technology consistently measured signals reflecting activity in the primary and secondary somatosensory cortices as well as complex cognitive processing of touch. Participants showed typical early responses but less efficient perceptual processes. Significant differences between affected and unaffected extremities correlated with sensorimotor testing, stereognosis, and 2-point discrimination ( r > 0.800 and P = .001 for all). For the first time, a novel event-related potential paradigm shows that hemiparetic children have slower and less efficient tactile cortical perception in their affected extremities.
Case Report of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency With Unusual Increase of Fats During Ketogenic Diet Treatment
Authors: Pisa Veronica Di , Cecconi Ilaria , Gentile Valentina , Pietro Elena Di , Marchiani Valentina , Verrotti Alberto , Franzoni Emilio
Published: March 2012

This article describes a case of pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency in a 3-year-old boy who presented generalized hypotonia, severe psychomotor development delay, and generalized and partial seizures and was refractory to antiepileptic drugs. After the diagnosis, the patient was put on a ketogenic diet. Six months later, seizure frequency was reduced and psychomotor development had improved. At the same time he presented some side effects, such as 2 episodes of significant increases in cholesterol and triglycerides associated with viral respiratory infections. The latter decreased with a supplementation of ω-3 fatty acids and an increase in caloric intake.
Preventing Bacteria‐Induced Disease With Bacteria
Authors: Matarese Laura E. , Kandil Hossam M.
Published: March 2012

Oral administration of a probiotic preparation was shown to be effective in preventing the recurrence of chronic pouchitis in a classic double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial. This was a novel and unique approach to the care of these patients. Dysbiosis, a condition of microbial imbalance, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Rather than administering antibiotics to treat the microflora with each relapse of pouchitis, the emphasis was placed on preventing chronic flare‐ups by administering probiotics to correct dysbiosis. The paradigm was shifted from treatment to prevention and from antibiotics to probiotics. These data were validated by this same group and others in subsequent trials. However, despite the promising results, many questions will need to be answered before routine use becomes universally accepted. The exact etiology and pathophysiology of pouchitis have not been fully elucidated. In addition, the choice of bacteria, optimal dose, and timing of administration have yet to be determined. Finally, the mechanisms by which probiotics provide their beneficial effects remain unresolved.
Trade union inclusion of migrant and ethnic minority workers: Comparing Italy and the Netherlands
Authors: Marino Stefania
Published: March 2012

This article explores trade union policies and actions towards migrant and ethnic minority workers in Italy and the Netherlands, drawing on union documents and interviews with trade unionists at different organizational levels. It examines how far the explanatory factors addressed in the migration studies and industrial relations literatures help in explaining the observed differences. The findings suggest an inverse relationship between union institutional embeddedness and the perception of migrant workers as ‘power resource’. Of particular relevance, in comparative perspective, are differences in internal union structures and dynamics.
Interference in diagnostic tests for brucellosis in cattle recently vaccinated against leptospirosis
Authors: de Faria Naves Joao Helder Frederico , Rezende Lais M. , Ramos Gabriel C. , Soares Pollyanna M. , Tavares Tatiane C. F. , França Andre M. S. , Neves Saira M. N. , Silva Natascha A. M. , Lima-Ribeiro Anna M. C.
Published: March 2012

The aim of the current study was to verify if cattle vaccinated against leptospirosis may react in diagnostic tests for brucellosis. Sixty cows were divided into 5 groups, each comprising 12 animals. Four groups were given different vaccines against leptospirosis, while the control group received only saline. Two doses of vaccine were given, as recommended by the manufacturers. Serum samples were collected on the first day of immunization (day 0) and on postvaccination days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 96, and 126. All the serum samples were tested for brucellosis and leptospirosis. Twenty animals were reactive at least once to the Rose Bengal test, but by day 96, no further reactions were elicited by this test. Twenty-six samples were reactive to the Rose Bengal test, but only 7 remained positive in confirmatory tests: 1 to the 2-mercaptoethanol test, 2 to the fluorescence polarization assay, and 6 to indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. None of the samples was reactive in the complement fixation test. None of the animals in the control group was reactive. A significant difference was found between the control group and the groups vaccinated against leptospirosis, according to Fisher exact test. However, the groups were found to respond independently of the vaccine brand. The results indicate that cattle vaccinated against leptospirosis may show reactivity on screening tests for brucellosis.
Uterine heterologous malignant mixed Müllerian tumor in a dwarf rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Authors: Zadravec Marko , Gombač Mitja , Račnik Jožko , Rojs Olga Zorman , Pogačnik Milan , Švara Tanja
Published: March 2012

Malignant mixed Müllerian tumor (MMMT) is a rare neoplasm of the female genital system. A case of MMMT in the uterus of an 8-year-old female dwarf rabbit, which died with clinical signs associated with severe acute dyspnea and anorexia, is described. At necropsy, an oval, firm tumor was found in each of the 2 uterine horns. Numerous metastases were scattered throughout the mediastinum, thoracic diaphragm, and all pulmonary lobes. Microscopically, the tumors consisted of a poorly demarcated, unencapsulated neoplasm, composed of closely associated carcinomatous and sarcomatous components and areas of osteosarcomatous differentiation. Metastases were composed entirely of the sarcomatous component with osteosarcomatous differentiation. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic epithelial component was positive for cytokeratin and negative for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), vimentin, and desmin. The sarcomatous component was diffusely and strongly positive for vimentin, focally positive for α-SMA (<20% of cells positive), and negative for desmin. The neoplasm was diagnosed as a heterologous MMMT with metastases to the lung, mediastinum, and thoracic diaphragm.
Fatal Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus–like infection in 4 Rocky Mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus)
Authors: Patton Kristin M. , Bildfell Robert J. , Anderson Mark L. , Cebra Christopher K. , Valentine Beth A.
Published: March 2012

Over a 3.5-year period, 4 Rocky Mountain goats ( Oreamnos americanus), housed at a single facility, developed clinical disease attributed to infection by Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV). Ages ranged from 1 to 10 years. Three of the goats, a 1-year-old female, a 2-year-old male, and a 5-year-old male, had been fed raw domestic goat milk from a single source that was later found to have CAEV on the premises. The fourth animal, a 10-year-old male, had not ingested domestic goat milk but had been housed with the other 3 Rocky Mountain goats. All 4 animals had clinical signs of pneumonia prior to death. At necropsy, findings in lungs included marked diffuse interstitial pneumonia characterized histologically by severe lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates with massive alveolar proteinosis, interstitial fibrosis, and type II pneumocyte hyperplasia. One animal also developed left-sided hemiparesis, and locally extensive lymphoplasmacytic myeloencephalitis was present in the cranial cervical spinal cord. Two animals had joint effusions, as well as severe lymphoplasmacytic and ulcerative synovitis. Immunohistochemical staining of fixed sections of lung tissue from all 4 goats, as well as spinal cord in 1 affected animal, and synovium from 2 affected animals were positive for CAEV antigen. Serology testing for anti-CAEV antibodies was positive in the 2 goats tested. The cases suggest that Rocky Mountain goats are susceptible to naturally occurring CAEV infection, that CAEV from domestic goats can be transmitted to this species through infected milk and by horizontal transmission, and that viral infection can result in clinically severe multisystemic disease.