bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic and Functional Characterization of the Type IV Secretion System inWolbachia
Authors: Rancès Edwige , Voronin Denis , Tran-Van Van , Mavingui Patrick
Published: May 2008

A type IV secretion system (T4SS) is used by many symbiotic and pathogenic intracellular bacteria for the successful infection of and survival, proliferation, and persistence within hosts. In this study, the presence and function of the T4SS inWolbachiastrains were investigated by a combination of genetic screening and immunofluorescence microscopy. Two operons ofvirB-virD4loci were found in the genome ofWolbachia pipientisstrainwAtab3, from the HymenopteraAsobara tabida, and strainwRi, infectingDrosophila simulans. One operon consisted of fivevirgenes (virB8,virB9,virB10,virB11, andvirD4) and the downstreamwspBlocus. The other operon was composed of three genes (virB3,virB4, andvirB6) and included four additional open reading frames (orf1toorf4) orientated in the same direction. In cell culture and insect hosts infected with differentWolbachiastrains, the bona fidevirgenes were polycistronically transcribed, together with the downstream adjacent loci, notably, asvirB8tovirD4andwspBand asvirB3,virB4,virB6, andorf1toorf4. Two peptides encompassing conserved C and N termini of theWolbachiaVirB6 protein were used for the production of polyclonal antibodies. Anti-VirB6 antibodies could detect the corresponding recombinant protein by chemifluorescence on Western blots of total proteins fromEscherichia colitransformants andWolbachiastrains cultured in cell lines. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, we further demonstrated that the VirB6 protein was produced byWolbachiastrains in ovaries of insects harboringwAtab3 orwRi and cell lines infected withwAlbB orwMelPop. As VirB6 is known to associate with other VirB proteins to form a membrane-spanning structure, this finding suggests that a T4SS may function inWolbachia.
Complex Regulation of the DnaJ Homolog CbpA by the Global Regulators σ
S
and Lrp, by the Specific Inhibitor CbpM, and by the Proteolytic Degradation of CbpM
Authors: Chenoweth Matthew R. , Wickner Sue
Published: May 2008

CbpA is a DnaJ homolog that functions as a DnaK cochaperone. Several cellular processes, including growth at low and high temperatures and septum formation during cell division, require either CbpA or DnaJ. CbpA is encoded in an operon with the gene for CbpM, which is a specific in vivo and in vitro inhibitor of CbpA. Here, we have cooverexpressed CbpA with CbpM in a Δ
cbpAM
Δ
dnaJ
strain and examined the resulting phenotypes. Under these conditions, sufficient free CbpA activity was present to support growth at low temperatures, but not at high temperatures. Defects in cell division and in λ replication were also partially complemented by CbpA when cooverexpressed with CbpM. Utilizing reporter fusions, we demonstrated that the
cbpAM
operon was maximally transcribed at the transition from exponential growth to stationary phase. Transcription was controlled by the σ
S
and Lrp global regulators, and both leucine availability and growth temperature influenced transcription. CbpA and CbpM accumulated to similar levels in stationary phase, ∼2,300 monomers per cell. When not bound to CbpA, CbpM was unstable and was degraded by the Lon and ClpAP proteases. These data demonstrate that CbpA activity is controlled at multiple levels.
The Major Facilitator Superfamily-Type Transporter YmfE and the Multidrug-Efflux Activator Mta Mediate Bacillibactin Secretion inBacillus subtilis
Authors: Miethke Marcus , Schmidt Sarah , Marahiel Mohamed A.
Published: May 2008

High-affinity iron acquisition inBacillus subtilisis mediated via the bacillibactin catechole siderophore pathway. Three of the four essential pathway steps, bacillibactin synthesis, Fe-bacillibactin uptake, and Fe-bacillibactin hydrolysis have been characterized previously. The functional and regulatory components for bacillibactin secretion, the second step of the siderophore pathway, remained unknown. In this study, the screening of aB. subtilisexporter mutant library led to the identification of the YmfE major facilitator superfamily (MFS)-type transporter as a target for bacillibactin export. Analysis of iron-limitedymfEmutant cultures displayed an eightfold reduced bacillibactin secretion and, on the other hand, a 25-fold increased secretion of the bacillibactin precursor 2,3-dihydroxybenzoate. Investigation of the regulatory aspect revealed that bacillibactin secretion is, in contrast to all other components of the pathway, independent of the ferric uptake repressor Fur. Indeed, the MerR-type transcriptional regulator Mta was found to activate both bacillibactin secretion andymfEgene expression, exposing Mta as an additional regulatory member of the bacillibactin pathway.
Interaction of DevR with Multiple Binding Sites Synergistically Activates Divergent Transcription of
narK2
-Rv1738 Genes in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Chauhan Santosh , Tyagi Jaya Sivaswami
Published: May 2008

Under hypoxic conditions or upon exposure to low concentrations of nitric oxide, DevR transcriptional regulator mediates the activation of ∼50 genes that are believed to assist in dormancy development in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. Most of the strongly induced genes are characterized by the presence of one to four copies of a Dev box-like sequence at an upstream location. Among these are several gene pairs that are transcribed in opposite directions. This arrangement could provide for coordinated control of the adjacent genes under inducing conditions. In this work, we report the first detailed analysis of DevR-mediated hypoxic regulation of
narK2
-Rv1738 genes that are oppositely oriented in
M. tuberculosis
. Phosphorylated DevR interacts with intergenic sequences and protects ∼80 bp of DNA that contains three binding sites, designated Dev boxes D1, D2, and D3. The hypoxia-specific transcription start points of
narK2
and Rv1738 were mapped, and it was noted that the −35 elements of both promoters overlapped with the proximally placed Dev box. DevR bound cooperatively to adjacently placed D2 and D3 boxes while binding to D1 was independent of DevR interaction with the D2 and D3 boxes. Mutational analysis and green fluorescent protein reporter assays established that the three Dev boxes function synergistically to mediate maximal transcriptional induction of both
narK2
and Rv1738 in hypoxic cultures of
M. tuberculosis
. Analysis of
narK2
promoter activity indicates that it is under negative regulation in addition to DevR-mediated positive regulation and also reveals differences between
M. tuberculosis
and
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG.
Hydrogen Peroxide Linked to Lysine Oxidase Activity Facilitates Biofilm Differentiation and Dispersal in Several Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Mai-Prochnow Anne , Lucas-Elio Patricia , Egan Suhelen , Thomas Torsten , Webb Jeremy S. , Sanchez-Amat Antonio , Kjelleberg Staffan
Published: May 2008

The marine bacterium
Pseudoalteromonas tunicata
produces an antibacterial and autolytic protein, AlpP, which causes death of a subpopulation of cells during biofilm formation and mediates differentiation, dispersal, and phenotypic variation among dispersal cells. The AlpP homologue (LodA) in the marine bacterium
Marinomonas mediterranea
was recently identified as a lysine oxidase which mediates cell death through the production of hydrogen peroxide. Here we show that AlpP in
P. tunicata
also acts as a lysine oxidase and that the hydrogen peroxide generated is responsible for cell death within microcolonies during biofilm development in both
M. mediterranea
and
P. tunicata
. LodA-mediated biofilm cell death is shown to be linked to the generation of phenotypic variation in growth and biofilm formation among
M. mediterranea
biofilm dispersal cells. Moreover, AlpP homologues also occur in several other gram-negative bacteria from diverse environments. Our results show that subpopulations of cells in microcolonies also die during biofilm formation in two of these organisms,
Chromobacterium violaceum
and
Caulobacter crescentus
. In all organisms, hydrogen peroxide was implicated in biofilm cell death, because it could be detected at the same time as the killing occurred, and the addition of catalase significantly reduced biofilm killing. In
C. violaceum
the AlpP-homologue was clearly linked to biofilm cell death events since an isogenic mutant (CVMUR1) does not undergo biofilm cell death. We propose that biofilm killing through hydrogen peroxide can be linked to AlpP homologue activity and plays an important role in dispersal and colonization across a range of gram-negative bacteria.
Titin isoform switching is a major cardiac adaptive response in hibernating grizzly bears
Authors: Nelson O. Lynne , Robbins Charles T. , Wu Yiming , Granzier Henk
Published: May 2008

The hibernation phenomenon captures biological as well as clinical interests to understand how organs adapt. Here we studied how hibernating grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos horribilis) tolerate extremely low heart rates without developing cardiac chamber dilation. We evaluated cardiac filling function in unanesthetized grizzly bears by echocardiography during the active and hibernating period. Because both collagen and titin are involved in altering diastolic function, we investigated both in the myocardium of active and hibernating grizzly bears. Heart rates were reduced from 84 beats/min in active bears to 19 beats/min in hibernating bears. Diastolic volume, stroke volume, and left ventricular ejection fraction were not different. However, left ventricular muscle mass was significantly lower (300 ± 12 compared with 402 ± 14 g; P = 0.003) in the hibernating bears, and as a result the diastolic volume-to-left ventricular muscle mass ratio was significantly greater. Early ventricular filling deceleration times (106.4 ± 14 compared with 143.2 ± 20 ms; P = 0.002) were shorter during hibernation, suggesting increased ventricular stiffness. Restrictive pulmonary venous flow patterns supported this conclusion. Collagen type I and III comparisons did not reveal differences between the two groups of bears. In contrast, the expression of titin was altered by a significant upregulation of the stiffer N2B isoform at the expense of the more compliant N2BA isoform. The mean ratio of N2BA to N2B titin was 0.73 ± 0.07 in the active bears and decreased to 0.42 ± 0.03 ( P = 0.006) in the hibernating bears. The upregulation of stiff N2B cardiac titin is a likely explanation for the increased ventricular stiffness that was revealed by echocardiography, and we propose that it plays a role in preventing chamber dilation in hibernating grizzly bears. Thus our work identified changes in the alternative splicing of cardiac titin as a major adaptive response in hibernating grizzly bears.
Interaction of nitric oxide, 20-HETE, and EETs during functional hyperemia in whisker barrel cortex
Authors: Liu Xiaoguang , Li Chunyuan , Falck John R. , Roman Richard J. , Harder David R. , Koehler Raymond C.
Published: May 2008

Nitric oxide (NO) modulates vasodilation in cerebral cortex during sensory activation. NO is known to inhibit the synthesis of 20-HETE, which has been implicated in arteriolar constriction during astrocyte activation in brain slices. We tested the hypothesis that the attenuated cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to whisker stimulation seen after NO synthase (NOS) inhibition requires 20-HETE synthesis and that the ability of an epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) antagonist to reduce the CBF response is blunted after NOS inhibition but restored with simultaneous blockade of 20-HETE synthesis. In anesthetized rats, the increase in CBF during whisker stimulation was attenuated after the blockade of neuronal NOS with 7-nitroindazole. Subsequent administration of the 20-HETE synthesis inhibitor N-hydroxy- N′-(4-n-butyl-2-methylphenyl)formamidine (HET0016) restored the CBF response to control levels. After the administration of 7-nitroindazole, the inhibitory effect of an EETs antagonist 14,15-epoxyeicosa-5(Z)-enoic acid (14,15-EEZE) on the CBF response was lost, whereas the simultaneous administration of 7-nitroindazole and HET0016 restored the inhibitory effect of 14,15-EEZE. The administration of HET0016 alone had only a small effect on the evoked CBF response in rats. Furthermore, in neuronal NOS+/+and NOS−/−mice, HET0016 administration did not increase the CBF response to whisker stimulation. In neuronal NOS+/+mice, HET0016 also blocked the reduction in the response seen with acute NOS inhibition. These results indicate that 20-HETE synthesis normally does not substantially restrict functional hyperemia. Increased NO production during functional activation may act dynamically to suppress 20-HETE synthesis or downstream signaling and permit EETs-dependent vasodilation. With the chronic loss of neuronal NOS in mice, other mechanisms apparently suppress 20-HETE synthesis or signaling.
Maternal undernutrition induces differential cardiac gene expression in pulmonary hypertensive steers at high elevation
Authors: Han Hyungchul , Hansen Thomas R. , Berg Brynn , Hess Bret W. , Ford Stephen P.
Published: May 2008

Pulmonary hypertension, characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and right ventricular hypertrophy, is caused by decreased atmospheric oxygen at high altitude. We hypothesized that maternal undernutrition programs right ventricle gene expression and sensitivity to increasing PAP at high altitude (2,183 m). On day 30 of gestation, forty Angus × Gelbvieh cows received diets to induce either gain (Control) or loss of body weight (Restricted) until day 125 of gestation. On day 126 of gestation, Restricted cows were realimented to achieve the same body weight as Controls by day 250. Parturition occurred naturally. PAP, which ranged from 40 to 114 mmHg, was determined in 15-mo-old steers from Control or Restricted cows before necropsy. At necropsy, hearts were collected from steers, separated into right and left ventricles, atria, and septa and weighed. Ventricular thickness was recorded. Eight Affymetrix bovine microarrays were screened [four high PAP (two Control and two Restricted) and four low PAP (two Control and two Restricted)] with right ventricle mRNA. This analysis revealed that pentraxin-related protein, interferon-related developmental regulator, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α were differentially expressed ( P < 0.05) in steer right ventricle from high-PAP cows compared with low-PAP cows. Also, activation peptide and pancreas cationic trypsinogen, α-actin, similar to ubiquitin carboxylesterase, were differently expressed ( P < 0.05) in steers from Restricted cows compared with those from Control cows. Upregulated genes in high-PAP right ventricle have been associated with pathological cardiac hypertrophy. It is concluded that right ventricle gene expression may be differentially programmed by maternal undernutrition in the fetus during early gestation and may be detrimental to health and longevity of offspring, particularly at high altitude.
Structural coupling of cardiomyocytes and noncardiomyocytes: quantitative comparisons using a novel micropatterned cell pair assay
Authors: Pedrotty Dawn M. , Klinger Rebecca Y. , Badie Nima , Hinds Sara , Kardashian Ara , Bursac Nenad
Published: May 2008

Well-controlled studies of the structural and functional interactions between cardiomyocytes and other cells are essential for understanding heart pathophysiology and for the further development of safe and efficient cell therapies. We established a novel in vitro assay composed of a large number of individual micropatterned cell pairs with reproducible shape, size, and region of cell-cell contact. This assay was applied to quantify and compare the frequency of expression and distribution of electrical (connexin43) and mechanical (N-cadherin) coupling proteins in 5,000 cell pairs made of cardiomyocytes (CMs), cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), skeletal myoblasts (SKMs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We found that for all cell pair types, side-side contacts between two cells formed 4.5–14.3 times more often than end-end contacts. Both connexin43 and N-cadherin were expressed in all homotypic CM pairs but in only 13.4–91.6% of pairs containing noncardiomyocytes, where expression was either junctional (at the site of cell-cell contact) or diffuse (inside the cytoplasm). CM expression was exclusively junctional in homotypic pairs but predominantly diffuse in heterotypic pairs. Noncardiomyocyte homotypic pairs exhibited diffuse expression 1.7–8.7 times more often than junctional expression, which was increased 2.6–4.4 times in heterotypic pairs. Junctional connexin43 and N-cadherin expression, respectively, were found in 38.6 ± 7.3 and 39.6 ± 6.2% of CM-MSC pairs, 21.9 ± 5.0 and 13.6 ± 1.9% of CM-SKM pairs, and in only 3.8–9.6% of CM-CF pairs. Measured frequencies of protein expression and distribution were stable for at least 4 days. Described studies in micropatterned cell pairs shed new light on cellular interactions relevant for cardiac function and cell therapies.
Cytosolic phospholipase A2α activation induced by S1P is mediated by the S1P3 receptor in lung epithelial cells
Authors: Chen Li-Yuan , Woszczek Grzegorz , Nagineni Sahrudaya , Logun Carolea , Shelhamer James H.
Published: May 2008

Cytosolic phospholipase A2α (cPLA2α) activation is a regulatory step in the control of arachidonic acid (AA) liberation for eicosanoid formation. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid mediator involved in the regulation of many important proinflammatory processes and has been found in the airways of asthmatic subjects. We investigated the mechanism of S1P-induced AA release and determined the involvement of cPLA2α in these events in A549 human lung epithelial cells. S1P induced AA release rapidly within 5 min in a dose- and time-dependent manner. S1P-induced AA release was inhibited by the cPLA2α inhibitors methyl arachidonyl fluorophosphonate (MAFP) and pyrrolidine derivative, by small interfering RNA-mediated downregulation of cPLA2α, and by inhibition of S1P-induced calcium flux, suggesting a significant role of cPLA2α in S1P-mediated AA release. Knockdown of the S1P3 receptor, the major S1P receptor expressed on A549 cells, inhibited S1P-induced calcium flux and AA release. The S1P-induced calcium flux and AA release was associated with sphingosine kinase 1 (Sphk1) expression and activity. Furthermore, Rho-associated kinase, downstream of S1P3, was crucial for S1P-induced cPLA2α activation. Our data suggest that S1P acting through S1P3, calcium flux, and Rho kinase activates cPLA2α and releases AA in lung epithelial cells. An understanding of S1P-induced cPLA2α activation mechanisms in epithelial cells may provide potential targets to control inflammatory processes in the lung.
International Law on the Agenda of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development: Towards Global Environmental Security?
Authors: Sand Peter H.
Published: May 2008

By resolution 44/228 of 22 December 1989, the United Nations General Assembly decided to convene a United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) to be held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in June 1992 at the highest possible level of participation.1 The Rio Conference will mark the twentieth anniversary of the 1972 Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment, which had indeed envisaged the holding of a follow-up conference,2 a recommendation echoed by the 1987 report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (Brundtland Report).3
The Role of Natural Prolongation in Relation to Shelf Delimitation beyond 200 Nautical Miles
Authors: Thamsborg Milan , Lilje-Jensen
Published: May 2008

It is common knowledge that the coastal State's right to continental shelf areas emanates from the fundamental conception that "the land dominates the sea". It is, however, by way of the "coastal opening" - the indirect basis of title to shelf areas - that such right manifests itself as the "natural prolongation" into and under the sea of the landmass of the coastal State. Over some 15 years of legal usage natural prolongation assumed a still more abstract character leaving today no trace of its origin as a concept deeply rooted in natural science. The principle of distance was sequentially introduced as the complementary carrier of entitlement to shelf areas. Yet, in case of a wide continental shelf (margin) extending uninterrupted beyond 200 nm from the shoreline, natural prolongation is still considered as the sole carrier of entitlement though in a somewhat figurative sense. It is the role of natural prolongation in relation to the wide shelf and its delimitation between neighbouring States which is the principal subject of the present paper.
Cutaneous Mastocytosis: A Review Focusing on the Pediatric Population
Authors: Briley Laura D. , Phillips Charles M.
Published: May 2008

Cutaneous mastocytosis can be divided into 4 different clinical variants—urticaria pigmentosa, solitary mastocytoma, diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis, and telangiectasia macularis eruptiva perstans. Skin findings are often accompanied by symptoms secondary to mast cell release of mediators. These symptoms can be both localized to the skin lesion and systemic because of the release of mediators into the bloodstream. The majority of pediatric cases of cutaneous mastocytosis show a good prognosis with gradual resolution of both symptoms and skin lesions. This article will review each of the 4 clinical presentations focusing on pediatric-onset of disease while reviewing the literature.
Construct Validity Invariance and Discrepancies in Meta-Analytic Effect Sizes Based on Different Measures
Authors: Nugent William R.
Published: May 2008

Critical to meta-analysis is the presumption that effect sizes based on different measures are directly comparable. Recent theoretical work has shown that an invariance condition—universe score, or construct, validity invariance—must hold for either observed score or reliability-corrected effect sizes based on different measures to be directly comparable. To date, however, no research has been done investigating how crucial violations of this invariance condition are for either effect size discrepancy across different measures or the outcomes of a meta-analysis. This article reports the results of a simulation study of the possible effects that violations of construct validity invariance have on (a) the differences in population construct level standardized mean difference effect sizes based on different measurement procedures; (b) the variability in population construct level correlation effect sizes based on different measurement procedures; and (c) the results of a meta-analysis. Results suggest that considerable variability in effect sizes can exist across measurement procedures that fail to meet universe score validity invariance and that this variability has the potential to negatively affect meta-analytic results.
Media Exposure of the Ideal Physique on Women’s Body Dissatisfaction and Mood
Authors: DeBraganza Ninoska , Hausenblas Heather A.
Published: May 2008

Although body image concerns are influenced by cultural and ethnic factors, most research on the media and body image has focused exclusively on Caucasians. The goal of this study was to examine whether ethnicity moderates the body dissatisfaction and mood of women exposed to media images portraying the ideal physique. Two ethnic groups of women (Caucasians and African Americans) viewed two sets of slides (mass media ideals and controls) and completed pre- and posttest mood state measures of anxiety, depression, anger, and body dissatisfaction. Findings reveal that although the African American women reported no changes from pre- to posttest body dissatisfaction after viewing either slide condition, the Caucasian women reported higher body dissatisfaction after viewing the model slides and lower body dissatisfaction scores after viewing the control slides. No other results were significant. Study results and future research directions are discussed.
Black College Students' Extropunitive and Intropunitive Responses to Prejudice: Implications for Concrete Attitudes Toward School in a Predominantly White Institution
Authors: Ashburn-Nardo Leslie , Smith Joshua S.
Published: May 2008

The present research examined whether individual differences in extropunitive (i.e., distrust, dislike, and discriminatory expectations of Whites) and intropunitive (i.e., internalization of society's disparaging views) responses to prejudice account for African Americans' concrete attitudes toward school (i.e., experience-based doubts about extrinsic rewards for scholastic effort), above and beyond or in conjunction with racial centrality. Seventy Black college students at a predominantly White urban institution completed measures of concrete attitudes, extropunitive and intropunitive responses to prejudice, and racial centrality. Results indicated that the more participants expected discrimination from Whites—especially when such prejudice was not internalized— the more negative their concrete attitudes toward school. Intropunitive responses were less important for concrete attitudes, especially for participants who were high in racial centrality.
Knowledge Transfer in Online Learning Environments
Authors: Hansen David E.
Published: May 2008

Research comparing online and traditional course delivery methods has sought to demonstrate the equivalence of student performance in online and traditional courses. This study examines the unique proposition that online course delivery is superior to traditional when it comes to applied learning and is thus superior in the process of knowledge transfer. Students in six sections of Principles of Marketing differing in the method of course delivery are used in three studies to test this hypothesis. In the first study, online students outperformed traditional students in two of three parts of a business plan project. These findings are replicated in the second and third studies conducted in subsequent semesters. Process measures taken in the third study indicate that online students' confidence in the course material is related to a greater sense of community; a student debriefing reveals that there is more cooperation among online student teams than in traditional teams. These results indicate the usefulness of online courses for developing skills leading to the application of classroom knowledge to real-world projects.
The effect of looks and musical preference on trait inference
Authors: Ziv Naomi , Sagi Gilat , Basserman Karin
Published: May 2008

Stereotypes regarding social status lead to the categorization of individuals as belonging to high or low social-status groups, based on little information, such as looks or possession of certain traits. The present study examined the relative effect of looks and musical preference on the inference of other traits relating to high and low social status. Seventy participants were asked to rate photos of eight individuals (four males and four females). Compatible and incompatible pairing of high- and low-status looks and liking for high- and low-status music were created. Findings show that more positive traits were attributed to females, high-status looking individuals and individuals with a preference for high-status music. An interaction between looks and music status was found in which liking for low-status music lowered evaluations in high-status looking individuals, but liking for high-status music did not affect evaluations of low-status looking individuals. Participants' own musical preference did not consistently affect ratings of photographed individuals.
Radiographic Location of the Lateral Intercondylar Ridge
Authors: Farrow Lutul D. , Gillespie Robert J. , Victoroff Brian N. , Cooperman Daniel R.
Published: May 2008

Background

The lateral intercondylar ridge (resident's ridge) is considered to be an important landmark during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Presently, no study exists describing the location of this vital landmark on plain radiographic images.

Hypothesis

Lateral intercondylar ridge location can be estimated on lateral plain film images.

Study Design

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods

Lateral radiographic images were taken of 20 distal femora with metallic markers overlying the lateral intercondylar ridge. The length of Blumensaat's line and the distance from the anterior extent of Blumensaat's line to the point where the lateral intercondylar ridge intersects Blumensaat's line were measured. The ratio of these measurements was then determined (Blumensaat's-ridge ratio). The angle of the lateral intercondylar ridge with respect to Blumensaat's line (Blumensaat's-ridge angle) was also determined.

Results

The mean length of Blumensaat's line was 32.1 mm (95% confidence interval, 31.0–33.2 mm). The mean distance from the anterior extent of Blumensaat's line to the point where the lateral intercondylar ridge intersects Blumensaat's line was 25.3 mm (95% confidence interval, 24.3–26.3 mm). The mean Blumensaat's-ridge ratio was 0.79 (95% confidence interval, 0.77–0.81). The mean Blumensaat's-ridge angle was 75.5° (95% confidence interval, 72.0°–79.1°).

Conclusion

The lateral intercondylar ridge intersects Blumensaat's line at a point defined by multiplying the Blumensaat's line length by 0.79. From this point, the ridge runs at a 75.5° angle with respect to Blumensaat's line.

Clinical Relevance

Awareness of the radiographic location of the lateral intercondylar ridge may help confirm accurate tunnel placement when arthroscopic positioning is in doubt. Furthermore, femoral tunnel position can be quickly and accurately assessed in the outpatient setting in patients with unsatisfactory outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Upper Extremity Injuries in the National Football League
Authors: Mall Nathan A. , Carlisle John C. , Matava Matthew J. , Powell John W. , Goldfarb Charles A.
Published: May 2008

Background

Very little has been published regarding the incidence of and duration of time lost after hand injuries in professional American football players.

Hypotheses

(1) Hand, first ray, and finger injuries in professional American football players represent a common cause of missed time from practice and game participation. (2) The effect of upper extremity injuries differs as a function of the anatomic site involved, injury type, and athlete's position.

Study Design

Descriptive epidemiologic study.

Methods

A retrospective review of all documented injuries to the hand, first ray, and fingers sustained by American football players in the National Football League over a 10-year period (1996–2005) was performed using the League's injury surveillance database. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of injury, athlete position, and activity at the time of injury.

Results

A total of 1385 injuries occurred to the hand, first ray, and fingers over the 10 seasons studied. Of these injuries, 48% involved the fingers, 30% involved the first ray, and 22% involved the hand, with game injuries more common than practice injuries at each location. Metacarpal fractures and proximal interphalangeal joint dislocations were the 2 most common injuries. Offensive and defensive linemen were the most likely to sustain a hand injury; 80% of hand injuries were metacarpal fractures. The most common injuries to the first ray were fractures (48%) and sprains (36%), which occurred most often in athletes playing a defensive secondary position. Finger injuries were most commonly dislocations at the level of the proximal interphalangeal joint, typically involving the ulnar 2 digits. Finger injuries were most common in wide receivers and defensive secondary players. The act of tackling produced the most injuries (28%).

Conclusion

Upper extremity trauma, especially injury to the hand, first ray, and fingers, is a significant source of morbidity for professional football players. The results of this study may be used to implement preventive measures to help minimize these injuries.
The Application of Rhetorical Theory in Managerial Research
Authors: Hartelius E. Johanna , Browning Larry D.
Published: May 2008

Recent management research imports rhetorical scholarship into the study of organizations. Although this cross-disciplinarity is heuristically promising, it presents significant challenges. This article interrogates management's use of rhetoric, contrasting it with communication studies. Five themes from management research identify how rhetoric is used as an organizational hermeneutic: The article demonstrates that management research conceptualizes rhetoric as a theory and as an action; as the substance that maintains and/or challenges organizational order; as being constitutive of individual and organizational identity; as a managerial strategy for persuading followers; and as a framework for narrative and rational organizational discourses. The authors argue that organizational researchers who study rhetoric characterize persuasive strategies as managers' most important actions.
A Review of the Cardiovascular Effects of Oncology Agents
Authors: Frei Bradi L. , Soefje Scott A.
Published: May 2008

Cardiovascular toxicity is an important adverse effect of several classes of oncology drugs. Because cancer survivors are living longer, the late effects of cancer therapy must be addressed. Many patients diagnosed with cancer are already at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease before drug treatment. Select chemotherapy agents further complicate the issue because of their own ability to induce cardiovascular toxicities or exacerbate preexisting conditions. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, heart failure, and arrhythmia are known consequences of some cancer therapies. This review provides an overview of the epidemiology, mechanism of action, monitoring, and management of these cardiovascular effects.
Review of the Relationship Between Venous Thromboembolism, Malignancy and Its Treatment
Authors: Brown Erika N. , Herrington Jon D.
Published: May 2008

Venous thromboembolism is a common complication that develops in approximately 20% of patients with cancer. Presence of tumor and other risk factors, such as inflammation, surgery, obesity, and medications, have the potential to alter the intravascular coagulation homeostasis and lead to thrombosis. Although malignancy may predispose patients to venous thromboembolism, many chemotherapy agents also increase the risk. In this article, some of the agents tamoxifen, asparaginase, fluorouracil, thalidomide, lenalidomide, bevacizumab, and hematopoietic growth factors are discussed. Many patients will experience a thrombotic event despite optimal prophylaxis. Thus, this article will address the guidelines for treatment and prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism. In general, the venous thromboembolism risk should be assessed before certain antineoplastic regimens are prescribed to patients with cancer.
Too Much of a Good Thing? Treating the Emerging Syndrome of Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia
Authors: Leonard Robert , Kourlas Helen
Published: May 2008

Pain is the primary reason individuals seek health care, and chronic pain is the leading cause of disability. Patients with chronic pain often require treatment with strong analgesics, including opioids. Mounting evidence shows that very high opioid doses or rapidly escalating doses may lead to a paradoxical syndrome of increasing pain that is nonresponsive to opioid therapy. A review of the published literature describing the phenomenon of opioid-induced hyperalgesia was conducted, and management strategies were reviewed. A systematic search of PubMed using Medical Subject Headings terms to narrow search criteria identified 3 treatment strategies. The strategies evaluated in this literature review include opioid rotation, coadministration of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, and coadministration of opioid antagonists. Further research is needed to draw conclusive recommendations. As of now, the safest and most effective treatment strategy showing the best evidence involves the use of opioid rotation.
Volunteering and Its Relationship With Personal and Neighborhood Well-Being
Authors: Mellor David , Hayashi Yoko , Stokes Mark , Firth Lucy , Lake Lucy , Staples Michael , Chambers Sue , Cummins Robert
Published: May 2008

Although a relationship between volunteering and well-being has been demonstrated in numerous studies, well-being has generally been poorly operationalized and often defined by the relative absence of pathology. In this study, the authors take a positive approach to defining well-being and investigate the relationship between volunteering and personal and neighborhood well-being. The theoretical approach incorporates elements of the homeostatic model of well-being. A sample of 1,289 adults across Australia completed a questionnaire that assessed personal and neighborhood wellbeing, personality factors, and the psychosocial resources implicated in the homeostatic model of well-being. Analyses reveal that volunteers had higher personal and neighborhood well-being than nonvolunteers and that volunteering contributed additional variance in well-being even after psychosocial and personality factors were accounted for. The findings are discussed in terms of previous research and the homeostatic model of well-being, and it is argued that the relationship between volunteering and well-being is robust.
Child and Adult Victimization: Sequelae for Female Caregivers of High-Risk Children
Authors: Weisbart Cindy E. , Thompson Richard , Pelaez-Merrick Melissa , Kim Jeongeun , Wike Traci , Briggs Ernestine , English Diana J. , Dubowitz Howard
Published: May 2008

Little is known about the effects of child versus adult victimization or about the effects of victimization on physical health or social support. Mental and physical health outcomes among 890 female caregivers were examined utilizing data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). The study examined whether victimized women (compared to nonvictimized women) would endorse higher rates of depression, lower levels of social support, and poorer recent health. Differences between subgroups of victimized women defined by when victimization occurred (child only, adult only, and both child and adult) were also examined. Women with any victimization and women with victimization during both time periods had the worst outcomes. Child-only victimization effects, however, did not differ significantly from adult-only victimization. This study suggests added vulnerability for women victimized during both childhood and adulthood. Clinicians should carefully assess lifetime experiences of victimization; approaches to such assessment should be refined through further research.
What determines the outcomes for adolescents and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated on cooperative group protocols? A comparison of Children's Cancer Group and Cancer and Leukemia Group B studies
Authors: Stock Wendy , La Mei , Sanford Ben , Bloomfield Clara D. , Vardiman James W. , Gaynon Paul , Larson Richard A. , Nachman James
Published: May 2008

We performed a retrospective comparison of presenting features, planned treatment, complete remission (CR) rate, and outcome of 321 adolescents and young adults (AYAs) ages 16 to 20 years with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who were treated on consecutive trials in either the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) or the Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) from 1988 to 2001. CR rates were identical, 90% for both CALGB and CCG AYAs. CCG AYAs had a 63% event-free survival (EFS) and 67% overall survival (OS) at 7 years in contrast to the CALGB AYAs, in which 7-year EFS was only 34% (P < .001; relative hazard rate [RHR] = 2.2) and OS was 46% (P < .001; RHR = 1.9). While CALGB AYAs aged 16 to 17 years achieved similar outcomes to all CCG AYAs with a 7-year EFS of 55%, the EFS for 18- to 20-year-old CALGB patients was only 29%. Comparison of the regimens showed that CCG AYAs received earlier and more intensive central nervous system prophylaxis and higher cumulative doses of nonmyelosuppressive agents. There were no differences in outcomes of those who reached maintenance therapy on time compared with those who were delayed. Based on these observations, a prospective study for AYAs with ALL using the more successful approach of the CCG has been initiated.
Change in plasma tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 levels in the first week after myeloablative allogeneic transplantation correlates with severity and incidence of GVHD and survival
Authors: Choi Sung W. , Kitko Carrie L. , Braun Thomas , Paczesny Sophie , Yanik Gregory , Mineishi Shin , Krijanovski Oleg , Jones Dawn , Whitfield Joel , Cooke Kenneth , Hutchinson Raymond J. , Ferrara James L. M. , Levine John E.
Published: May 2008

Acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a significant cause of mortality after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Tumor necrosis factor–alpha (TNF-α) mediates GVHD by amplifying donor immune responses to host tissues and by direct toxicity to target organs. We measured TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) as a surrogate marker for TNF-α in 438 recipients of myeloablative HCT before transplantation and at day 7 after transplantation. Increases in TNFR1 levels more than or equal to 2.5 baseline correlated with eventual development of GVHD grade 2 to 4 (58% vs 32%, P < .001) and with treatment-related mortality (39% vs 17%, P < .001). In a multivariate analysis including age, degree of HLA match, donor type, recipient and donor sex, disease, and status at HCT, the increase in TNFR1 level at day 7 remained a significant predictor for outcome. Measurement of TNFR1 levels early after transplantation provides independent information in advance of important clinical outcomes, such as GVHD and death.
The relationship between type of drug therapy and blood glucose self-monitoring test strips claimed by beneficiaries of the Seniors' Pharmacare Program in Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: Sanyal Chiranjeev , Graham Stephen D , Cooke Charmaine , Sketris Ingrid , Frail Dawn M , Flowerdew Gordon
Published: May 2008

Background

The healthcare expenditure on self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) test strips under the Nova Scotia Seniors' Pharmacare Program (NSSPP) has increased significantly in recent years. The objective of this study was to identify the frequency and cost of claims for blood glucose monitoring test strips by NSSPP beneficiaries in the fiscal year 2005/06 and to explore the variation in the use of test strips by type of treatment, age and sex.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was conducted using pharmacy administrative claims data for NSSPP beneficiaries. Study subjects were aged ≥ 65 years on October 1, 2004, received SMBG test strips in the 110 days prior to April 1, 2005, and were alive throughout the twelve month study period. Subjects were categorized into four groups: insulin only, oral antihyperglycemic agents (OAA) only, both OAA and insulin; and no reimbursed diabetes medications. Statistical analysis was performed to identify differences in expenditure by medication group and in frequency of SMBG test strips claimed by medication group, age, and sex.

Results

Of 13,564 included beneficiaries, 13.2% were categorized as insulin only, 53.5% OAA only, 7.2% both OAA and insulin, and 26.0% no reimbursed diabetes medications. Over half (58.7%) were femle. The insulin only category had the highest mean (± SD) number of SMBG test strips claimed per day (2.0 ± 1.5) with a mean annual total cost of $615 ± $441/beneficiary. Beneficiaries aged 80 years and above claimed fewer test strips than beneficiaries below 80 years.

Conclusion

This population based study shows that in Nova Scotia the SMBG test strips claimed by the majority of seniors were within Canadian guidelines. However, a small proportion of beneficiaries claimed for SMBG test strips infrequently or too frequently, which suggests areas for improvement. The provincial drug plan covers the majority of the costs of test strip utilization, suggesting that the majority of test strips claimed did not exceed the maximum allowable cost (MAC) established in the program's MAC policy. Drug insurance programs need to work with healthcare providers to determine if patients are using test strips optimally; and to determine their impact on patient outcomes. In addition, they need to determine the cost-effectiveness of their SMBG test strip reimbursement policies.
Association analysis of monoamine oxidase A gene and bipolar affective disorder in Han Chinese
Authors: Lin Yi-Mei J , Davamani Fabian , Yang Wei-Chih , Lai Te-Jen , Sun H Sunny
Published: May 2008

Background

Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) is a mitochondrial enzyme involved in degrading several different biological amines, including serotonin. Although several pieces of evidence suggested that MAOA is important in the etiology of bipolar affective disorder (BPD), associations for markers of the MAOA gene with BPD were not conclusive and the association has not been investigated in Taiwanese population. This study was designed to illustrate the role of MAOA in the etiology of BPD in Han Chinese.

Methods

Two markers, a dinucleotide polymorphism in exon 2 and a functional uVNTR on the promoter of the MAOA gene, were used to study the genetic association in 108 unrelated patients with BPD and 103 healthy controls. Allelic distributions of two polymorphisms were analyzed and, caused the MAOA located at X chromosome, haplotype association was performed using haplotype unambiguously assigned in male participants.

Results

While no difference in allelic distributions of two MAOA polymorphisms was found, the risk haplotype 114S was associated with BPD in male patients (P = 0.03). The significance, however, was not found in female patients with 114S haplotype.

Conclusion

Results from this study suggest that MAOA may have a gender-specific and small effect on the etiology of BPD in Taiwan. Due to the limited sample size, results from this study need to be confirmed in replicates.
Sequence-based prediction of protein-protein interactions by means of codon usage
Authors: Najafabadi Hamed Shateri , Salavati Reza
Published: May 2008

We introduce a novel approach to predict interaction of two proteins solely by analyzing their coding sequences. We found that similarity in codon usage is a strong predictor of protein-protein interactions and, for high specificity values, is as sensitive as the most powerful current prediction methods. Furthermore, combining codon usage with other predictors results in a 75% increase in sensitivity at a precision of 50%, compared to prediction without considering codon usage.
Global Takeoff of New Products: Culture, Wealth, or Vanishing Differences?
Authors: Chandrasekaran Deepa , Tellis Gerard J.
Published: May 2008

The authors study the takeoff of 16 new products across 31 countries (430 categories) to analyze how and why takeoff varies across products and countries. They test the effect of 12 hypothesized drivers of takeoff using a parametric hazard model. The authors find that the average time to takeoff varies substantially between developed and developing countries, between work and fun products, across cultural clusters, and over calendar time. Products take off fastest in Japan and Norway, followed by other Nordic countries, the United States, and some countries of Midwestern Europe. Takeoff is driven by culture and wealth plus product class, product vintage, and prior takeoff. Most importantly, time to takeoff is shortening over time and takeoff is converging across countries. The authors discuss the implications of these findings.