bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determining the Reactivity of a Fly Ash for Production of Geopolymer
Authors: Chen‐Tan Nigel W. , Van Riessen Arie , LY Chi V. , Southam Daniel C.
Published: March 2009

A Western Australian fly ash has been analyzed by various techniques in order to quantify the reactive component that can be utilized in geopolymerization. Once the reactive amorphous aluminosilicate material was determined an estimate was made on how much material was left to act as filler material. Two approaches were used, the first a combination of XRD and XRF and the second an alkaline dissolution of fly ash. XRD/XRF results show that approximately 52 wt% of the fly ash is amorphous aluminosilicate material while the dissolution experiment provided a lower value of 39 wt%. Quantitative evaluation of minerals by scanning electron microscopy results showed an increase of iron oxide concentration in the undissolved component with increase in dissolution time leading to the conclusion that the amorphous iron does not participate in the geopolymerization process.
Two‐Dimensional Mapping of Er3+ Photoluminescence in CaF2 Crystal Lines Patterned by Lasers in Oxyfluoride Glass
Authors: Kanno Masaki , Honma Tsuyoshi , Komatsu Takayuki
Published: March 2009

The laser‐induced crystallization method is applied to an oxyfluoride glass with the composition of 41.5SiO2–21.3Al2O3–4.8CaO–12.6NaF–16.4CaF2–2.9NiO–0.5ErF3 (mol%), and the lines consisting of CaF2 nanocrystals (diameter: ∼20 nm) are patterned on the glass surface. It is found from micro‐photoluminescence (PL) spectra of Er3+ ions that Er3+ ions are incorporated into CaF2 nanocrystals formed by laser (continuous‐wave Yb:YVO4 fiber laser with a wavelength of 1080 nm) irradiations. Two‐dimensional mappings of the PL intensity for the 4S3/2→4I15/2 transition of Er3+ ions are measured for the surface and cross section of the patterned lines. It is found that two phases giving different PL intensities are formed in the laser‐irradiated region, suggesting that the center part of the laser‐irradiated region consists of Er3+‐doped CaF2 nanocrystals and the surrounding of the center part gives the fluoride ion rich coordination state for Er3+ ions. The formation mechanism of Er3+‐doped CaF2 nanocrystals is related to the temperature distribution of the laser‐irradiated region.
Quality Indicators for Geriatric Emergency Care
Authors: Terrell Kevin M. , Hustey Fredric M. , Hwang Ula , Gerson Lowell W. , Wenger Neil S. , Miller Douglas K. ,   on behalf of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Geriatric Task Force
Published: March 2009

Objectives:  Emergency departments (EDs), similar to other health care environments, are concerned with improving the quality of patient care. Older patients comprise a large, growing, and particularly vulnerable subset of ED users. The project objective was to develop ED‐specific quality indicators for older patients to help practitioners identify quality gaps and focus quality improvement efforts.

Methods:  The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Geriatric Task Force, including members representing the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), selected three conditions where there are quality gaps in the care of older patients: cognitive assessment, pain management, and transitional care in both directions between nursing homes and EDs. For each condition, a content expert created potential quality indicators based on a systematic review of the literature, supplemented with expert opinion when necessary. The original candidate quality indicators were modified in response to evaluation by four groups: the Task Force, the SAEM Geriatric Interest Group, and audiences at the 2007 SAEM Annual Meeting and the 2008 American Geriatrics Society Annual Meeting.

Results:  The authors offer 6 quality indicators for cognitive assessment, 6 for pain management, and 11 for transitions between nursing homes and EDs.

Conclusions:  These quality indicators will help researchers and clinicians target quality improvement efforts. The next steps will be to test the feasibility of capturing the quality indicators in existing medical records and to measure the extent to which each quality indicator is successfully met in current emergency practice.
Three‐Dimensional Comparative Analysis of Bitemarks*
Authors: Lasser Allan J. , Warnick Allan J. , Berman Gary M.
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  Historically, the inability to accurately represent bitemarks and other wound patterns has limited their evidentiary value. The development of the ABFO #2 scale by Krauss and Hyzer enabled forensic odontologists to correct for most photographic plane distortions. The technique presented here uses the ABFO #2 scale in conjunction with the evolving technologies of laser scanners and comparative software commonly used by the automobile industry for three‐dimensional (3D) analysis. The 3D software comparison was performed in which measurements were analyzed of the normal distance for each point on the teeth relative to the bitemarks. It created a color‐mapped display of the bitemark model, with the color indicating the deviation at each point. There was a correlation between the bitemark and the original teeth.
A Fatal Shot with a Signal Flare—A Crime Reconstruction*
Authors: Brożek‐Mucha Zuzanna
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  A reconstruction of an incident of a fatal wounding of a football fan with a parachute flare was performed. Physical and chemical examinations of the victim’s trousers and parts of a flare removed from the wound in his leg were performed by means of an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope coupled with an energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometer. Signs of burning were seen on the front upper part of the trousers, including a 35–40 mm circular hole with melted and charred edges. Postblast residue present on the surface of the trousers contained strontium, magnesium, potassium, and chlorine. Also the case files—the medical reports and the witnesses’ testimonies—were thoroughly studied. It has been found that the evidence collected in the case supported the version of the victim being shot by another person from a distance.
Testing for Potential Contextual Bias Effects During the Verification Stage of the ACE‐V Methodology when Conducting Fingerprint Comparisons*
Authors: Langenburg Glenn , Champod Christophe , Wertheim Pat
Published: March 2009

Abstract: This study was conducted to assess if fingerprint specialists could be influenced by extraneous contextual information during a verification process. Participants were separated into three groups: a control group (no contextual information was given), a low bias group (minimal contextual information was given in the form of a report prompting conclusions), and a high bias group (an internationally recognized fingerprint expert provided conclusions and case information to deceive this group into believing that it was his case and conclusions). A similar experiment was later conducted with laypersons. The results showed that fingerprint experts were influenced by contextual information during fingerprint comparisons, but not towards making errors. Instead, fingerprint experts under the biasing conditions provided significantly fewer definitive and erroneous conclusions than the control group. In contrast, the novice participants were more influenced by the bias conditions and did tend to make incorrect judgments, especially when prompted towards an incorrect response by the bias prompt.
The Role of Forensic Anthropology in the Examination of the Daegu Subway Disaster (2003, Korea)*
Authors: Park Dae‐Kyoon , Park Kyung‐Ho , Ko Jeong‐Sik , Kim Yi‐Suk , Chung Nak‐Eun , Ahn Yong‐Woo , Han Seung‐Ho
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  Meticulous recovery of victims in the Daegu subway disaster was possible, because charred and fragmented victims were left in situ. Because bodies were piled one over another within the train, appropriate methodology during the recovery was critical to identifying the victims. The disaster area was thoroughly documented with notes, photographs, and schematic drawings of the various locations. The recovery team, comprising two medical examiners and one forensic anthropologist, decided when charred body parts and cremated bones were linked to the same individual based on the anatomy and forensic anthropological examination. Without these recovery procedures, it would not have been possible to efficiently harvest representative DNA sample from most of the victims’ body parts. After the entire process of identification, 136 victims were positively identified, and six victims remained unidentified. This study supports the crucial role of forensic anthropologists in the recovery of victims, especially in fire scenes.
Beta‐adrenoceptor blockade delays granulation tissue formation in polyurethane sponge implants
Authors: Romana‐Souza Bruna , Santos Jeanine S. , Desmoulière Alexis , Monte‐Alto‐Costa Andréa
Published: March 2009

Background:  The role of adrenoceptors in granulation tissue formation is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of alpha‐ and beta‐adrenoceptor blockade on granulation tissue development using polyurethane (PU) implants in the rat.

Methods:  Animals were treated orally with propranolol (beta1‐ and beta2‐antagonist), atenolol (beta1‐antagonist) or phentolamine (alpha1‐ and alpha2‐antagonist) until euthanasia. The control group received only water. All animals received subcutaneous implants of PU sponges. After 14 days, implants were collected, formalin‐fixed and paraffin‐embedded. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin and Sirius red and immunostained for CD68 and alpha‐smooth muscle actin.

Results:  The number of inflammatory cells and the volume density of myofibroblasts and blood vessels were lower in the control group than in the propranolol‐ and atenolol‐treated groups. The collagen fiber score was greater in the control group than in the propranolol‐ and atenolol‐treated groups. The inflammatory infiltrate, collagen fiber score, blood vessel density or myofibroblast differentiation was not affected by phentolamine. The percentage of fibrovascular invasion was greater in the antagonist‐treated groups than in the control group.

Conclusions:  Blockade of beta1‐ and beta2‐adrenoceptors, but not alpha‐adrenoceptors, impairs granulation tissue development in PU implants due to interference with the inflammatory response.
Simple non‐staining method to demonstrate urate crystals in formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded skin biopsies
Authors: Weaver Joshua , Somani Najwa , Bauer Thomas W. , Piliang Melissa
Published: March 2009

Background:  Gouty tophi classically occur as nodules over joints and the helix. The ideal fixative for preservation of gout crystals has traditionally been alcohol because the crystals are formalin and water soluble. However, most biopsies are submitted in formalin fixative, which results in dissolution of urate crystals leaving behind a non‐specific pale amorphous area. Although complex staining methods to show urate crystals in tissue have been described, the present study elucidates a simple non‐staining method utilizing a thick unstained coverslipped microscopy slide that allows detection and confirmation of birefringence of urate crystals in formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tissue.

Methods:  Twenty‐nine cases of cutaneous gouty tophi were evaluated using a hematoxylin‐eosin (H&E)‐stained section, a 10‐μm unstained coverslipped section and a 4‐μm unstained coverslipped section. In all cases, the specimen was received and submitted in formalin.

Results:  Polarizable crystals were not identified in any of the H&E sections. The use of the thicker unstained coverslipped section was more sensitive than the standard 4 μm section by recognizing the characteristic urate crystals in 48% and 38% of the cases, respectively.

Conclusions:  This inexpensive adjunctive tool can be used to document gout crystals in almost half of skin biopsies.
Healing process of incisor teeth of diabetic rats replanted after storage in milk
Authors: Ricieri Camila Benez , Sonoda Celso Koogi , Aranega Alessandra Marcondes , Panzarini Sônia Regina , Poi Wilson Roberto , Sundefeld Maria Lúcia Marçal Mazza , Okamoto Tetuo
Published: March 2009

Abstract –  Several local factors that influence the healing process of replanted teeth have been investigated. However, it remains unclear how systemic alterations, such as diabetes mellitus, affect the prognosis of these cases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the healing process of incisors of non‐controlled diabetic rats replanted after storage in bovine long shelf‐life (UHT) whole milk. Thirty‐two rats were randomly assigned to receive an endovenous injection of either citrate buffer solution (group I – control; n = 16) or streptozotocin dissolved in citrate buffer solution to induce diabetes (group II; n = 16). After confirmation of the diabetic status by analysis of the glycemic levels, the maxillary right incisor of each animal was extracted and immersed in milk for 60 min. The root canals of teeth were then instrumented, and were filled with a calcium hydroxide‐based dressing and replanted into their sockets. All animals received systemic antibiotic and were killed by anesthetic overdose 10 and 60 days after replantation. The specimens containing the replanted teeth were removed, fixed, decalcified, and embedded in paraffin. Semi‐serial 6‐μm‐thick sections were obtained and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histologic and histometric analyses. The results showed that the connective tissue adjacent to the root surface was less organized in the diabetic animals than in the control animals in both periods; the root dentin was less severely affected by root resorption in the diabetic rats; there were no significant differences between the control and diabetic groups regarding the occurrence of replacement resorption and inflammatory resorption.
Trends in Western Canada's Potato Industry
Authors: Hobbs Jill E. , Kerr William A.
Published: March 2009

The potato industry in Western Canada is expanding as it becomes part of the continental market which is developing in response to NAFTA initiatives. Two segments of the industry have been responsible for most of this growth – seed potatoes and frozen french fries. Climatic conditions and relative isolation combine to make Western Canadian seed potatoes competitive in the US market. Transnational potato processing firms, seeking to diversify their sources of supply, have been expanding or extending operations to Western Canada. The availability of additional irrigated land will be a crucial determinant of future expansion of the industry in Western Canada.

Le secteur de la production de la pomme de terre de l'Ouest du Canada prend de l'expansion grâce au marché continental qui se développe dans la foulée de l'ALÉNA. Deux segments du secteur sont à l'origine d'une bonne partie de cette croissance ‐ les pommesfrites surgelées et les pommes de terre de semence. Les conditions climatiques ainsi que l'isolement relatif contribuent à rendre les pommes de terre de semence de l'Ouest canadien concurrentielles sur le marché américain. Les entreprises transnational de transformation de la pomme de terre qui cherchent à diversifier leurs sources d'approvisionnement ont également pris racine dans l'Ouest canadien. L'expansion du secteur de production de la pomme de terre dans ce coin du pays dépendra dans une large mesure de la disponibilité d'une plus grande superficie de terres irriguées.
The Continuing Problem of Asthma in Very Young Children: A Community‐Based Participatory Research Project
Authors: Nelson Belinda Wilburn , Awad Daniel , Alexander Jeffrey , Clark Noreen
Published: March 2009

Background:  Asthma is a chronic health condition that has a disproportionate effect on low‐income minority children who reside in large urban areas. AfricanAmerican children report significantly higher rates than the general population of children and have more‐severe asthma and poorer outcomes. This article describes the prevalence of asthma in a particularly vulnerable group: children aged 2‐5 participating in Detroit Head Start programs.

Methods:  Health screens were distributed to caretakers of all children attending 6 Head Start agencies. Caretakers of children identified with active asthma symptoms were asked to complete an in‐depth phone interview regarding their child’s asthma.

Results:  Data collected from 3,254 children (78% African American) revealed that 27% met criteria for probable asthma. Of those with persistent symptoms, 26% were undiagnosed, and 21% were untreated. Baseline data (n = 675) showed that 95% had a regular doctor, but 36% had had no health care visit for asthma in the previous year. Of children with a history of asthma episodes, more than half reported 3 or more episodes in the preceding year. Forty‐three percent of caretakers had discussed their child’s asthma with Head Start, and 31% had an asthma action plan on file with Head Start.

Conclusions:  Asthma remains a significant problem in this population, especially for African Americans, as evidenced by high levels of undiagnosed children with persistent symptoms and questions regarding the care they receive. Head Start is a way to reach young children with asthma, but may need help to develop the capacity to assist families.
Adolescents’ Sleep Behaviors and Perceptions of Sleep
Authors: Noland Heather , Price James H. , Dake Joseph , Telljohann Susan K.
Published: March 2009

Background:  Sleep duration affects the health of children and adolescents. Shorter sleep durations have been associated with poorer academic performance, unintentional injuries, and obesity in adolescents. This study extends our understanding of how adolescents perceive and deal with their sleep issues.

Methods:  General education classes were randomly selected from a convenience sample of three high schools in the Midwest. Three hundred eighty‐four ninth‐ to twelfth‐grade students (57%) completed a self‐administered valid and reliable questionnaire on sleep behaviors and perceptions of sleep.

Results:  Most respondents (91.9%) obtained inadequate sleep (≤ 9 hours) on most school nights of the week, with 10% reporting less than 6 hours of sleep each week night. The majority indicated that not getting enough sleep had the following effects on them: being more tired during the day (93.7%), having difficulty paying attention (83.6%), lower grades (60.8%), increase in stress (59.0%), and having difficulty getting along with others (57.7%). Some students reported engaging in harmful behaviors to help them sleep: taking sleeping pills (6.0%), smoking a cigarette to relax (5.7%), and drinking alcohol in the evening (2.9%). Students who received fewer hours of sleep were significantly more likely to report being stressed (p = .02) and were more likely to be overweight (p = .04).

Conclusions:  Inadequate sleep time may be contributing to adolescent health problems such as increased stress and obesity. Findings indicate a need for sleep hygiene education for adolescents and their parents. A long‐term solution to chronic sleep deprivation among high school students could include delaying high school start times, such as was done successfully in the Minneapolis Public School District.
Microsatellite markers for Spergularia media (L.) C. Presl. (Caryophyllaceae) and their cross‐species transferability
Authors: PRINZ KATHLEEN , SCHIE STEPHAN , DEBENER THOMAS , HENSEN ISABELL , WEISING KURT
Published: March 2009

We developed 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers for Spergularia media (Caryophyllaceae), a perennial halophyte of coastal salt meadows and continental areas of western Eurasia. The number of alleles per locus observed in a single population of 20 individuals from the German North Sea coast ranged from 3 to 20. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.200 to 0.850 and from 0.278 to 0.936 respectively. Observed heterozygosities were lower than expected heterozygosities at all loci, presumably as a consequence of inbreeding. All markers cross‐amplified in the closely related S. salina. Of these, nine were polymorphic in the heterologous species. Only two primer pairs generated PCR products in S. diandra.
Ocular haemodynamic changes after single treatment with photodynamic therapy assessed with non‐invasive techniques
Authors: Maar Noemi , Pemp Berthold , Kircher Karl , Luksch Alexandra , Weigert Günther , Polska Elzbieta , Tittl Michael , Stur Michael , Schmetterer Leopold
Published: March 2009

Purpose:  To investigate in patients with neovascular age‐related macular degeneration (ARMD) the changes in ocular perfusion caused by single treatment with photodynamic therapy (PDT) by different non‐invasive methods; to evaluate correlations between relative changes of ocular haemodynamic parameters after PDT among each other and compared to morphological parameters; and to assess this in relation to early changes of visual acuity.

Methods:  Study population: 17 consecutive patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) caused by ARMD scheduled for PDT without previous PDT treatment (four patients with predominantly classic CNV and 13 patients with occult CNV). Observation procedures: best‐corrected visual acuity (before PDT, 6 and 8 weeks after PDT), fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, haemodynamic measurements with laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), laser interferometry and ocular blood flow (OBF) tonometry (baseline and 1, 2, 6 and 8 weeks after treatment). Main outcome measures: choroidal blood flow (CHBF), fundus pulsation amplitude (FPA), pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF), visual acuity. Changes smaller than 20% were considered clinically irrelevant.

Results:  Ocular haemodynamic parameters did not change significantly in the follow‐up period. Changes of haemodynamic parameters showed no correlation to treatment spot, morphological changes or visual acuity. Changes of visual acuity were comparable to results of earlier studies.

Conclusion:  Single treatment with PDT did not modify ocular blood flow parameters above 20% as assessed with different non‐invasive methods.
Immunohistochemical detection of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling, downstream effector molecules, and apoptosis‐related genes in an ossifying pilomatrixoma of cheek
Authors: Park Young Wook , Kim Ji Hyuck , Kim Soung Min , Park In Woo , Choi Hang Moon , Park Moon Soo , Kim Young Jun , Lee Young Joon , Lee Sang Shin , Lee Suk Keun
Published: March 2009

Pilomatrixoma is an uncommon benign calcifying epithelial neoplasm derived from hair matrix cells, manifested as a firm intracutaneous spheroid mass on the face, neck, and arms, but its pathogenesis is still not clearly understood. This case study aimed to elucidate the downstream effector molecules and apoptotic processes through the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling in an ossifying pilomatrixoma. The histological analysis of whole tissue in this case showed the mixture of shadow and basophilic epithelial cells, where the shadow epithelial cells were most abundant in the superficial layer and the transitional epithelial cells were diffusely distributed between the shadow cells and basophilic cells. The basophilic epithelial cells usually distributed around the basal layer were intensely stained for Bcl‐2 and HSP‐70 antisera. The BMP‐2 was strongly condensed in the shadow cell and the osteoid matrix nearby. The transitional epithelial cells also formed the aberrant hair follicle, where the β‐catenin, APC, and TGase C were strongly localized. Especially, the β‐catenin and APC were clearly localized at the nuclei of the transitional epithelial cells, while E‐cadherin and Wnt‐1 were mainly expressed in the mesenchymal cells of underlying connective tissue. On the other hand, the immunostains of PCNA, p21, p53, Bax, TGase E, TGase K, and TUNEL stain were almost negative in the tumor epithelium. These findings suggest that the tumor cells of the ossifying pilomatrixoma are abnormally regulated for their cytodifferentiation and cellular apoptosis, resulted in the accumulation of the shadow epithelial cells, which produce the downstream effector molecules of Wnt/β‐catenin pathway, that is the osteogenic molecules of BMP‐2 enable to induce the bony tissue directly in the vicinity of the epithelium.
Histological analysis of synovium by treatment of etanercept for rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: SUZUKI Yutaka , INOUE Kazuhiko , CHIBA Junji , INOUE Yasuo , KANBE Katsuaki
Published: March 2009

Aims:  In order to investigate the histological change in effect attenuation cases of etanercept compared with methotrexate (MTX), we performed immunohistochemical examination by seven different molecules.

Methods:  We histologically assessed synovial tissue from five MTX‐treated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients as control and six etanercept and MTX‐treated RA patients after synovectomy by arthroscopy. The synovium of both groups were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and we also analysed the expression of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), matrix metalloproteinase‐3 (MMP‐3), B‐cell precursors and mature B‐cell transmembrane protein, CD20, macrophage marker, CD68, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by immunohistochemistry.

Results:  HE staining showed vascular and cell proliferations of the synovium of the RA patients who received etanercept compared with the control MTX group. TNF‐α and IL‐6 were expressed in both groups.MMP‐3 and CD68 expressed less significantly in the etanercept group compared with the control (P < 0.05). CD20 strongly expressed in the etanercept group significantly (P < 0.05). BrdU expressed in the synovium in the etanercept group significantly (P < 0.05). VEGF was not found overall in both group.

Conclusion:  Based on the histological change of synovium, treatment by etanercept may be involved in vascular and cell proliferations with inhibition of the expression of CD68 and MMP‐3 in synovium of RA patients. These findings indicate immunohistochemical change of synovium with etanercept is one of the mechanism of efficacy of etanercept.
Three years experience with the prescription of anti‐TNF‐α inhibitors at Dr Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: ELEISHI Hatem Hamdi , TOMA Nader Farid , CHAKI Moustapha Cherif , NADA Hanan Rabee
Published: March 2009

Objective:  To document the difficulties that are associated with the prescription of anti‐TNF inhibitors due to their high cost for patients with various autoimmune rheumatic diseases in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods:  Patients who had been prescribed anti‐TNF inhibitors for the treatment of autoimmune rheumatic diseases at Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to July 2008 were retrospectively included in this study. Data collected included patients' demographics, funding methods, treatment doses and assessment results.

Results:  Thirty‐six patients were included in this study. Seventy percent of these were covered by various insurance packages while 30% were paying cash for their treatment. Of those 36 patients, seven dropped out within the first 2 months of treatment. Thereafter, a gradually increasing number of patients either discontinued treatment or were no longer compliant with their scheduled injection dates. There was a statistically highly significant correlation between financial difficulties and discontinuing treatment and/or spacing‐out the administration of anti‐TNF agents (P < 0.001). On the other hand, neither safety nor efficacy profiles were shown to significantly impact drug discontinuation. The impact of financial difficulties tended to be more prominent during the first 6 months of treatment.

Conclusion:  Financial issues appear to be the major factor that is interfering with the compliance with treatment with anti‐TNF agents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The anti‐TNF agents studied were generally well tolerated and were effective.
Osteitis condensans ilii: a significant association with sacroiliac joint tenderness in women
Authors: JENKS Katey , MEIKLE Grant , GRAY Andrew , STEBBINGS Simon
Published: March 2009

Aim:  To determine whether subjects with radiological evidence of osteitis condensans ilii exhibit symptoms and signs in common with sacroiliitis when compared with an age‐matched control group and to examine demographic features.

Methods:  The Dunedin Hospital radiology database was searched for all subjects with changes of osteitis condensans ilii over a 10‐year period. An age‐matched control group with plain X‐rays of the pelvis was recruited from the same database. All subjects were sent a questionnaire enquiring about back pain and details of previous pregnancies. Those who responded to the questionnaire were invited for clinical assessment.

Results:  Thirty‐five individuals with osteitis condensans ilii were identified over the 10‐year period. All were female and reported prior pregnancy supporting an association between osteitis condensans ilii and pregnancy. Stress testing of the sacroiliac joints was associated with greater tenderness in the osteitis condensans ilii group with a mean of 1.8 positive tests out of a possible 4, compared to 0.8 in the control group (Wilcoxon rank‐sum test P = 0.02). Comparison between the two groups showed no difference in number of pregnancies, newborn weight, presence of back pain, back pain assessed by the Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire or loss of function using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI).

Conclusion:  Osteitis condensans ilii is associated with tenderness during sacroiliac joint compression tests and should be considered in the differential diagnosis when sacroiliac joint tenderness is elicited.
Cutaneous vasculitis as a presenting manifestation of acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: JAYACHANDRAN Nambiar Veettil , THOMAS Joe , CHANDRASEKHARA Pradeep Kumar Shenoy , KANCHINADHAM Suresh , KADEL Jugal Kishore , NARSIMULU Gumdal
Published: March 2009

One of the rare causes of secondary vasculitides is malignancy. Hematological malignancies produce secondary vasculitis more frequently than solid malignancies. Here in we report a case of acute myeloid leukemia presenting with anti‐neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody‐positive vasculitis. This case highlights the importance of looking for underlying malignancies, especially leukemias in patients presenting with features of systemic vasculitides.
Visual Evidence of Horizontal Gene Transfer between Plants and Bacteria in the Phytosphere of Transplastomic Tobacco
Authors: Pontiroli Alessandra , Rizzi Aurora , Simonet Pascal , Daffonchio Daniele , Vogel Timothy M. , Monier Jean-Michel
Published: March 2009

Plant surfaces, colonized by numerous and diverse bacterial species, are often considered hot spots for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between plants and bacteria. Plant DNA released during the degradation of plant tissues can persist and remain biologically active for significant periods of time, suggesting that soil or plant-associated bacteria could be in direct contact with plant DNA. In addition, nutrients released during the decaying process may provide a copiotrophic environment conducive for opportunistic microbial growth. Using
Acinetobacter baylyi
strain BD413 and transplastomic tobacco plants harboring the
aadA
gene as models, the objective of this study was to determine whether specific niches could be shown to foster bacterial growth on intact or decaying plant tissues, to develop a competence state, and to possibly acquire exogenous plant DNA by natural transformation. Visualization of HGT in situ was performed using
A. baylyi
strain BD413(
rbcL
-ΔP
aadA
::
gfp
) carrying a promoterless
aadA
::
gfp
fusion. Both antibiotic resistance and green fluorescence phenotypes were restored in recombinant bacterial cells after homologous recombination with transgenic plant DNA. Opportunistic growth occurred on decaying plant tissues, and a significant proportion of the bacteria developed a competence state. Quantification of transformants clearly supported the idea that the phytosphere constitutes a hot spot for HGT between plants and bacteria. The nondisruptive approach used to visualize transformants in situ provides new insights into environmental factors influencing HGT for plant tissues.
A Role for Single-Stranded Exonucleases in the Use of DNA as a Nutrient
Authors: Palchevskiy Vyacheslav , Finkel Steven E.
Published: March 2009

Nutritional competence is the ability of bacterial cells to utilize exogenous double-stranded DNA molecules as a nutrient source. We previously identified several genes in
Escherichia coli
that are important for this process and proposed a model, based on models of natural competence and transformation in bacteria, where it is assumed that single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is degraded following entry into the cytoplasm. Since
E. coli
has several exonucleases, we determined whether they play a role in the long-term survival and the catabolism of DNA as a nutrient. We show here that mutants lacking either ExoI, ExoVII, ExoX, or RecJ are viable during all phases of the bacterial life cycle yet cannot compete with wild-type cells during long-term stationary-phase incubation. We also show that nuclease mutants, alone or in combination, are defective in DNA catabolism, with the exception of the ExoX
−
single mutant. The ExoX
−
mutant consumes double-stranded DNA better than wild-type cells, possibly implying the presence of two pathways in
E. coli
for the processing of ssDNA as it enters the cytoplasm.
Genomic Islands of Uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
Contribute to Virulence
Authors: Lloyd Amanda L. , Henderson Tiffany A. , Vigil Patrick D. , Mobley Harry L. T.
Published: March 2009

Uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(UPEC) strain CFT073 contains 13 large genomic islands ranging in size from 32 kb to 123 kb. Eleven of these genomic islands were individually deleted from the genome, and nine isogenic mutants were tested for their ability to colonize the CBA/J mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection. Three genomic island mutants (ΔPAI-
aspV
, ΔPAI-
metV
, and ΔPAI-
asnT
) were significantly outcompeted by wild-type CFT073 in the bladders and/or kidneys following transurethral cochallenge (
P
≤ 0.0139). The PAI-
metV
mutant also showed significant attenuation in the ability to independently colonize the kidneys (
P
= 0.0011). Specific genes within these islands contributed to the observed phenotype, including a previously uncharacterized iron acquisition cluster,
fbpABCD
(c0294 to c0297 [c0294-97]), autotransporter,
picU
(c0350), and RTX family exoprotein,
tosA
(c0363) in the PAI-
aspV
island. The double deletion mutant with deletions in both copies of the
fbp
iron acquisition operon (Δc0294-97 Δc2518-15) was significantly outcompeted by wild-type CFT073 in cochallenge. Strains with mutations in a type VI secretion system within the PAI-
metV
island did not show attenuation. The attenuation of the PAI-
metV
island was localized to genes c3405-10, encoding a putative phosphotransferase transport system, which is common to UPEC and avian pathogenic
E
.
coli
strains but absent from
E
.
coli
K-12. We have shown that, in addition to encoding virulence genes, genomic islands contribute to the overall fitness of UPEC strain CFT073 in vivo.
Is it ethical to deny genetic research participants individualised results?
Authors: Affleck P
Published: March 2009

This article examines a key ethical concern that has arisen in the work of the international research consortium GenoMEL (http://www.genomel.org) and that has relevance to all genetic research in humans. The question is whether it is ethical to deny research participants the opportunity to receive individualised genetic results obtained from the biological samples they provide. Where those results are of clinical importance, a “respect for persons” requirement would make the offering of those results imperative. However, where those results are of uncertain clinical value, the picture is less clear. This paper argues that researchers may not be ethically obliged to offer such results to their participants, because of competing ethical demands.
Just compassion: implications for the ethics of the scarcity paradigm in clinical healthcare provision
Authors: Maxwell B
Published: March 2009

Primary care givers commonly interpret shortages of time with patients as placing them between a rock and a hard place in respect of their professional obligations to fairly distribute available healthcare resources (justice) and to offer a quality of attentive care appropriate to patients’ states of personal vulnerability (compassion). The author argues that this a false and highly misleading conceptualisation of the basic structure of the ethical dilemma raised by the rationing of time in clinical settings. Drawing on an analysis of the Aristotelian virtue ofnemesis, or “the sense of justice”, it is argued that, far from being a moral orientation distinct from justice, compassion is a justice response insofar as it is conceptualised as a rational, appropriate response to others’ adversity. The author then proceeds to point out that the perspective on justice and compassion as attributes of healthcare professionalism suggests a novel critical viewpoint on the ethics of managed forms of clinical rationing and the “scarcity paradigm” they engender: clinical conditions where primary care givers’ time is intentionally rendered a commodity in chronically short supply run a deficit of justice, because they fail to make adequate accommodations for the provision of the quality of care human beings deserve in situations of illness and injury, and when they are dying.
Reporting of ethics-related methods in epidemiological research
Authors: Jacobsen K H
Published: March 2009

Objective:

This paper describes the variety of ways that information about ethics-related methods are included or not included in public health research articles.

Methods:

Information about the ethics-related content of all articles published in nine highly-respected public health journals in 2006 was extracted.

Results:

Of 989 primary analyses, 73% of the articles commented on ethics committee approval or exemption, 63% mentioned participant consent and 9% indicated whether or not inducement or compensation was given. 84% of articles mentioned a funding source, but fewer than 4% identified any potential conflict of interest. Reporting rates for committee review and consent were higher for experimental than for observational studies and were comparatively higher in studies conducted among potentially vulnerable populations like children and residents of low income countries.

Conclusions:

More complete reporting would facilitate the design, evaluation and comparison of future research studies.
FINDING NON-CODING RNAs THROUGH GENOME-SCALE CLUSTERING
Authors: TSENG HUEI-HUN , WEINBERG ZASHA , GORE JEREMY , BREAKER RONALD R. , RUZZO WALTER L.
Published: March 2009

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are transcripts that do not code for proteins. Recent findings have shown that RNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms influence a substantial portion of typical microbial genomes. We present an efficient method for finding potential ncRNAs in bacteria by clustering genomic sequences based on homology inferred from both primary sequence and secondary structure. We evaluate our approach using a set of predominantly Firmicutes sequences. Our results showed that, though primary sequence based–homology search was inaccurate for diverged ncRNA sequences, through our clustering method, we were able to infer motifs that recovered nearly all members of most known ncRNA families. Hence, our method shows promise for discovering new families of ncRNA.
The Past, Present, and Future of HIV Prevention: Integrating Behavioral, Biomedical, and Structural Intervention Strategies for the Next Generation of HIV Prevention
Authors: Rotheram-Borus Mary Jane , Swendeman Dallas , Chovnick Gary
Published: March 2009

In the past 25 years, the field of HIV prevention research has been transformed repeatedly. Today, effective HIV prevention requires a combination of behavioral, biomedical, and structural intervention strategies. Risk of transmitting or acquiring HIV is reduced by consistent male- and female-condom use, reductions in concurrent and/or sequential sexual and needle-sharing partners, male circumcision, and treatment with antiretroviral medications. At least 144 behavioral prevention programs have been found effective in reducing HIV transmission acts; however, scale up of these programs has not occurred outside of the United States. A series of recent failures of HIV-prevention efficacy trials for biomedical innovations such as HIV vaccines, treating herpes simplex 2 and other sexually transmitted infections, and diaphragm and microbicide barriers highlights the need for behavioral strategies to accompany biomedical strategies. This challenges prevention researchers to reconceptualize how cost-effective, useful, realistic, and sustainable prevention programs will be designed, delivered, tested, and diffused. The next generation of HIV prevention science must draw from the successes of existing evidence-based interventions and the expertise of the market sector to integrate preventive innovations and behaviors into everyday routines.
Methodological Issues in Molecular Genetic Studies of Mental Disorders
Authors: Bearden Carrie E. , Jasinska Anna J. , Freimer Nelson B.
Published: March 2009

The development of methodologies for assaying genetic variation at high resolution throughout the genome has revolutionized the search for susceptibility genes for common diseases. This search, however, has been less successful in psychiatry than in other areas of medicine. It is hypothesized that the imprecision and uncertain validity of psychiatric diagnoses are major factors in this disappointing progress. Here we discuss the methodologies employed for genetic investigation of mental disorders, including phenotyping strategies, approaches to genetic mapping, and use of animal models of psychopathology.
Dose-response relationship of autonomic nervous system responses to individualized training impulse in marathon runners
Authors: Manzi Vincenzo , Castagna Carlo , Padua Elvira , Lombardo Mauro , D'Ottavio Stefano , Massaro Michele , Volterrani Maurizio , Iellamo Ferdinando
Published: March 2009

In athletes, exercise training induces autonomic nervous system (ANS) adaptations that could be used to monitor training status. However, the relationship between training and ANS in athletes has been investigated without regard for individual training loads. We tested the hypothesis that in long-distance athletes, changes in ANS parameters are dose-response related to individual volume/intensity training load and could predict athletic performance. A spectral analysis of heart rate (HR), systolic arterial pressure variability, and baroreflex sensitivity by the sequences technique was investigated in eight recreational athletes during a 6-mo training period culminating with a marathon. Individualized training load responses were monitored by a modified training impulse (TRIMPi) method, which was determined in each athlete using the individual HR and lactate profiling determined during a treadmill test. Monthly TRIMPi steadily increased during the training period. All the ANS parameters were significantly and very highly correlated to the dose of exercise with a second-order regression model ( r2 ranged from 0.90 to 0.99; P < 0.001). Variance, high-frequency oscillations of HR variability (HRV), and baroreflex sensitivity resembled a bell-shaped curve with a minimum at the highest TRIMPi, whereas low-frequency oscillations of HR and systolic arterial pressure variability and the low frequency (LF)-to-high frequency ratio resembled an U-shaped curve with a maximum at the highest TRIMPi. The LF component of HRV assessed at the last recording session was significantly and inversely correlated to the time needed to complete the nearing marathon. These results suggest that in recreational athletes, ANS adaptations to exercise training are dose related on an individual basis, showing a progressive shift toward a sympathetic predominance, and that LF oscillations in HRV at peak training load could predict athletic achievement in this athlete population.
Impact of mitral regurgitation on left ventricular anatomic and molecular remodeling and systolic function: implication for outcome
Authors: Pu Min , Gao Zhaohui , Zhang Xueqian , Liao Duanping , Pu Daniel K. , Brennan Timothy , Davidson William R.
Published: March 2009

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of mitral regurgitation (MR) on left ventricular (LV) anatomic and molecular remodeling and function and to determine whether early LV remodeling and function predict long-term outcome in experimental organic MR. A new rodent model of chronic MR was created. Twenty-eight rats had surgically induced MR, twelve rats had a sham operation, and twelve rats had no operation. LV diameters, volume, and mass and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and LV fractional shortening (LVFS) were assessed using echocardiography in the early stage of MR (6 and 12 wk after induction of MR). LV hemodynamics was assessed invasively. Cardiac α- and β-myosin heavy chains and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase 2 (SERCA2) were measured to assess molecular remodeling and contractility. Cox's proportional hazard ratios (HR) were used to identify outcome predictors. Early LV dilation was demonstrated in rats with MR when LVEF and LVFS were still normal. LV remodeling was associated with an increase in LV end-diastolic pressure and decrease in maximal change in pressure over time. Shifting of α- to β-myosin and reduced SERCA2 were observed in rats with MR. Cox's proportional hazard analysis showed that LV end-diastolic diameters (HR, 1.2–2.4; P = 0.007) and LV end-diastolic volume (HR, 1.1–1.4; P = 0.005) at 6 wk and LV mass index (HR, 1.1–2.0; P = 0.004) at 12 wk after induction of MR were significantly associated with 1-yr mortality. However, LVEF (HR, 0.7–6.8 for the 6 wk, P > 0.05; and HR, 0.4–3.2 for the 12 wk, P > 0.05) and LVFS (HR, 0.4–1.4 for the 6 wk; and 0.4–3.1 for the 12 wk, P > 0.05) did not predict late death. Chronic MR leads to LV anatomic and cellular remodeling and impaired contractility. The time course of LV remodeling and function changes in the rat model of MR is similar to humans. Prediction of outcome may be achieved by assessments of early LV remodeling.
Patient-specific three-dimensional simulation of LDL accumulation in a human left coronary artery in its healthy and atherosclerotic states
Authors: Olgac Ufuk , Poulikakos Dimos , Saur Stefan C. , Alkadhi Hatem , Kurtcuoglu Vartan
Published: March 2009

We calculate low-density lipoprotein (LDL) transport from blood into arterial walls in a three-dimensional, patient-specific model of a human left coronary artery. The in vivo anatomy data are obtained from computed tomography images of a patient with coronary artery disease. Models of the artery anatomy in its healthy and diseased states are derived after segmentation of the vessel lumen, with and without the detected plaque, respectively. Spatial shear stress distribution at the endothelium is determined through the reconstruction of the arterial blood flow field using computational fluid dynamics. The arterial endothelium is represented by a shear stress-dependent, three-pore model, taking into account blood plasma and LDL passage through normal junctions, leaky junctions, and the vesicular pathway. Intraluminal pressures of 70 and 120 mmHg are employed as the normal and hypertensive operating pressures, respectively. By applying our model to both the healthy and diseased states, we show that the location of the plaque in the diseased state corresponds to one of the two sites with predicted high-LDL concentration in the healthy state. We further show that, in the diseased state, the site with high-LDL concentration has shifted distal to the plaque, which is in agreement with the clinical observation that plaques generally grow in the downstream direction. We also demonstrate that hypertension leads to increased number of regions with high-LDL concentration, elucidating one of the ways in which hypertension may promote atherosclerosis.