bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Awareness of and compliance with recommended dietary supplement among age‐related macular degeneration patients
Authors: Ng Weng T , Goggin Michael
Published: February 2006

Abstract

Background:  The age‐related eye disease study suggested that taking zinc and anti‐oxidants supplements could reduce the progression of age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). In Australia, the available supplement is Macu‐Vision. The study aimed to assess the awareness of and compliance with taking this supplement and the public health implication.

Methods:  The fundus photograph database of patients aged 55 years and older at the ophthalmology department of a public teaching hospital in Adelaide, Australia was reviewed. In total, 125 patients with category 3 and 4 AMD were identified. A total of 100 patients participated in this cross‐sectional study.

Results:  In total, 53% of participants were aware of the availability of the formulae available in Australia, 38% were taking the supplement and only 1% were taking the correct dose. Of those taking the supplement 95% (36/38) were taking half the recommended dosage. Among those who were aware of the supplement but not taking it, cost was the most common reason (31%). Another 31% were not taking it because of actual side‐effects experienced, fear of potential side‐effect and/or fear of interaction with other medications. There was no predictive factor for failing to take the formulae available in Australia among age, sex, smoking status, living arrangement and category of AMD.

Conclusions:  Clinicians need to emphasize that the recommended dosage is twice that on the supplement label. If the trend demonstrated here of underutilizing the formulae available in Australia among public hospital patients continues, it is unlikely to have any major public health impact in similar settings in Australia.
Ocular coherence tomography findings with retained submacular perfluoron
Authors: Joondeph Brian C , Nguyen Hoang
Published: February 2006

Abstract

Herein a case of retained perfluorocarbon liquid beneath the macula, following surgical repair of a complicated retinal detachment, is reported. The ocular coherence tomography findings were helpful in distinguishing retained perfluorocarbon liquid from residual subretinal fluid, macular cyst or cystoid macular oedema.
The serum levels of proinsulin and their relationship with IGFBP‐1 in obese children
Authors: Kamoda T. , Saitoh H. , Inudoh M. , Miyazaki K. , Matsui A.
Published: February 2006

Aim:  Serum proinsulin (PI) levels were investigated in obese children to determine whether PI is a sensitive indicator of insulin resistance, as previously shown in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), and to evaluate their relationship with insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1) known as a predictor of the development of cardiovascular disease in diabetic adults.

Subjects and methods:  Forty‐two obese children without DM (age, 12.1 ± 1.5 year) and 42 age‐matched control children were included in the study. The serum levels of PI, immunoreactive insulin (IRI), IGFBP‐1 and free insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) were measured in the fasting state.

Results:  The fasting levels of serum PI and IRI were significantly higher in obese children than in controls (PI, 10.5 ± 6.8 vs. 5.6 ± 2.0 pmol/l, p < 0.001; IRI, 72.0 ± 41.8 vs. 32.7 ± 19.5 pmol/l, p < 0.001). Serum IGFBP‐1 levels were significantly lower in obese children than in controls (37.7 ± 24.6 vs. 76.3 ± 26.5 µg/l, p < 0.001). The ratio of PI to IRI (calculated as molar ratios) did not differ significantly between obese and control subjects (0.16 ± 0.08 vs. 0.19 ± 0.11, p = 0.08). For the whole group, serum PI levels correlated positively with IRI and inversely with IGFBP‐1 (IRI, r = 0.67, p < 0.001; IGFBP‐1, r = −0.49, p < 0.001). Serum IGFBP‐1 levels correlated inversely with both BMI and IRI (BMI, r = −0.73, p < 0.001; IRI, r = −0.60, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the best predictive parameters for IGFBP‐1 were BMI and PI (R2 = 0.57, p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively).

Conclusion:  These findings suggest that fasting serum PI levels may be a better predictor than fasting insulin levels for the future development of type 2 DM and cardiovascular disease in obese children, and PI, in addition to insulin, contributes to the suppression of hepatic IGFBP‐1 production.
Does ethnic origin have an independent impact on hypertension and diabetic complications?
Authors: Baskar V. , Kamalakannan D. , Holland M. R. , Singh B. M.
Published: February 2006

Aim:  The morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular complications in diabetes reputedly differ with ethnicity. We have evaluated the prevalence of hypertension and vascular complications amongst Afro‐Caribbean (AC), Caucasian (C) and Indo‐Asian (IA) ethnic subgroups of a district's diabetes population to estimate the impact of ethnic origin as an independent risk variable.

Methods:  Of the 6485 registered adult individuals, 6047 had ethnic data available and belonged to one of the three ethnic groups described (AC 9%, C 70% and IA 21%). Statistical analyses were performed using spss version 11.5.

Results:  Results are presented as mean ± s.d. or percentage. IAs were younger (AC 63 ± 13, C 61 ± 15 and IA 57 ± 13 years), were less obese (body mass index 30 ± 8, 29 ± 9, 28 ± 6 kg/cm2) and had lower systolic blood pressure (155 ± 25, 149 ± 24, 147 ± 24 mmHg) and lower prevalence of hypertension (82%, 74% and 68%) compared with C, who had lower values than AC (all p < 0.01). Relative to C group, the AC group had higher prevalence of hypertension and microvascular complications but lower macrovascular disease burden, while the IA group had lower hypertension and macrovascular complications but with comparable microvascular disease burden [microvascular (51%, 44% and 46%; p < 0.01) and macrovascular (33%, 40% and 32%; p < 0.001)]. On logistic regression, this effect of ethnic origin on diabetic complications was found to be significant and independent of other risk variables.

Conclusion:  Hypertension and diabetic complication rates were different amongst ethnic subgroups. On logistic regression, it was found that the difference in distribution of age and diabetes duration largely accounted for this difference, although ethnic origin remained an independent risk factor.
Protein kinase B/Akt signalling is required for palmitate‐induced β‐cell lipotoxicity
Authors: Higa M. , Shimabukuro M. , Shimajiri Y. , Takasu N. , Shinjyo T. , Inaba T.
Published: February 2006

Aim:  This study was conducted to clarify cell death and survival signals in pancreatic β‐cell lipotoxicity.

Methods:  Rat insulinoma INS‐1 cells, with or without expression of dominant‐negative mutant of Akt (K179M), were cultured with palmitate (C16:0) or oleate (C18:1) and cell numbers were determined by 0.2% eosin dye exclusion assay. The Akt activity was determined by anti‐3′‐phospho‐inositide‐dependent protein kinase (Akt)/protein kinase B (PKB) or anti‐phospho‐Akt (Serine 473) immunoblotting, and nuclear protein nuclear factor‐kB (NF‐κB)‐binding activity was by supershift analysis.

Results:  Twenty‐four hours treatment with palmitate increased the INS‐1 cell number at 0.1–0.2 mm but decreased the cell number at 0.5–1 mm. Oleate did not affect cell number at 0.1–1.0 mm. Palmitate dose‐dependently increased phosphorylation of 473th serine in Akt/PKB. The K179M form of Akt/PKB abolished palmitate‐induced cell proliferation at the low dose and death at the high dose. Nuclear protein NF‐κB binding was enhanced at 0.2 and 0.5 mm of palmitate but decreased at 1.0 mm.

Conclusion:  Results suggest that Akt/PKB signalling is involved in palmitate‐induced cell death and survival of pancreatic β cell.
Addition of pioglitazone to stable insulin therapy in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes: results of a double‐blind, multicentre, randomized study
Authors: Davidson J. A. , Perez A. , Zhang J. ,   The Pioglitazone 343 Study Group
Published: February 2006

Aim:  To determine the effects of pioglitazone treatment combined with insulin on glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:  In a multicentre, double‐blind study, 690 patients [body mass index, 33.19 kg/m2 ± 5.47; haemoglobin A1c (A1C), 9.78 ± 1.51; mean duration, 12.9 years] with diabetes poorly controlled with a stable insulin dose (> 30 U/day for ≥30 days) were randomly allocated to pioglitazone 30 or 45 mg once daily for 24 weeks.

Results:  In the pioglitazone 30‐ and 45‐mg groups, respectively, 71 and 70% of patients completed the study. At 24 weeks, statistically significant, dose‐dependent mean decreases from baseline were seen in the pioglitazone 30‐ and 45‐mg groups for A1C (−1.17 and −1.46%, respectively) and fasting plasma glucose (−31.9 and −45.8 mg/dl, respectively). Insulin dosage also decreased significantly (−4.5 and −7.3 U, respectively; p ≤ 0.05) from baseline. Decreases in triglycerides [pioglitazone 45 mg: −5.9% (p ≤ 0.05)], very low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol [pioglitazone 45 mg: −6.2% (p ≤ 0.05)] and free fatty acids [−0.94 (p ≤ 0.05) and −2.13 (p < 0.0001) mg/dl, respectively] and increases in high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (9.7 and 13.0%, respectively; p < 0.0001) also were observed from baseline. Small but significant increases in total and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.01) from baseline were observed. Mean weight gain was 2.9 and 3.4 kg in the respective groups; lower limb oedema was reported in 13 and 12% of patients, respectively. The incidences of oedema, weight gain and heart failure were not higher than anticipated in this population. No evidence of hepatotoxicity or clinically significant elevations in liver function test parameters was seen.

Conclusions:  In patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, addition of pioglitazone to insulin significantly improved glycaemic control, had a positive effect on important components of the lipid profile in a dose‐dependent manner and was generally well tolerated.
Treatment effect of job‐training programmes on unemployment duration in Slovakia
Authors: van Dijk Bram
Published: February 2006

There is a large literature evaluating job‐training programmes. In this paper, we evaluate three such job‐training programmes that are used in Slovakia. Individuals participating in a job‐training programme during their unemployment spell are usually not a random subsample of the population. To determine the treatment effect of a job‐training programme on unemployment duration, one has to correct for this selection effect. Therefore, we use a multivariate mixed proportional hazard‐type model to describe the hazard of getting a job simultaneously with the hazard of entering a programme. We allow for a heterogeneous treatment effect and for the treatment effect to vary over time. Furthermore, we add the monthly unemployment rate as a time‐varying explanatory variable. The estimation results show that two of the three programmes shorten the unemployment duration quite substantially.
FINE STRUCTURE AND TAXONOMY OF MONOMORPHINA AENIGMATICA COMB. NOV. (EUGLENOPHYTA)1
Authors: Nudelman María A. , Leonardi Patricia I. , Conforti Visitación , Farmer Mark A. , Triemer Richard E.
Published: February 2006

The euglenoid genus Monomorphina was defined by Mereschowsky in 1877 to include rigid euglenoids that were pyriform in lateral view, had a hyaline spine at the posterior end, and one to few parietal chloroplasts typically without pyrenoids. The genus included taxa previously assigned to Phacus Dujardin or Euglena Ehrenberg. The general structure of Monomorphina aenigmatica comb. nov. is described on the basis of light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Cells were pear‐shaped in lateral view, rounded at the anterior end and narrowed posteriorly, tapering into a long twisted tail. The pellicle had helically arranged strips spiralled in a counter‐clockwise fashion. A distinctive feature of M. aenigmatica was the presence of a single chloroplast bearing a pyrenoid, capped with a paramylon plate. The large parietal chloroplast extended along most of the cell with three prominent cup‐shaped paramylon caps on the external face. In transverse section, the chloroplast appeared C‐shaped. Because of the ambiguity surrounding the original descriptions used to diagnose this taxon, we designated an epitype for Monomorphina aenigmatica. Morphological features of this species were compared to other members of the genus.
LOCAL ADAPTATION OF CERAMIUM TENUICORNE (CERAMIALES, RHODOPHYTA) WITHIN THE BALTIC SEA1
Authors: Bergström Lena , Kautsky Lena
Published: February 2006

Ceramium tenuicorne (Kützing) Wærn is a red alga that is widely distributed in the brackish Baltic Sea. We studied the growth response of Ceramium to low salinity and nutrient enrichment, using isolades from two regions of the Baltic Sea where the alga approaches its inner distribution limit. Ecotypic differentiation was observed in that differences in growth response among isolates corresponded to salinity conditions in their regions of origin. Isolates from the Gulf of Bothnia (4 psu) had inherently lower growth rates that were not increased when transferred to higher salinity, but were better adapted to very low salinity levels than isolates from the Baltic Proper (7 psu). Further, the results indicate that Ceramium from different regions of the Baltic Sea vary in their responses to nutrient enrichment. The observed differences may be best described as a quantitative difference in the proportion of isolates with hyposaline adaptation. The results indicate that the wide distribution of Ceramium in the Baltic Sea is better explained by the occurrence of locally adapted genotypes than by a generalist life strategy, and provide example of adaptive differentiation in a marine edge environment.
A Comparison of Eight Methods for the Dual‐Endpoint Evaluation of Efficacy in a Proof‐of‐Concept HIV Vaccine Trial
Authors: Mehrotra Devan V. , Li Xiaoming , Gilbert Peter B.
Published: February 2006

Summary To support the design of the world's first proof‐of‐concept (POC) efficacy trial of a cell‐mediated immunity‐based HIV vaccine, we evaluate eight methods for testing the composite null hypothesis of no‐vaccine effect on either the incidence of HIV infection or the viral load set point among those infected, relative to placebo. The first two methods use a single test applied to the actual values or ranks of a burden‐of‐illness (BOI) outcome that combines the infection and viral load endpoints. The other six methods combine separate tests for the two endpoints using unweighted or weighted versions of the two‐part z, Simes', and Fisher's methods. Based on extensive simulations that were used to design the landmark POC trial, the BOI methods are shown to have generally low power for rejecting the composite null hypothesis (and hence advancing the vaccine to a subsequent large‐scale efficacy trial). The unweighted Simes' and Fisher's combination methods perform best overall. Importantly, this conclusion holds even after the test for the viral load component is adjusted for bias that can be introduced by conditioning on a postrandomization event (HIV infection). The adjustment is derived using a selection bias model based on the principal stratification framework of causal inference.
Phase Transitions in Nanocrystalline Barium Titanate Ceramics Prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Deng Xiangyun , Wang Xiaohui , Wen Hai , Kang Aiguo , Gui Zhilun , Li Longtu
Published: February 2006

The bulk dense nanocrystalline BaTiO3 (BT) ceramics ranging from 20 to 100 nm have been successfully prepared by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method. Raman spectra and X‐ray diffraction were used in combination with electron microscopy to study the evolution of lattice structure and phase transformation behavior with grain growth from nanoscale to micrometer scale for BT ceramics. The results reveal that the SPS technique provides exceptional opportunity to compact ceramics to full density with nanograin size. It is also demonstrated that all structural modifications in nanocrystalline BT and low‐symmetry structures still exist in 20 nm nanograin BT ceramics. The ferroelectric properties of crystalline structures were investigated by scanning force microscopy in piezoresponse mode. Piezoelectric hysteresis loop was recorded, demonstrating that 20 nm BT ceramics has a remanent polarization and is switchable by an electric field. Thus, if a critical grain size exists for ferroelectricity, it is less than 20 nm for polycrystalline BT ceramics.
Effect of Steam Velocity on the Hydrothermal Oxidation/Volatilization of Silicon Nitride
Authors: Sudhir B. , Raj Rishi
Published: February 2006

The hydrothermal oxidation behavior of silicon nitride was studied as a function of vapor velocity in the range of 1–35 cm/s, at atmospheric pressure and ∼100% H2O, using a custom‐designed hydrothermal apparatus. At lower velocities, silicon nitride showed a marginal weight gain during early exposure times followed by a linear weight loss at longer exposure times. At higher velocities only linear weight loss was seen. The linear weight loss rates were determined from the weight change studies and they showed a square root dependence on velocity at higher flow rates. At the low flow rates a threshold velocity of ∼1 cm/s was observed for volatilization to initiate. The weight loss rates obtained in the apparatus at the higher steam velocities were comparable to those obtained in high pressure burner rigs, proving its viability as a good laboratory scale screening method for potential gas turbine materials.
Demand for cigarettes revisited: an application of the threshold regression model
Authors: Huang Bwo‐Nung , Yang Chin‐Wei
Published: February 2006

Recent estimates of the income elasticity of cigarette demand have pointed to a disturbing result: a nearly zero or sometimes negative income elasticity. In order to explore the nonlinearity embedded in the cigarette demand structure, we employ a four‐regime panel model (dynamic fixed effect) to estimate the cigarette demand function in the United States. The results indicate that income elasticity is (i) positively significant for the income level less than 8,568 US$, (ii) positive but statistically insignificant for the income greater than 18,196 US$, and (iii) negatively significant for the income range between 8,568 and 18,196 US$. In addition, we find that the price elasticity assumes the greatest absolute value for the income level in excess of 18,196 US$, but becomes most inelastic for the income level between 11,129 and 18,196 US$.
Increased Interleukin‐6 Messenger RNA Expression in Macrophage‐Cocultured Endometrial Stromal Cells in Adenomyosis
Authors: Yang Jehn‐Hsiahn , Wu Ming‐Yih , Chang Daw‐Yuan , Chang Chien‐Huei , Yang Yu‐Shih , Ho Hong‐Nerng
Published: February 2006

Problem

To determine the effects of macrophage on endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) in women with adenomyosis.

Method of study

Eutopic endometrium was obtained and separated into single ESC in 10 women with adenomyosis (study group) and 11 without adenomyosis (control group). ESCs were then cultured alone or with macrophage for 24 hr.

Results

Immunohistochemistry identified the presence of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IL‐8, and IL‐10 in ESCs. Real‐time quantitative PCR revealed that the IL‐6 mRNA was significantly expressed in macrophage‐cocultured ESCs in adenomyosis than that in the controls, but was not different in ESCs cultured alone between the two groups. The levels of IL‐8 and IL‐10 mRNA were similar in ESCs either cultured alone or with macrophage between women with and without adenomyosis.

Conclusion

IL‐6 mRNA was significantly expressed in ESCs after in vitro coculture with macrophage in adenomyosis. This aberrant behavior of ESCs might play a role in the formation of ectopic endometrial implants in adenomyosis.
Getting Rich and Eating Out: Consumption of Food Away from Home in Urban China
Authors: Ma Hengyun , Huang Jikun , Fuller Frank , Rozelle Scott
Published: February 2006

The overall goal of this study is to better understand food‐away‐from‐home (FAFH) consumption in urban China. We use national statistical sources and our own data to examine the trends in FAFH during the late reform period and to analyze the determinants of FAFH demand, examining how different groups of consumers have participated in this new area of consumption. Besides the normal Tobit model for total food expenditure away from home, a system of multivariate Tobit equations was estimated simultaneously for three categories of foods consumed outside of the home. The results show that the rapid increase of FAFH demand, a rise that is fueled by higher incomes, is changing consumption patterns in China's post‐reform urban economy. We also use our findings to illustrate how omission of accounting for FAFH trends by China's official statisticians has affected the reported trends in national meat supply and demand statistics.

La présente étude visait à mieux comprendre le phénomène de la consommation de repas à l'extérieur en Chine urbaine. Nous avons utilisé des données de sources nationales et nos propres données pour étudier le phénomène au cours de la dernière réforme et pour analyser les déterminants de la demande de repas à l'extérieur en examinant la participation de divers groupes de consommateurs à ce nouveau créneau. Outre le modèle Tobit simple pour évaluer les dépenses totales de repas à l'extérieur, nous avons estimé simultanément un système d'équations Tobit à plusieurs variables pour trois catégories d'aliments consommés à l'extérieur du foyer. Les résultats ont montré que la croissance rapide de la demande de repas à l'extérieur, alimentée par une hausse des revenus, est en train de modifier les habitudes de consommation dans l'économie urbaine de la Chine post‐réformiste. Nous avons également utilisé nos résultats pour illustrer de quelle façon le fait que les statisticiens officiels de la Chine ne tiennent pas compte des tendances de consommation de repas à l'extérieur a une influence sur l'évaluation des tendances dans les données nationales de l'offre et de la demande de viande.
The Luxembourg Common Agricultural Policy Reform and the European Food Industries: What's at Stake?
Authors: Gohin Alexandre , Latruffe Laure
Published: February 2006

On June 26, 2003, the European Union (EU) adopted a new reform of its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Its boldest measure is the creation of a Single Farm Payment that will replace most of the present direct payments. We address quantitatively three issues raised by this new reform, using a computable general equilibrium model that allows us to measure the impacts on the food industries as well as their role in the transmission of impacts along the food chain. The first issue examined is whether this reform helps the EU15 to remove the controversial export subsidies. Our numerical results show that this reform effectively reduces the amount of export subsidies but without removing them. Our second concern lies with the production and trade distortion impacts of CAP direct payments. We investigate this issue in the case of full decoupling, as well as partial decoupling as chosen by EU15 Member States. We find that they have rather similar effects on production and trade. Finally, we explore the employment effects, and findings indicate that this reform leads to a significant decline of farm labor and, by contrast, to a very modest impact on the employment level by food processors. Generally, food industries are only marginally affected by this CAP reform.

L'Union européenne (UE) a adopté une nouvelle réforme de sa Politique agricole commune (PAC) en juin 2003. La mesure la plus audacieuse a été la création d'un paiement unique par exploitation pour remplacer la plupart des aides directes actuelles. Dans le présent article, nous avons examiné trois questions soulevées par cette réforme à l'aide d'un modèle d'équilibre général calculable qui nous a permis de mesurer les répercussions sur les industries alimentaires de même que le rôle de ces industries dans la transmission des répercussions dans la chaîne alimentaire. La première question visait à déterminer si cette réforme permettait à l'UE‐15 d'éliminer les subventions à l'exportation controversées. Nos résultats numériques ont montré que la réforme diminuait effectivement ces subventions sans toutefois les éliminer. La deuxième question portait sur les répercussions des paiements uniques de la PAC sur la production et la distorsion des échanges. Nous avons examiné cette question en utilisant le découplage total et le découplage partiel retenu par les États membres de l'UE. Nous avons trouvé que les effets sur la production et les échanges étaient plutôt similaires entre les deux options de découplage. Enfin, nous avons évalué les répercussions sur l'emploi et nos résultats ont indiqué que cette réforme entraînait une baisse significative de la main‐d'œuvre agricole contrairement à de très faibles répercussions pour les entreprises de transformation des aliments. En général, les industries agroalimentaires ne sont que légèrement touchées par cette réforme.
Characterization of a Glutathione Metabolic Mutant ofMycobacterium tuberculosisand Its Resistance to Glutathione and Nitrosoglutathione
Authors: Dayaram Yaswant K. , Talaue Meliza T. , Connell Nancy D. , Venketaraman Vishwanath
Published: February 2006

Glutathione is a tripeptide and antioxidant, synthesized at high levels by cells during the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen intermediates. Glutathione also serves as a carrier molecule for nitric oxide in the form ofS-nitrosoglutathione. Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that glutathione andS-nitrosoglutathione are directly toxic to mycobacteria. Glutathione is not transported into the cells as a tripeptide. Extracellular glutathione is converted to a dipeptide due to the action of transpeptidase, and the dipeptide is then transported into the bacterial cells. The processing of glutathione andS-nitrosoglutathione is brought about by the action of the enzyme γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. The function of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase is to cleave glutathione andS-nitrosoglutathione to the dipeptide (Cys-Gly), which is then transported into the bacterium by the multicomponent ABC transporter dipeptide permease. We have created a mutant strain ofMycobacterium tuberculosislacking this metabolic enzyme. We investigated the sensitivity of this strain to glutathione andS-nitrosoglutathione compared to that of the wild-type bacteria. In addition, we examined the role of glutathione and/orS-nitrosoglutathione in controlling the growth of intracellularM. tuberculosisinside mouse macrophages.
Active-Site Residues in the Type IV Prepilin Peptidase Homologue PibD from the Archaeon
Sulfolobus solfataricus
Authors: Szabó Zalán , Albers Sonja-Verena , Driessen Arnold J. M.
Published: February 2006

Archaeal preflagellin peptidases and bacterial type IV prepilin peptidases belong to a family of aspartic acid proteases that cleave the leader peptides of precursor proteins with type IV prepilin signal sequences. The substrate repertoire of PibD from the crenarchaeon
Sulfolobus solfataricus
is unusually diverse. In addition to flagellin, PibD cleaves three sugar-binding proteins unique to this species and a number of proteins with unknown function. Here we demonstrate that PibD contains two aspartic acid residues that are essential for cleavage activity. An additional pair of aspartic acids in a large cytoplasmic loop is also important for function and is possibly involved in leader peptide recognition. Combining the results of transmembrane segment predictions and cysteine-labeling experiments, we suggest a membrane topology model for PibD with the active-site aspartic acid residues exposed to the cytosol.
Frequent 7q gains in flow cytometric multiploid/hypertetraploid breast carcinomas: a study of chromosome imbalances by comparative genomic hybridisation
Authors: Pinto A E , Roque L , Rodrigues R , André S , Soares J
Published: February 2006

Objective:To investigate underlying genetic events associated with complex DNA ploidy breast carcinomas.

Methods:Screening for chromosome imbalances was carried out using comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) in 14 frozen samples of tumour from a series of 13 breast cancer patients with multiploid (n = 11) and hypertetraploid (n = 2) tumours. They had previously been analysed by DNA flow cytometry and also assessed immunohistochemically for p53 tissue expression. Ploidy status was determined on frozen samples using the Multicycle software program.

Results:The total number of copy gains (n = 242) was significantly greater than the number of copy losses (n = 51). The mean (SD) number of gains per sample was 17.3 (5.7), and of losses, 3.6 (4.2) (p = 0.0001). Gains of chromosomal regions at 1q (14/14; 100%), 7q (12/14; 85.7%), and 3q (11/14; 78.6%), as well as 1p, 2q, 5p, 8q, and 13q (10/14; 71.4%) were the most frequent aberrations in this series. Losses were most commonly found on 17p (5/14; 35.7%). Three patients dying of the disease had tumours with high level amplifications at 1q12-qter, 3q22–q25, and 8q22–q23 regions. Six cases had p53 overexpression, of whom four showed 12q gains and two showed 17p losses.

Conclusions:There is a very high incidence of genetic aberrations, mainly related to chromosomal gains, in this subgroup of aneuploid breast cancer patients, associated with a poor clinical outcome. The 7q locus, not previously reported as showing frequent changes in breast cancer, was found to be a potential site for some candidate oncogenes.
Pitfalls in immunohistochemical assessment of EGFR expression in soft tissue sarcomas
Authors: Kersting C , Packeisen J , Leidinger B , Brandt B , von Wasielewski R , Winkelmann W , van Diest P J , Gosheger G , Buerger H
Published: February 2006

Background:New targeted cancer treatments acting against growth factor receptors such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) necessitate selecting patients for treatment with these drugs. Besides carcinomas, soft tissue sarcomas (STS) express EGFR and might thereby be a promising target for this new therapeutic strategy.

Objective:To test and compare different EGFR antibodies to determine the frequency of EGFR expression in STS.

Methods:302 consecutive specimens of STS were examined using the tissue microarray technique. EGFR expression levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry using five different commercially available antibodies. Gene amplification status was measured by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). Immunoreactivity and amplification status were correlated with clinicopathological features and follow up data available in 163 cases.

Results:EGFR expression frequency ranged between 0.3% and 52.9%, depending on the antibody and scoring method used. In all, 3.5% of the tumours showedegfrgene amplification by FISH, which correlated with EGFR expression for three antibodies. Only one antibody had independent prognostic value in multivariate analysis and correlated with an unfavourable outcome;egfrgene amplification status showed no correlation with clinical features.

Conclusions:Frequency of EGFR immunopositivity in STS strongly depends on the antibody used, and only one of five antibodies tested predicted an unfavourable clinical outcome. This indicates that choice of primary antibody and scoring system have a substantial impact on the determination of EGFR immunoreactivity.
Renal medullary changes in renal allograft recipients with raised serum creatinine
Authors: Sis B , Sarioglu S , Celik A , Kasap B , Yildiz S , Kavukcu S , Gulay H , Camsari T
Published: February 2006

Objective:To test the hypothesis that the renal medulla may reflect rejection related changes and thus have a predictive value in the assessment of acute renal allograft rejection or chronic graft damage.

Methods:75 post-transplant biopsies from 57 patients were scored according to the Banff 1997 scheme. The biopsies with adequate cortical and medullary tissue (n = 23) were selected and medullary tissues were reviewed for rejection related lesions except intimal arteritis. Chronic damage was determined by image analysis depending on periodic acid-methenamine silver (PAMS)-Masson trichrome (MT) staining. Medullary and cortical changes were compared.

Results:Interstitial inflammation and tubulitis were more frequent and severe in the cortex (p<0.001). Medullary tubulitis was associated with intimal arteritis (p = 0.003,r = 0.598). Medullary interstitial inflammation (n = 8) and tubulitis (n = 4) were associated with cortical borderline changes (n = 5) or allograft rejection (n = 3). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of medullary inflammatory changes in predicting cortical allograft rejection were 43%, 69%, 37%, and 73%, respectively. A significant association was observed between medullary MT-SAP and cortical PAMS-SAP values (p = 0.02,R2 = 0.23).

Conclusions:Acute rejection related lesions are more common and severe in the cortex, and the renal medulla does not sufficiently reflect cortical rejection. The positive and negative predictive values of medullary changes for allograft rejection are low, and medullary inflammation is not a reliable indicator of allograft rejection. Increased medullary fibrosis is correlated with chronic cortical damage.
Enumeration and immunohistochemical characterisation of bone marrow basophils in myeloproliferative disorders using the basophil specific monoclonal antibody 2D7
Authors: Agis H , Krauth M-T , Mosberger I , Müllauer L , Simonitsch-Klupp I , Schwartz L B , Printz D , Böhm A , Fritsch G , Horny H-P , Valent P
Published: February 2006

Background:Basophils are highly specialised granulocytes that express a unique profile of antigens and increase in myeloproliferative disorders (MPD). In chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), basophilia is a diagnostic and prognostic determinant. So far, however, no reliable approach for routine detection and enumeration of bone marrow basophils has become available.

Objective:To detect and enumerate basophils in bone marrow sections in patients with CML and other MPD

Methods:The anti-basophil antibody 2D7 was applied to paraffin embedded bone marrow sections from normal/reactive subjects (n = 31), patients with CML (chronic phase, n = 37; accelerated phase, n = 9), and other MPD (chronic idiopathic myelofibrosis (CIMF), n = 20; polycythaemia vera (PV), n = 20; essential thrombocythaemia (ET), n = 20; indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM), n = 7).

Results:As assessed by serial section staining, 2D7+cells were found to co-express myeloperoxidase, histidine decarboxylase, CD9, and CD43, but did not express B cell or T cell restricted antigens. 2D7+bone marrow cells were found to increase in CML compared with normal/reactive bone marrow and other MPD (median numbers of 2D7+cells/mm2: CML, 33; normal/reactive bone marrow, 6; CIMF, 10; PV, 6; ET, 5; ISM, 3; p<0.05). The highest basophil counts were recorded in accelerated phase CML (115/mm2).

Conclusions:A novel immunohistochemical procedure has been established for basophil detection in normal bone marrow and MPD. This approach should help in the quantification of bone marrow basophils at diagnosis and during anti-leukaemic treatment.
Prognostic significance of E-cadherin–catenin complex in epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Voutilainen K A , Anttila M A , Sillanpää S M , Ropponen K M , Saarikoski S V , Juhola M T , Kosma V-M
Published: February 2006

Objective:To clarify the prognostic role of E-cadherin and β- and γ-catenins, and their relation to CD44 in epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

Methods:The expression of E-cadherin and β- and γ-catenins was analysed immunohistochemically in 305 primary epithelial ovarian cancers and 44 metastases, and related to CD44 expression, clinicopathological factors, and the patients’ survival.

Results:Reduced cell surface expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and γ-catenin was particularly frequent in serous and endometrioid histological types. Reduced cell surface expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin was also associated with poor differentiation. Nuclear positivity of β-catenin was associated with high CD44 expression, endometrioid histology, and local stage of the tumour, whereas nuclear γ-catenin expression was associated with serous histology and poor differentiation. In the univariate analysis, preserved cell surface β-catenin expression in the whole study material and nuclear expression of β- and γ-catenins in the subgroup of endometrioid ovarian cancers were predictors of better 10 year disease related survival. Preserved cell surface expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin predicted favourable recurrence-free survival. These statistical significances were not retained in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions:The correlation between nuclear β-catenin and CD44 indicates that β-catenin may regulate the transcription of CD44 in epithelial ovarian cancer. E-cadherin–catenin complex members are associated with the prognosis of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, but these univariate associations were not strong enough to compete for significance with the traditional clinicopathological factors.
Computerised pathology test order entry reduces laboratory turnaround times and influences tests ordered by hospital clinicians: a controlled before and after study
Authors: Westbrook J I , Georgiou A , Dimos A , Germanos T
Published: February 2006

Objective:To assess the impact of a computerised pathology order entry system on laboratory turnaround times and test ordering within a teaching hospital.

Methods:A controlled before and after study compared test assays ordered from 11 wards two months before (n = 97 851) and after (n = 113 762) the implementation of a computerised pathology order entry system (Cerner Millennium Powerchart). Comparisons were made of laboratory turnaround times, frequency of tests ordered and specimens taken, proportions of patients having tests, average number per patient, and percentage of gentamicin and vancomycin specimens labelled as random.

Results:Intervention wards experienced an average decrease in turnaround of 15.5 minutes/test assay (range 73.8 to 58.3 minutes; p<0.001). Reductions were significant for prioritised and non-prioritised tests, and for those done within and outside business hours. There was no significant change in the average number of tests (p = 0.228), or specimens per patient (p = 0.324), and no change in turnaround time for the control ward (p = 0.218). Use of structured order screens enhanced data provided to laboratories. Removing three test assays from the liver function order set resulted in significantly fewer of these tests being done.

Conclusions:Computerised order entry systems are an important element in achieving faster test results. These systems can influence test ordering patterns through structured order screens, manipulation of order sets, and analysis of real time data to assess the impact of such changes, not possible with paper based systems. The extent to which improvements translate into improved patient outcomes remains to be determined. A potentially limiting factor is clinicians’ capacity to respond to, and make use of, faster test results.
Phosphohistone H3 labelling for histoprognostic grading of breast adenocarcinomas and computer-assisted determination of mitotic index
Authors: Bossard C , Jarry A , Colombeix C , Bach-Ngohou K , Moreau A , Loussouarn D , Mosnier J-F , Laboisse C L
Published: February 2006

Background:Microscopic evaluation of mitotic figures is a routine procedure in the assessment of the histoprognostic grade of tumours. Nevertheless, their count may be fraught with difficulties. As histone H3 phosphorylation at serine 10 is closely linked to chromosomal condensation, a new monoclonal antibody directed to phosphorylated histone H3 (PPH3) was recently proposed to detect mitotic cells.

Aim:To test the reliability of this antibody in detecting and counting mitotic figures in sections of breast adenocarcinomas, because of the importance of mitotic count in histoprognostic grading.

Methods:The pattern of PPH3 staining in formalin-fixed paraffin wax-embedded tissues, including normal tissues and a series of 39 breast adenocarcinomas, was examined. A new computer-assisted method was also developed for determining the mitotic index.

Results and conclusions:In all tissues tested, PPH3-labelled mitotic figures were easily detected, allowing a rapid identification of the area of highest mitotic activity. In breast carcinomas, a strong correlation was observed between PPH3-stained and haematoxylin and eosin-stained mitotic counts (r = 0.86, p<0.0001). Counting of prophase nuclei that coexpress cyclin B1, a marker of the G2/M phase, was possible by PPH3 staining; its accuracy led us to reconsider the tumour grade in three cases. Finally, an automatic computer-assisted method was designed for assessing mitotic index with confocal microscopy and image-analysis software.
EXCESS LOW FREQUENCY NOISE IN SINGLE-WALL CARBON NANOTUBE
Authors: SOLIVERES S. , HOFFMANN A. , PASCAL F. , DELSENY C. , KABIR M. S. , NUR O. , SALESSE A. , WILLANDER M. , DEEN J.
Published: February 2006

Low frequency noise measurements have been performed on a single-wall carbon nanotube connected by Ti/Au electrodes. It has been found that the 1/f noise decreases when the measurements are undertaken under vacuum and when the nanotube is partially degassed, showing a correlation between the fluctuation inducing the 1/f noise and the presence of gases. We show that the 1/f noise sources are located at the metal/nanotube contacts. When the device is annealed under vacuum at 450K, some Lorentzian shapes are observable and can be related to nanotube defects or to strongly bound molecules.
CYTOKININS: Activity, Biosynthesis, and Translocation
Authors: Sakakibara Hitoshi
Published: February 2006

Cytokinins (CKs) play a crucial role in various phases of plant growth and development, but the basic molecular mechanisms of their biosynthesis and signal transduction only recently became clear. The progress was achieved by identifying a series of key genes encoding enzymes and proteins controlling critical steps in biosynthesis, translocation, and signaling. Basic schemes for CK homeostasis and root/shoot communication at the whole-plant level can now be devised. This review summarizes recent findings on the relationship between CK structural variation and activity, distinct features in CK biosynthesis between higher plants and Agrobacterium infected plants, CK translocation at whole-plant and cellular levels, and CKs as signaling molecules for nutrient status via root-shoot communication.
GLOBAL STUDIES OF CELL TYPE-SPECIFIC GENE EXPRESSION IN PLANTS
Authors: Galbraith David W. , Birnbaum Kenneth
Published: February 2006

Technological advances in expression profiling and in the ability to collect minute quantities of tissues have come together to allow a growing number of global transcriptional studies at the cell level in plants. Microarray technology, with a choice of cDNA or oligo-based slides, is now well established, with commercial full-genome platforms for rice and Arabidopsis and extensive expressed sequence tag (EST)-based designs for many other species. Microdissection and cell sorting are two established methodologies that have been used in conjunction with microarrays to provide an early glimpse of the transcriptional landscape at the level of individual cell types. The results indicate that much of the transcriptome is compartmentalized. A minor but consistent percentage of transcripts appear to be unique to specific cell types. Functional analyses of cell-specific patterns of gene expression are providing important clues to cell-specific functions. The spatial dissection of the transcriptome has also yielded insights into the localized mediators of hormone inputs and promises to provide detail on cell-specific effects of microRNAs.
Influence of sex and active muscle mass on renal vascular responses during static exercise
Authors: Momen Afsana , Handly Brian , Kunselman Allen , Leuenberger Urs A. , Sinoway Lawrence I.
Published: February 2006

During exercise, reflex renal vasoconstriction helps maintain blood pressure and redistributes blood flow to the contracting muscle. Sex and muscle mass have been shown to influence certain cardiovascular responses to exercise. Whether sex and/or muscle mass influence renal vasoconstrictor responses to exercise is unknown. We studied healthy men ( n = 10) and women ( n = 10) matched for age and body mass index during handgrip (HG, small muscle mass) and quadriceps contraction (QC, large muscle mass) as beat-to-beat changes in renal blood flow velocity (RBV; duplex ultrasound), mean arterial pressure (MAP; Finapres), and heart rate (ECG) were monitored. Renal vascular resistance (RVR) index was calculated as MAP ÷ RBV. Responses to HG vs. QC were compared in 13 subjects. We found that 1) RVR responses to short (15-s) bouts and fatiguing HG were similar in men and women (change in RVR during 15-s HG at 70% of maximum voluntary contraction = 23 ± 4 and 31 ± 4% in men and women, respectively, P = not significant); 2) post-HG circulatory responses were similar in men and women; and 3) HG and QC were similar during short (15-s) bouts (change in RVR during HG at 50% of maximum voluntary contraction = 19 ± 3 and 18 ± 5% for arm and leg, respectively, P = not significant). Our findings suggest that muscle reflex-mediated renal vasoconstriction is similar in men and women during static exercise. Moreover, muscle mass does not contribute to the magnitude of the reflex renal vasoconstrictor response seen with muscle contraction.
Evidence for absence of latch-bridge formation in muscular saphenous arteries
Authors: Han Shaojie , Speich John E. , Eddinger Thomas J. , Berg Krystina M. , Miner Amy S. , Call Chris , Ratz Paul H.
Published: February 2006

Large-diameter elastic arteries can produce strong contractions indefinitely at a high-energy economy by the formation of latch bridges. Whether downstream blood vessels also use latch bridges remains unknown. The zero-pressure medial thickness and lumen diameter of rabbit saphenous artery (SA), a muscular branch of the elastic femoral artery (FA), were, respectively, approximately twofold and half-fold that of the FA. In isolated FA and SA rings, KCl rapidly (<16 s) caused strong increases in isometric stress (1.2 × 105N/m2) and intracellular Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i; 250 nM). By 10 min, [Ca2+]ideclined to ∼175 nM in both tissues, but stress was sustained in FA (1.3 × 105N/m2) and reduced by 40% in SA (0.8 × 105N/m2). Reduced tonic stress correlated with reduced myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation in SA (28 vs. 42% in FA), and simulations with the use of the four-state kinetic latch-bridge model supported the hypothesis that latch-bridge formation in FA, but not SA, permitted maintenance of high stress values at steady state. SA expressed more MLC phosphatase than FA, and permeabilized SA relaxed more rapidly than FA, suggesting that MLC phosphatase activity was greater in SA than in FA. The ratio of fast-to-slow myosin isoforms was greater for SA than FA, and on quick release, SA redeveloped isometric force faster than FA. These data support the hypothesis that maintained isometric force was 40% less in SA than in FA because expressed motor proteins in SA do not support latch-bridge formation.