bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orofacial function and oral health in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Bakke Merete , Larsen Stine L. , Lautrup Caroline , Karlsborg Merete
Published: January 2011

Bakke M, Larsen SL, Lautrup C, Karlsborg M. Orofacial function and oral health in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Eur J Oral Sci 2011; 119: 27–32. © 2011 Eur J Oral Sci

No comprehensive study has previously been published on orofacial function in patients with well‐defined Parkinson’s disease (PD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform an overall assessment of orofacial function and oral health in patients, and to compare the findings with matched control subjects. Fifteen outpatients (nine women and six men, 61–82 yr of age; Hoehn & Yahr Stages 2–4; and with motor impairment ranging from 17 to 61 according to the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Objective Motor Part III) were examined in their ‘on’ state together with 15 age‐ and gender‐matched controls. Orofacial function and oral health were assessed using the Nordic Orofacial Test, masticatory ability, performance and efficiency, oral stereognosis, jaw opening, jaw muscle tenderness, the Oral Health Impact Profile‐49, number of natural teeth, and oral hygiene. Orofacial dysfunction was more prevalent, mastication and jaw opening poorer, and impact of oral health on daily life more negative, in patients with PD than in controls. The results indicate that mastication and orofacial function are impaired in moderate to advanced PD, and with progression of the disease both orofacial and dental problems become more marked. It is suggested that greater awareness of the special needs in PD patients and frequent dental visits are desirable to prevent dental diseases and decay and to support masticatory function.
The role of sugar, xylitol, toothbrushing frequency, and use of fluoride toothpaste in maintenance of adults’ dental health: findings from the Finnish National Health 2000 Survey
Authors: Tseveenjav Battsetseg , Suominen Anna L. , Hausen Hannu , Vehkalahti Miira M.
Published: January 2011

Tseveenjav B, Suominen AL, Hausen H, Vehkalahti MM. The role of sugar, xylitol, toothbrushing frequency, and use of fluoride toothpaste in maintenance of adults’ dental health: findings from the Finnish National Health 2000 Survey.
 
Eur J Oral Sci 2011; 119: 40–47. © 2011 Eur J Oral Sci

We assessed the effect of certain oral health‐related behaviours on adults’ dental health. As part of the Finnish nationwide Health 2000 Survey, dentate subjects, 30–64 yr of age, reported their frequency of consumption of eight sugar‐ and xylitol‐containing products, together with toothbrushing frequency and use of fluoride toothpaste, and underwent clinical oral examination (n = 4,361). The mean number of teeth present (NoT) was 24.2 and the mean numbers of sound teeth (ST), filled teeth (FT), and decayed teeth (DT) were 10.8, 12.1, and 1.1 for men and 9.6, 13.8, and 0.5 for women, respectively. Consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages was more frequent than that of other sugar‐containing products, and greater in men than in women. Daily use of xylitol chewing gum was reported by 13% of the men and by 22% of the women. Toothbrushing at least twice daily was reported by 47% of the men and by 79% of the women; 86% and 96%, respectively, reported daily use of fluoride toothpaste. The frequency of consumption of sugar‐ and xylitol‐containing products and of toothbrushing, as well as use of fluoride toothpaste, play a role in the dental health of dentate adults, with the impact being weak on NoT, ST, and FT, but stronger on DT, especially concerning toothbrushing frequency (relative risk = 1.5) and use of fluoride toothpaste (relative risk = 1.8). Understanding the impact of certain oral health‐related behaviours on dental health in adults would facilitate better targeting of oral self‐care messages.
Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in prepubertal boys with Klinefelter syndrome
Authors: Bardsley Martha Z , Falkner Bonita , Kowal Karen , Ross Judith L
Published: January 2011

Aims:  To investigate risk factors for metabolic syndrome in prepubertal boys with Klinefelter syndrome.

Methods:  Eighty‐nine boys with Klinefelter syndrome, ages 4–12.9 years, and 34 age‐matched control boys had height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure measured and their parents completed a questionnaire about physical activity. The boys with Klinefelter syndrome also had measurement of lipids, fasting glucose and insulin. Insulin‐glucose homeostasis model assessment was calculated, and the boys were evaluated for childhood metabolic syndrome.

Results:  The Klinefelter syndrome and control groups were similar ages (7.5 ± 2.4 vs. 8.1 ± 2.3 years). Body mass index measurements were similar, but waist circumference was >90 percentile in 30% of boys with Klinefelter syndrome versus 21% of controls. The mean daily time spent running was 42 min less in the Klinefelter syndrome versus control groups (p < 0.01). About 37% of the boys with Klinefelter syndrome had elevated LDL cholesterol, 24% had insulin resistance, and 7% met the three criteria for diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.

Conclusions:  Truncal obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are present in boys as young as 4–12 years with Klinefelter syndrome, and these occur in association with reduced running‐type activity.
QUALIFYING MY FAITH IN THE COMMON SCHOOL IDEAL: A NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR DEMOCRATIC JUSTICE
Authors: Abowitz Kathleen Knight
Published: January 2011

In this essay, Kathleen Knight Abowitz makes the case that charter schooling can enable multiple publics to develop and create educational visions. Charter schooling policies can enable these publics to pursue these visions and agendas on behalf of both public and common educational goals as well as goals associated with particular identities and interests. This vision of a plural public sphere, with its movement away from purely state‐run traditional public schools, challenges the common school ideal that has been part of the Western nation‐state narrative for several centuries. Yet the common school ideal need not focus on one particular kind of school structure; rather, the ideal represents a moral claim: that schools receiving public funds should provide participatory parity to all students, achieved through educational structures and curriculum shaped by principles of democratic justice. Participatory parity and its guiding normative principles, Knight Abowitz concludes, help to qualify and clarify our faith in the common school ideal shaped for a new era.
PARENTING AND CRIME: AN EVIDENCE‐BASED REVIEW WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NEW ZEALAND FAMILY AND YOUTH COURT
Authors: Boshier Hon. Peter
Published: January 2011

This article explores the effect parenting can have on child development. It considers child attachment theory, various parenting styles, and specific child and family factors that contribute to a child's social and emotional development. The article concludes that good parenting and good outcomes for children do not happen by chance. The foundation must be planned and made secure.
PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN FAMILY COURTS: BALANCING AUTONOMY AND STATE INTERVENTION
Authors: Kierstead Shelley
Published: January 2011

This work considers how court‐connected parent education programs can assist parents to access dispute resolution processes that best suit their families’ needs, in a manner involving appropriately curtailed levels of state interference with parental autonomy. After reviewing traditionally accepted limits on state interference with family functioning, the increased concern for children's emotional well‐being, and data relating to one parent education program, the author concludes that providing mandatory “basic level” informational programs to all separating parents seeking access to the family law regime is a warranted level of state intervention. “Skills‐building” programs aimed at achieving demonstrably changed parental practices should be available on a voluntary attendance basis.
JURISDICTION FRICTION AND THE FRUSTRATION OF THE HAGUE CONVENTION: WHY INTERNATIONAL CHILD ABDUCTION CASES SHOULD BE HEARD EXCLUSIVELY BY FEDERAL COURTS
Authors: Lesh Eric
Published: January 2011

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction confronts the growing problem of international parental child abduction by providing for the prompt return of the child to their home country. However, the legislation that implements the Hague Convention in the United States confers concurrent state and federal court jurisdiction for cases brought under the Treaty. This vast jurisdictional grant has contributed to delay in case resolution, inconsistent interpretation, and unresolved cases and has frustrated the original intent of the Hague Convention which seeks to expedite the child's return. At their core, Hague Convention proceedings are choice of forum cases in an international context and the Convention depends on reciprocity and respect for the rule of law among Contracting States. Consolidating Hague Convention proceedings within the federal system would encourage uniform interpretation of Treaty provisions and allow expertise to develop among judges. This will promote the interests of parent and child victims by facilitating the prompt return and eventual resolution of the underlying custody controversy while strengthening the effectiveness of performance under the Hague Convention.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE BACTERIAL CAPTURE EFFICIENCY OF IMMUNO BEADS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN BEADS WITH DIFFERENT SIZE AND DENSITY1
Authors: TU S.‐I. , UKNALIS J. , GORE M. , IRWIN P. , FEDER I.
Published: January 2011

Abstract  Biotinylated anti E. coli O157 antibodies were linked to streptavidin coated magnetic and polystyrene beads of different sizes and densities. These beads were then used to capture cultured E. coli O157:H7. Complexes formed between fluorescein‐conjugated anti E. coli O157 antibodies and urease‐conjugated anti‐fluorescein antibodies further labeled bead‐captured bacteria. The extent of the bacterial capture was related to the signal intensity of a light addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS) that measured the pH changes associated with urease‐catalyzed hydrolysis of urea. Under the conditions of applying the same amounts of biotinylated anti E. coli O157 antibody to beads, analyses of the capture kinetics indicated that heavier beads exhibited a better efficiency in capturing the target bacteria than that associated with the lighter beads of the same size. Furthermore, with the same density, larger bead diameters were more effective in capturing the bacteria. Since sedimentation volumes for the heavier and larger beads are greater than those of the lighter and smaller beads, more interactions with the target by the heavier and larger beads are expected. Consequently, the observation is in agreement with a hydrodynamic kinetic model that predicts the bacterial capture is controlled by the sedimentation motion of the beads.
A TWO DIMENSIONAL GEL ELECTROPHORESIS TECHNIQUE COMBINING A MICRO‐ AND A MINI‐GEL SYSTEM FOR PROTEOMIC ANALYSIS OF FUNGAL HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS
Authors: XAVIER I.J. , KHACHATOURIANS G.G.
Published: January 2011

Abstract  A two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2‐DGE) technique is described here that combines isoelectric focusing (IEF) based separation of proteins using the PhastGel IEF in the first dimension and the Criterion precast mini‐gels in the second dimension. The technique is rapid (2.5 to 3 h including silver staining), convenient, sensitive with high resolution and enables simultaneous analysis of up to 24 samples. This technique also eliminates any inconsistencies arising from gel to gel variation, either from electrophoresis running conditions or differential staining times, especially as in the case of silver stains. The rapidity and efficacy of this technique is demonstrated by the proteome‐based analysis of the induction, enhancement and repression of proteins in heat shocked Beauveria bassiana, ah entomopathogenic fungus.
Inflammation and Depression: Why Poststroke Depression may be the Norm and Not the Exception
Authors: Pascoe Michaela C. , Crewther Sheila G. , Carey Leeanne M. , Crewther David P.
Published: January 2011

Ischaemic stroke often precedes the appearance of clinical depression. Poststroke depression in turn influences the prognostic outcome. In the interest of advancing our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the development of poststroke depression, this systematic review explores the immunological processes driving the development of inflammation-related cell death in mood-related brain regions. Particular attention has been paid to cytokine-driven intrinsic apoptosis factors, including intracellular calcium, glutamate excitotoxicity and free radicals that appear in the brain following ischaemic damage and whose presence significantly increases the likelihood of clinically defined depression.
Measurement of Time-Averaged Turbulent Free Convection in a Tall Enclosure Using Interferometry
Authors: Poulad M. E. , Naylor D. , Oosthuizen P. H.
Published: January 2011

Laser interferometry is combined with high-speed digital cinematography to measure time-averaged transient and turbulent convective heat transfer rates. The method is applied to study free convection in a tall vertical air-filled enclosure. Measurements are made at three wall spacings in the turbulent flow regime (5.2×104≤RaW≤2.8×105). An automated image processing algorithm is used to calculate the instantaneous local heat flux from a sequence of interferograms that is captured by a high-speed camera. The local Nusselt number distributions on the hot and cold walls are obtained by time-averaging the fluctuations in local heat flux. The effects of key experimental parameters, such as the camera frame rate and the total image capture time, are investigated. For the current problem, it is shown that a total capture interval of about 10 s is required to accurately measure the time-average local Nusselt number. Within the measurement uncertainty, the average Nusselt number results are in agreement with a widely used empirical correlation from the literature.
Extended Results for Fully Developed Laminar Forced Convection Heat Transfer in Trapezoidal Channels of Plate-Fin Exchangers
Authors: Huzayyin O. A. , Manglik R. M. , Jog M. A.
Published: January 2011

Fully developed laminar flow heat transfer in a plate-fin heat exchanger with interfin core channels of trapezoidal cross section and by extension, its limiting rectangular and triangular cross section geometries, is considered. With heating or cooling at the partition plates of the core given by the constant wall temperature, or T, and uniform heat flux, or H1, conditions, the fin effectiveness is modeled to be zero. This condition is representative of poor contact between the fin and partition plate, encountered in mass-produced compact cores and/or low conductivity fin materials. Computational solutions, obtained by second-order accurate control-volume schemes, highlight the effects of geometry and thermal condition on the Nusselt number (NuT and NuH1), and the results complement and extend the literature on compact-channel internal forced convection. Also, as a design and optimization tool for the practicing engineer, polynomial functions of the flow cross section aspect ratio are presented to predict both the friction factor and the Nusselt number for the different trapezoidal and triangular fin core geometries considered.
Electrical properties of InAlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor with Al2O3, ZrO2, and GdScO3 gate dielectrics
Authors: Čičo K. , Hušeková K. , Ťapajna M. , Gregušová D. , Stoklas R. , Kuzmík J. , Carlin J.-F. , Grandjean N. , Pogany D. , Fröhlich K.
Published: January 2011

The authors report on preparation and electrical characterization of InAlN/AlN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with Al2O3, ZrO2, and GdScO3 gate dielectrics. About 10 nm thick high-κ dielectrics were deposited by metal organic chemical vapor deposition after the Ohmic contact processing. Application of the gate dielectrics for 2 μm gate length MOS HEMTs leads to gate leakage current reduction from four to six orders of magnitude compared with Schottky barrier HEMTs. Among others, MOS HEMTs with an Al2O3 gate dielectric shows the highest transconductance (∼150 mS/mm) and maximum drain current (∼0.77 A/mm) and the lowest sheet resistance of ∼260 Ω/◻. MOS HEMTs with GdScO3 shows the highest breakdown electric field of about 7.0 MV/cm. A deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) based analysis revealed the maximum interface state density Dit up to 4×1012, 9×1012, and 3×1013 eV−1 cm−2 for Al2O3, ZrO2, and GdScO3/InAlN interface, respectively.
Hot-carrier degradation caused interface state profile—Simulation versus experiment
Authors: Starkov I. , Tyaginov S. , Enichlmair H. , Cervenka J. , Jungemann C. , Carniello S. , Park J. M. , Ceric H. , Grasser T.
Published: January 2011

Hot-carrier degradation is associated with the buildup of defects at or near the silicon/silicon dioxide interfaced of a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor. However, the exact location of the defects, as well as their temporal buildup during stress, is rarely studied. In this work we directly compare the experimental interface state density profiles generated during hot-carrier stress with simulation results obtained by a hot-carrier degradation model. The developed model tries to capture the physical picture behind hot-carrier degradation in as much detail as feasible. The simulation framework includes a transport module, a module describing the microscopic mechanisms of defect generation, and a module responsible for the simulation of degraded devices. Due to the model complexity it is very important to perform a thorough check of the output data of each module before it is used as the input for the next module. In this context a comparison of the experimental interface state concentration observed by the charge-pumping technique with the simulated one is of great importance. Obtained results not only show a good agreement between experiment and theory but also allow us to draw some important conclusions. First, we demonstrate that the multiple-particle mechanism of Si–H bond breakage plays a significant role even in the case of a high-voltage device. Second, the absence of the lateral shift of the charge-pumping signal means that no bulk oxide charge buildup occurs. Finally, the peak of interface state density corresponds to the peak of the carrier acceleration integral and is markedly shifted from typical markers such as the maximum of the electric field or the carrier temperature. This is because the degradation is controlled by the carrier distribution function and simplified schemes of hot-carrier treatment (based on the mentioned quantities) fail to describe the matter.
Unfortunate Outcomes of a “Funny” Physics Problem: Some Eye-Opening YouTube Comments
Authors: Slisko Josip , Dykstra Dewey
Published: January 2011

The impressions we make as instructors of physics can affect student learning and public perception of physics teachers, physics as an academic subject, and physics as a profession. There are many sources from which we can collect evidence of these impressions. Among these sources are online public forums such as those at the Internet site known as YouTube. Whether we are proud of these impressions we make or not, we should consider how constructive these impressions are for our students' physics learning and their impact on the public perception of physics and the community of physicists.
Siphons, Revisited
Authors: Richert Alex , Binder P. -M.
Published: January 2011

The siphon is a very useful example of early technology, the operation of which has long been well understood. A recent article1 makes the claim that established beliefs regarding this device are incorrect and proposes a “chain model” in which intermolecular forces within the fluid play a large role while atmospheric pressure does not. We have carefully tested, and disproved, this claim using four simple experiments employing inexpensive, easily available apparatus. We complement the experiments with a discussion of conceptual issues related to the device and by invoking earlier studies and observations.2–8 Our findings fully support an explanation based on Bernoulli's equation in which both gravity and pressure play important roles, but intermolecular forces do not.
The Internal Ballistics of an Air Gun
Authors: Denny Mark
Published: January 2011

The internal ballistics of a firearm or artillery piece considers the pellet, bullet, or shell motion while it is still inside the barrel. In general, deriving the muzzle speed of a gunpowder firearm from first principles is difficult because powder combustion is fast and it very rapidly raises the temperature of gas (generated by gunpowder deflagration, or burning), which greatly complicates the analysis. A simple case is provided by air guns, for which we can make reasonable approximations that permit a derivation of muzzle speed. It is perhaps surprising that muzzle speed depends upon barrel length (artillerymen debated this dependence for centuries, until it was established experimentally and, later, theoretically1). Here we see that a simple physical analysis, accessible to high school or freshmen undergraduate physics students, not only derives realistic muzzle speed but also shows how it depends upon barrel length.
Effective Torsion and Spring Constants in a Hybrid Translational-Rotational Oscillator
Authors: Nakhoda Zein , Taylor Ken
Published: January 2011

A torsion oscillator is a vibrating system that experiences a restoring torque given by τ = −κθ when it experiences a rotational displacement θ from its equilibrium position. The torsion constant κ (kappa) is analogous to the spring constant k for the traditional translational oscillator (for which the restoring force F is proportional to the linear displacement x of the mass). An effective torsion oscillator can be constructed by integrating a spring's translational harmonic properties into an Atwood2 arrangement where a disk serves as the pulley for the system and the spring(s) exert restoring torques on the oscillating disk. Both effective torsion constants and effective spring constants can be expressed in terms of adjustable parameters of the system. These expressions enable one to theoretically describe the motion of the hybrid oscillator and to calculate its period. A comparison of the translational and rotational interpretations teaches of their analogous mathematical properties and challenges the intuitive skills of those considering such systems.
Consider Your Audience
Authors: Riendeau Diane
Published: January 2011

Special thanks to my students: Sam Solovy, Dan Coltun, Peter Kerschke, Matan Farhi, Tara Hanusa, Eric Silcroft, David Goldman and Mike Spinello for their favorite videos.
Catastrophe in the Nucleus
Authors: Morozov Alexei
Published: January 2011

Some cancers carry massive genomic rearrangements, confined to one chromosomal region, that are thought to arise in a single event.
Lactobacilli Reduce Cell Cytotoxicity Caused by
Streptococcus pyogenes
by Producing Lactic Acid That Degrades the Toxic Component Lipoteichoic Acid
Authors: Maudsdotter Lisa , Jonsson Hans , Roos Stefan , Jonsson Ann-Beth
Published: January 2011

Lactobacilli are known to prevent colonization by many pathogens; nevertheless, the mechanisms of their protective effect are largely unknown. In this work, we investigated the role of lactobacilli during infection of epithelial cells with group A streptococci (GAS). GAS cause a variety of illnesses ranging from noninvasive disease to more severe invasive infections, such as necrotizing fasciitis and toxic shock-like syndrome. Invasion of deeper tissues is facilitated by GAS-induced apoptosis and cell death. We found that lactobacilli inhibit GAS-induced host cell cytotoxicity and shedding of the complement regulator CD46. Further, survival assays demonstrated that lactic acid secreted by lactobacilli is highly bactericidal toward GAS. In addition, lactic acid treatment of GAS, but not heat killing, prior to infection abolishes the cytotoxic effects against human cells. Since lipoteichoic acid (LTA) of GAS is heat resistant and cytotoxic, we explored the effects of lactic acid on LTA. By applying such an approach, we demonstrate that lactic acid reduces epithelial cell damage caused by GAS by degrading both secreted and cell-bound LTA. Taken together, our experiments reveal a mechanism by which lactobacilli prevent pathogen-induced host cell damage.
GS-8374, a Novel HIV Protease Inhibitor, Does Not Alter Glucose Homeostasis in Cultured Adipocytes or in a Healthy-Rodent Model System
Authors: Hruz Paul W. , Yan Qingyun , Tsai Luong , Koster Joseph , Xu Lianhong , Cihlar Tomas , Callebaut Christian
Published: January 2011

Adverse effects induced by HIV protease inhibitors (PIs) are a significant factor in limiting their clinical success. PIs directly contribute to peripheral insulin resistance and alterations in lipid metabolism. GS-8374 is a novel PI with potent antiretroviral activity and a favorable resistance profile. Here we report on the potential of GS-8374 to adversely affect glucose and lipid homeostasis. Acute effects of GS-8374 and control PIs on glucose uptake and lipid accumulation were assessed
in vitro
in mouse OP9 and primary human adipocytes, respectively. GS-8374 and atazanavir showed no effect on insulin-stimulated deoxyglucose uptake, whereas ritonavir and lopinavir caused significant reductions. Similarly,
in vitro
lipid accumulation was not significantly affected in adipocytes treated with either GS-8374 or atazanavir. In euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp experiments performed in rats during acute infusion of therapeutic levels of PIs, sustained serum GS-8374 levels of 8 μM had no effect on peripheral glucose disposal (similar to the findings for atazanavir). Comparable serum levels of lopinavir and ritonavir produced acute 19% and 53% reductions in
in vivo
glucose disposal, respectively. In conclusion, similar to atazanavir, but unlike ritonavir and lopinavir, GS-8374 neither affects insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in adipocytes in culture nor acutely alters peripheral glucose disposal in a rodent model system. These results dissociate the antiretroviral activity of GS-8374 from adverse effects on insulin sensitivity observed with some of the first-generation PIs and provide further support for the use of these experimental systems in the preclinical evaluation of novel PIs.
Echinocandin Susceptibility Testing of
Candida
spp. Using EUCAST EDef 7.1 and CLSI M27-A3 Standard Procedures: Analysis of the Influence of Bovine Serum Albumin Supplementation, Storage Time, and Drug Lots
Authors: Arendrup Maiken Cavling , Rodriguez-Tudela Juan-Luis , Park Steven , Garcia-Effron Guillermo , Delmas Guillaume , Cuenca-Estrella Manuel , Gomez-Lopez Alicia , Perlin David S.
Published: January 2011

The MICs of echinocandins against
Candida
isolates with
fks
mutations are higher than those for wild-type (WT) isolates. However, the MIC ranges for susceptible and mutant populations overlap or are poorly separated. It was recently reported that a greater separation could be achieved in the presence of serum. To more fully explore this possibility, we compared the performances of the reference microdilution methods by using standard and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-supplemented growth medium. Anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin MICs were determined according to EUCAST and CLSI methods and with 50% BSA in the medium for 93 clinical isolates, including
Candida albicans
(20/10 [number of isolates/number of mutants]),
C. glabrata
(19/10),
C. dubliniensis
(2/1),
C. krusei
(16/3),
C. parapsilosis
(19), and
C. tropicalis
(19/4) isolates. Stability of the plates was tested after storage at −80°C for 2 and 6 months, and the performance of two different lots of caspofungin was investigated. The addition of BSA to the medium resulted in higher MICs (1 to 9 2-fold dilution steps) for all isolates and compounds. The increases were greatest for anidulafungin and micafungin and, among WT isolates, for
C. parapsilosis
. The number of very major errors (VMEs) was reduced (24% [20/84 isolates] versus ≤7% [6/84 isolates]) using BSA-supplemented EUCAST medium but not using BSA-supplemented CLSI medium (6% versus 9%). MIC results were unchanged after 6 months of storage of test plates. The two lots of caspofungin yielded identical results. Addition of BSA to the EUCAST medium increases the ability to differentiate between WT isolates and isolates harboring resistance mutations.
Properties and Therapeutic Efficacy of Broadly Reactive Chimeric and Humanized H5-Specific Monoclonal Antibodies against H5N1 Influenza Viruses
Authors: Zheng Qingbing , Xia Lin , Wu Wai Lan , Zheng Zhenhua , Huo Yongting , Wu Jun , Liu Yanning , Yu Hai , Chen Yixin , Lau Siu-Ying , Chen Honglin , Luo Wenxin , Xia Ningshao
Published: January 2011

Highly pathogenic H5N1 virus infection causes severe disease and a high rate of fatality in humans. Development of humanized monoclonal antibodies may provide an efficient therapeutic regime for H5N1 virus infection. In the present study, broadly cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) derived from mice were humanized to minimize immunogenicity. One chimeric antibody (cAb) and seven humanized antibodies (hAbs) were constructed. These antibodies retained broad-spectrum reactivity to H5N1 viruses, binding to recombinant H5-subtype HA1 molecules expressed in CHO cells in a dose-dependent manner and exhibiting similar reactivities against antigenically distinct H5N1 viruses in hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays. One humanized antibody, 37 hAb, showed HI and neutralization activities comparable to that of the parental murine antibody, 13D4 MAb, while the other six antibodies were less reactive to H5N1 viruses. Analysis of amino acid sequences in the variable region frameworks of the seven humanized antibodies found that Q5 and Y27 in the VH region are highly conserved murine residues. Comparison of the three-dimensional structures derived from the variable regions of MAbs 37 hAb, H1202-34, and 13D4 revealed that residue substitutions at sites 70 and 46 may be the major cause for the observed differences in binding affinity. Examination of the chimeric antibody and one of the humanized antibodies, 37 hAb, showed that both antibodies offered postinfection protection against lethal challenge with antigenically diverse H5N1 viruses in the mouse model. Chimeric and humanized antibodies which retain the broadly reactive and protective properties of murine H5-specific monoclonal antibodies have great potential for use in the treatment of human H5N1 infection.
Regulation of Innate Immune Response toCandida albicansInfections by αMβ2-Pra1p Interaction
Authors: Soloviev Dmitry A. , Jawhara Samir , Fonzi William A.
Published: January 2011

Candida albicansis a common opportunistic fungal pathogen and is the leading cause of invasive fungal diseases in immunocompromised individuals. The induction of cell-mediated immunity toC. albicansis one of the main tasks of cells of the innate immune system, andin vitroevidence suggests that integrin αMβ2(CR3, Mac-1, and CD11b/CD18) is the principal leukocyte receptor involved in recognition of the fungus. Using αMβ2-KO mice and mutated strains ofC. albicansin two models of murine candidiasis, we demonstrate that neutrophils derived from mice deficient in αMβ2have a reduced ability to killC. albicansand that the deficient mice themselves exhibit increased susceptibility to fungal infection. Disruption of thePRA1gene ofC. albicans, the primary ligand for αMβ2, protects the fungus against leukocyte killingin vitroandin vivo, impedes the innate immune response to the infection, and increases fungal virulence and organ invasionin vivo. Thus, recognition of pH-regulated antigen 1 protein (Pra1p) by αMβ2plays a pivotal role in determining fungal virulence and host response and protection againstC. albicansinfection.
Identification of a Putative Chaperone Involved in Stress Resistance and Virulence in
Francisella tularensis
Authors: Dieppedale Jennifer , Sobral Daniel , Dupuis Marion , Dubail Iharilalao , Klimentova Jana , Stulik Jiri , Postic Guillaume , Frapy Eric , Meibom Karin L. , Barel Monique , Charbit Alain
Published: January 2011

Francisella tularensis
is a highly infectious bacterium causing the zoonotic disease tularemia. This facultative intracellular bacterium replicates
in vivo
mainly inside macrophages and therefore has developed strategies to resist this stressful environment. Here, we identified a novel genetic locus that is important for stress resistance and intracellular survival of
F. tularensis. In silico
and transcriptional analyses suggest that this locus (genes
FTL_0200
to
FTL_0209
in the live vaccine strain [LVS]) constitutes an operon controlled by the alternative sigma factor σ
32
. The first gene,
FTL_0200
, encodes a putative AAA+ ATPase of the MoxR subfamily. Insertion mutagenesis into genes
FTL_0200
,
FTL_0205
, and
FTL_0206
revealed a role for the locus in both intracellular multiplication and
in vivo
survival of
F. tularensis
. Deletion of gene
FTL_0200
led to a mutant bacterium with increased vulnerability to various stress conditions, including oxidative and pH stresses. Proteomic analyses revealed a pleiotropic impact of the Δ
FTL_0200
deletion, supporting a role as a chaperone for FTL_0200. This is the first report of a role for a MoxR family member in bacterial pathogenesis. This class of proteins is remarkably conserved among pathogenic species and may thus constitute a novel player in bacterial virulence.
The Pathogenicity of an EntericCitrobacter rodentiumInfection Is Enhanced by Deficiencies in the Antioxidants Selenium and Vitamin E
Authors: Smith Allen D. , Botero Sebastian , Shea-Donohue Terez , Urban Joseph F.
Published: January 2011

The pathogenesis of aCitrobacter rodentiuminfection was evaluated in mice fed diets with a single deficiency in either selenium or vitamin E or with a double deficiency in both selenium and vitamin E compared to mice on nutritionally adequate diets. Mice fed the selenium- and vitamin E-deficient diet for 6 weeks had increased loads ofC. rodentiumin the colon and spleen, which were not observed in mice fed either of the singly deficient diets or the adequate diet. Infected mice fed the doubly deficient diet had increased colon crypt hyperplasia and an influx of infiltrating cells along with gross changes to crypt architecture, including ulceration and denuding of the epithelial layer. Cytokine and chemokine mRNA levels in the colon were measured by real-time PCR. Expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines was upregulated on day 12 after infection withC. rodentiumin mice fed the doubly deficient diet compared to mice fed the control diet. Heme oxygenase 1, an enzyme upregulated by oxidative stress, also was more highly induced in infected mice fed the doubly deficient diet. Production ofC. rodentiumantigen-specific IgM and IgG antibodies was not affected by feeding the doubly deficient diet. The results indicated that selenium and vitamin E play an important role in host resistance and in the pathology induced byC. rodentium, an infection that mimics disease caused by common food-borne bacterial pathogens in humans.
Acupuncture Prevents Relapses of Recurrent Otitis in Dogs: A 1-Year Follow-Up of a Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Sánchez-Araujo Max , Puchi Alfredo
Published: January 2011

Background

Recurrent infections within a particular, well-localised body location are often seen in veterinary and medical practice. This condition could represent a localised or segmental immune deficiency. Recurrent canine otitis seems to be one example of this problem. It has been reported that acupuncture increased the efficacy of conventional treatment for canine otitis by >50%.

Objective

To assess whether the relapse rate of recurrent canine otitis over 1 year can be modified by acupuncture in adult dogs.

Methods

One-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. 31 dogs with a history of recurring otitis were randomised into two groups. In addition to conventional treatment, each group received four sessions of either real acupuncture, group A (n=16), or sham acupuncture, group B (n=15). The main outcome for the follow-up was the rate of acute otitis episodes in each group over 1 year, with blinded evaluation. A χ2test was used for statistical analysis.

Results

There was one dropout in each group. Fourteen (93%) dogs in group A: were free of otitis relapses, compared with 7 (50%) in group B (p<0.01).

Conclusion

Acupuncture seems effective for preventing relapses in cases of recurrent canine otitis. This result suggests that acupuncture could be tested as a treatment of other recurrent localised infections. Given the ability of acupuncture to modulate neurotransmitters and opioid peptides, which can in turn modulate the immune system, the immune response to acupuncture also seems worth exploring.
Gametes or organs? How should we legally classify ovaries used for transplantation in the USA?
Authors: Campo-Engelstein Lisa
Published: January 2011

Ovarian tissue transplantation is an experimental procedure that can be used to treat both infertility and premature menopause. Working within the current legal framework in the USA, I examine whether ovarian tissue should be legally treated like gametes or organs in the case of ovarian tissue transplantation between two women. One option is to base classification upon its intended use: ovarian tissue used to treat infertility would be classified like gametes, and ovarian tissue used to treat premature menopause would be classified like organs. In the end, however, I argue that this approach will not work because it engenders too many legal, cultural and logistical concerns and that, at least for the near future, we should treat ovarian tissue like gametes.
Associations of hip osteoarthritis with history of recurrent exposure to manual handling of loads over 20 kg and work participation: a population-based study of men and women
Authors: Kaila-Kangas Leena , Arokoski Jari , Impivaara Olli , Viikari-Juntura Eira , Leino-Arjas Päivi , Luukkonen Ritva , Heliövaara Markku
Published: January 2011

Objectives

We reviewed work histories of manual handling of loads >20 kg in relation to hip osteoarthritis by age, exposure and work participation.

Methods

A nationally representative sample of 3110 Finnish men and 3446 women aged 30–97 was recruited. Diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis was based on standardised clinical examination by trained physicians. Previous exposure to physically loading work was evaluated through interviews. Logistic regression was used to estimate associations between work factors and hip osteoarthritis.

Results

1.9% of men and 2.1% of women had hip osteoarthritis. Almost half the men and a quarter of the women had recurrently handled heavy loads at work. Subjects who had manually handled loads >20 kg had a 1.8-fold increased risk of hip osteoarthritis compared to non-exposed references, when age, body mass index, traumatic fractures and smoking were accounted for. Results were similar for men (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.0 to 4.0) and women (1.8; 1.1 to 2.8). In a sub-analysis of subjects with hip replacement, the OR was 1.7 (1.0 to 2.9). Risk increased first after 12 years' exposure: among men it was 2.2 (0.8 to 5.9) for 13–24 years' exposure, and 2.3 (1.2 to 4.3) for >24 years' exposure. Among women it was 3.8 (1.7 to 8.1) for 13–24 years' exposure. Work participation among men aged <60 years with hip osteoarthritis was 20% lower compared with subjects without osteoarthritis.

Conclusions

A work history of manual handling of loads >20 kg showed a strong association with hip osteoarthritis in all age groups except the youngest.
Pleistocene glacial dispersal and history in Buttle valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia: a feasibility study for alpine drift prospecting
Authors: Hicock Stephen R.
Published: January 2011

Lodgment till exposures in the Myra and Buttle valleys of central Vancouver Island reveal a short (approximately 20 km) glacial dispersal train of Westmin massive sulphide ore in the clay fraction only (Cu, Zn, Pb). Ore dispersal was eastward down the tributary Myra valley, then northward along the west side of the trunk Buttle valley. This study suggests that in alpine drift-prospecting projects, anomalies should be traced upvalley into tributary valleys along the same valley side, using the geochemistry of the −0.002 mm fraction of the basal till matrix.Fraser glaciation in the valleys eroded and deformed underlying sediments and bedrock while removing evidence of previous glacial events. Glaciolacustrine silt and sand, lodgment till, deltaic recessional outwash, and colluvial fans were deposited during the last 25 000 radiocarbon years. Ice movement followed the classical alpine glaciation model. Tributary lobes advanced downvalley and merged (without mixing) to form a main trunk Buttle lobe, which advanced northward, truncating some of the tributary valleys. At the Fraser maximum, glacier ice had built up to cover all but the highest peaks; drumlinoids imply southwestward flow over the highest glaciated ridges. During deglaciation, the Buttle lobe probably retreated rapidly, depositing recessional outwash and glaciolacustrine diamictons.
The Amer Belt: remnant of an Aphebian foreland fold and thrust belt
Authors: Patterson Judith G.
Published: January 2011

Aphebian supracrustal sequences occur as outliers throughout the northwestern portion of the Churchill Structural Province of the Canadian Shield. In the Amer Lake area, medium- to high-grade, polydeformed Archean rocks are unconformably overlain by the Amer supracrustal sequence, which comprises quartzite, carbonate, mafic volcanic, and meta-arkose and meta-pelitic units. This supracrustal sequence is interpreted as having been deposited under miogeoclinal conditions, transitional to exogeoclinal.The Amer sequence crops out in a broad, west-southwest-plunging synclinorium and contains evidence of polyphase deformation that includes the following: (1) Folds plunging gently to the west-southwest and west-southwest-striking thrust faults, transected by oblique tear faults. Thrust vergence is northerly to northwesterly, onto the Archean craton. Because of the orientation of the synclinorium, there is a down plunge view of the thrusts at the eastern end of the belt. (2) Younger, localized cross folds, probably representative of progressive deformation. (3) Late, northwest-trending normal faults, with east side down.The stratigraphic elements and family of structures in the Amer Belt are similar to those found in the foreland fold and thrust belts of major Phanerozoic and Proterozoic orogens. The Amer Belt is interpreted as being a remnant of a once extensive foreland fold and thrust belt.Some workers have considered the northwestern Churchill Structural Province a large cratonic foreland of the Trans-Hudson Orogen. However, remnants of a foreland fold and thrust belt, a major batholithic complex, and profound geophysical breaks interpreted as being possible sutures are incorporated into a new tectono-stratigraphic model that proposes that a cryptic Aphebian orogen exists in the northwestern Churchill Structural Province.
Quaternary events in the Elkwater Lake area of southeastern Alberta
Authors: Vreeken Willem J.
Published: January 2011

New data necessitate revisions in the Quaternary chronology of the Elkwater Lake area. Relicts of post-Middle Miocene preglacial erosion surfaces descend to the north and south from the Middle Miocene depositional surface on the Cypress Hills plateau. Both sets of surfaces are marked by oxidized weathering zones, locally culminating in relicts of preglacial paleosols. Both surfaces are overlain by a loess replete with cryogenic imprints. Deposition of this loess with cryogenic imprints shortly predates arrival of the Green Lake glacier at its terminus.The Green Lake end moraine marks the maximum extent of Laurentide ice in this area. Features previously attributed to the older Elkwater glacier can be explained with reference to proglacial meltwater action associated with the Green Lake glacier. The concept of Elkwater drift is no longer valid.Younger loesses, called upper loess, mantle nonglaciated terrain and the Green Lake end moraine and began accumulating just before Glacier Peak tephra was deposited (ca. 12 000 years ago). Because there is no evidence of weathering on the Green Lake end moraine beneath the upper loess, Green Lake drift dates from the late Wisconsinan. Most of the upper loess was deposited during the early Holocene and some since the Mazama volcanic eruption, 6600 years ago.Elkwater Lake reached its highest postglacial level, i.e., at least 6.6 m above the present level, well after the Mazama eruption, before spilling across the Green Lake end moraine into the Ross Creek system. This event irrevocably changed the regimen of Ross Creek, probably to its confluence with the South Saskatchewan River, at Medicine Hat.
Thermal simulation of subsea saline permafrost
Authors: (Derick) Nixon J. F.
Published: January 2011

Thermal analyses of the response of offshore permafrost to emergence and submergence have traditionally employed simple closed-form solutions, where phase change is confined to a discrete freezing temperature. These have led to rather rapid rates of return to thermal equilibrium, which have proved difficult to explain in the light of recent deep temperature measurements in offshore permafrost profiles. This paper reviews the need for an appropriate unfrozen-water-content relationship for a saline frozen soil and describes some simulations of long-term thermal response in offshore permafrost using the author's geothermal simulator. Simulations of submergence assumed an initial permafrost thickness of 600 m and a mean soil-surface temperature of −9.0 °C. The salinity was assumed constant at 30‰. The initial-temperature profile was linear, varying between −9.0 °C and a freezing point of −1.8 °C at the bottom of ice-bonded permafrost. The temperature of the ground surface was assumed to have changed to −0.8 °C following submergence. After a period of 10 000 years, the predicted ground temperature at a depth of 300 m was −3.55 °C and was still rising. The equivalent temperature in a soil with a discrete freezing point would be 0.25 °C below the freezing point.Following permafrost submergence, for example, the rate of thaw in saline soils is somewhat faster than that predicted for discrete-freezing-point soils. However, more importantly, the rate at which the ground temperatures at depth rise in response to submergence is very much slower than that predicted by simpler closed-form solutions for freshwater soils. This means that for any given period since submergence, a cooler temperature profile would be predicted for a saline soil than for a soil with a discrete freezing point. This has far-reaching implications for geologists interpreting deep permafrost temperature records and for engineers involved with the design of structures in the arctic offshore.
Analysis of seismic instability of the Vancouver Island lithoprobe transect
Authors: Nyland E. , Li Qing
Published: January 2011

Seismic refraction and reflection surveys and gravity measurements over Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, can constrain a finite-element model of the geodynamics of the subduction zone. Stress estimates obtained from this model have been combined with rock failure criteria to yield a probability measure of seismic risk that assumes seismic events start from a dilute distribution of Griffith cracks. The results are in agreement with the observed seismicity and lead to the suggestion that the dominant mechanism of this oceanic plate subduction zone is gravitational ridge push and mantle convection.