bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Persistence of borrelial DNA in the joints of Borrelia burgdorferi‐infected mice after ceftriaxone treatment
Authors: YRJÄNÄINEN HETA , HYTÖNEN JUKKA , HARTIALA PAULIINA , OKSI JARMO , VILJANEN MATTI K.
Published: July 2010

Yrjänäinen H, Hytönen J, Hartiala P, Oksi J, Viljanen MK. Persistence of borrelial DNA in the joints of Borrelia burgdorferi‐infected mice after ceftriaxone treatment. APMIS 2010; 118: 665–73.

We have earlier shown that Borrelia burgdorferi‐infected and ceftriaxone‐treated mice have viable spirochetes in their body, since immunosuppressive treatment allows B. burgdorferi to be detected by culture. However, the niche of the persisting spirochetes remained unknown. In the present study, we analyzed the tissues of B. burgdorferi‐infected and ceftriaxone‐treated mice by culture and PCR to reveal the foci of persisting spirochetes. C3H/HeN mice were infected via intradermal needle injection with B. burgdorferi s.s. N40. The mice were treated as follows: (i) short (5 days) and (ii) long (18 days) course of ceftriaxone at 2 weeks of infection and killed after either 10 or 30 weeks, or (iii) the mice received ceftriaxone for 5 days at 18 weeks of infection and were killed 21 weeks after the treatment. All samples of ceftriaxone‐treated mice were culture negative, whereas all untreated controls were culture positive. Importantly, B. burgdorferi DNA was detected in the joints of 30–100% of the treated mice. In conclusion, these results combined with earlier results suggest that the joint or a tissue adjacent to the joint is the niche of persisting B. burgdorferi in ceftriaxone‐treated mice.
Factors associated with the appearance of gingival papillae
Authors: Chow Yiu Cheung , Eber Robert M. , Tsao Yi‐Pin , Shotwell Jeffrey L. , Wang Hom‐Lay
Published: July 2010

Chow YC, Eber RM, Tsao Y‐P, Shotwell JL, Wang H‐L. Factors associated with the appearance of gingival papillae. J Clin Periodontol 2010; 37: 719‐727 doi: 10.1111/j.1600-051X.2010.01594.x.

Aim:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors associated with the fill of inter‐dental spaces by gingival papillae.

Materials and Methods: Ninety‐six adult subjects were evaluated. Papilla score (PS), tooth form/shape, interproximal contact length and gingival thickness were recorded for 672 maxillary anterior and first pre‐molar interproximal sites. Statistical analyses included a non‐parametric χ2 test, anova, the Mixed Procedure for SAS and Pearson's correlation coefficient (r).

Results: Papilla deficiency was more frequent in older subjects (p<0.05), as papilla height decreased 0.012 mm with each year of increasing age (p<0.05). Competent papillae (complete fill inter‐dentally) were associated with: (1) crown width: length 0.87; (2) proximal contact length 2.8 mm; (3) bone crest‐contact point ≤5 mm; and (4) interproximal gingival tissue thickness 1.5 mm. Gingival thickness correlated negatively with PS (r=−0.37 to −0.54) and positively with tissue height (r=0.23–0.43). Tooth form (i.e. crown width to length ratio) correlated negatively with PS (r=−0.37 to −0.61). Other parameters failed to show any significant effects.

Conclusions: Gingival papilla appearance was associated significantly with subject age, tooth form/shape, proximal contact length, crestal bone height and interproximal gingival thickness.
Validation of human periodontal ligament‐derived cells as a reliable source for cytotherapeutic use
Authors: Iwata Takanori , Yamato Masayuki , Zhang Zheng , Mukobata Shigeki , Washio Kaoru , Ando Tomohiro , Feijen Jan , Okano Teruo , Ishikawa Isao
Published: July 2010

Iwata T, Yamato M, Zhang Z, Mukobata S, Washio K, Ando T, Feijen J, Okano T, Ishikawa I. Validation of human periodontal ligament‐derived cells as a reliable source for cytotherapeutic use. J Clin Periodontol 2010; doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐051X.2010.01597.x.

Aim: Periodontal ligament (PDL) is a reliable cell source for periodontal regeneration. In this study, an optimal protocol for the extraction, expansion, and characterization of human PDL (hPDL) cells was examined for clinical trials.

Materials and Methods: hPDL tissues were obtained from 41 surgically extracted teeth and digested with enzymes. Human adipose‐derived stem cells (hADSCs), bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs), and gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) were used for comparison. For each sample, the proliferative capacity, colony‐forming ability, alkaline phosphatase activity, differentiation ability, the cell surface antigens, gene expression, and regenerative potential were examined.

Results: hPDL cells were more successfully extracted with collagenase/dispase [29/30 (96.7%)] than with trypsin/EDTA [8/11 (72.7%)], and exhibited osteogenic potential both in vitro and in vivo. The proliferation of hPDL cells was rapid at a low cell density. hPDL cells frequently differentiated into cementoblastic/osteoblastic lineage (∼60%). In contrast, their adipogenic and chondrogenic potentials were lower than those of hADSCs and hBMMSCs. Some genes (NCAM1, S100A4, and periostin) were preferentially expressed in hPDL cells compared with those of hBMMSCs and hGFs. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the expressions of S100A4 and periostin in hPDL tissue.

Conclusion: A protocol for the successful cultivation and validation of hPDL cells is proposed for clinical settings.
Progress in allogeneic transplantation for multiple myeloma
Authors: Gahrton Gösta
Published: July 2010

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation to treat multiple myeloma has been attempted since the early 1980s. The original conditioning regimen including high‐dose total body irradiation (TBI) plus cyclophosphamide was myeloablative and associated with a relatively low relapse/progression rate, but high transplant‐related mortality and no obvious improvement in progression‐free survival or overall survival. Some risk groups may benefit from this transplant modality and occasional patients may be cured, but due to the high‐transplant‐related mortality it is mainly abandoned. Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC), non‐myeloablative allogeneic transplantation reduces transplant‐related mortality significantly when compared with myeloablative conditioning, but the relapse/progression rate is somewhat higher. However although the treatment‐related mortality is higher than after autologous transplantation, the progression‐free and overall survival was better or tended to be better in three of five prospective trials comparing tandem autologous/RIC allogeneic transplantation to single or tandem autotransplantation due to lower relapse/progression rate. Adding donor lymphocyte infusions post‐transplant, new drugs like bortezomib, thalidomide, lenalidomide or pomalidomide pre‐ and/or post‐transplant, and more specific antimyeloma cell therapy like NK cells post‐transplant, may in future studies prove to improve results.
Generation of effector CD8+ T cells and their conversion to memory T cells
Authors: Cui Weiguo , Kaech Susan M.
Published: July 2010

Summary:  Immunological memory is a cardinal feature of adaptive immunity. We are now beginning to elucidate the mechanisms that govern the formation of memory T cells and their ability to acquire longevity, survive the effector‐to‐memory transition, and mature into multipotent, functional memory T cells that self‐renew. Here, we discuss the recent findings in this area and highlight extrinsic and intrinsic factors that regulate the cellular fate of activated CD8+ T cells.
Microbial translocation in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)‐infected rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Leinert C. , Stahl‐Hennig C. , Ecker A. , Schneider T. , Fuchs D. , Sauermann U. , Sopper S.
Published: July 2010

Background  Chronic immune activation is a hallmark of HIV infection and has been postulated as major factor in the pathogenesis of AIDS. Recent evidence suggests that activation of immune cells is triggered by microbial translocation through the impaired gastrointestinal barrier.

Methods  To determine the association between microbial translocation and disease progression, we have retrospectively analyzed microbial products, viral load and markers of immune activation in a cohort of 37 simian immunodeficiency virus‐infected rhesus monkeys, divided in two groups with distinct disease courses.

Results  As seen in HIV‐infected patients, we found elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in infected animals. However, LPS levels or LPS control mechanisms like endotoxin core antibodies or LPS‐binding protein did not differ between groups with different disease progression. In contrast, neopterin, a metabolic product of activated macrophages, was higher in fast progressors than in slow progressors.

Conclusion  Our data indicate that translocation of microbial products is not the major driving force of immune activation in HIV infection.
Motor function and methylphenidate effect in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Stray Liv Larsen , Ellertsen Bjørn , Stray Torstein
Published: July 2010

Aim:  Hyperactivity, impulsivity and poor attention are the core problems of ADHD and central stimulant medication is the preferred treatment. Many children with ADHD also display motor problems. The present study investigated the presence of motor problems in subjects who showed positive response to central stimulants on ADHD symptoms, compared with non‐responders.

Method:  This is a retrospective study of 73 children diagnosed ADHD, aged 5–17 years, who had been assessed with parts of the ‘Motor Function Neurological Assessment’ (MFNU) and evaluated with regard to effect of central stimulant medication. The sample was divided into two subgroups based on the responses to methylphenidate: Medicine responders and Non medicine responders.

Results:  Stimulant responders showed significantly more motor problems than the non‐responders on all sub‐tests and on the total problem score of the MFNU. Motor problems were present both in younger (age 5–10 years) and older (11–17 years) stimulant responders. There were no gender differences in motor performance.

Conclusion:  Our findings indicate that the probability of positive effect of central stimulants on core problems of ADHD is higher when motor problems are present in addition to ADHD symptoms, than when motor problems are absent.
Renal function and volume of infants born with a very low birth‐weight: a preliminary cross‐sectional study
Authors: Zaffanello M , Brugnara M , Bruno C , Franchi B , Talamini G , Guidi G , Cataldi L , Biban P , Mella R , Fanos V
Published: July 2010

Aim:  The aim of our study was to compare the function and volumes of kidneys of very low birth‐weight (VLBW) and of extremely low birth‐weight (ELBW) infants at pre‐school ages.

Patients and methods:  We did a revision of the neonatal records of infants born in our hospital that weighed ≤1500 g at birth. The children were divided into two groups according to their weight at birth: ELBW (<1000 g) and VLBW (1000–1500 g). At the age of 5.7 ± 1.4 years, the children underwent clinical, laboratory and ultrasound renal assessments.

Results:  Sixty‐nine children fulfilled the requirements for the study. The rate of neonatal treatment with aminoglycosides was higher in ELBW preterms. Renal function parameters, i.e. estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria, did not differ between the two groups of children. Urinary α1‐microglobulin excretion was significantly higher and kidneys were significantly smaller in the ELBW group than in the VLBW group.

Conclusion:  No impairment or differences in renal parameters were found in pre‐school children born ELBW compared with those born with VLBW, except for differences in kidney volume, renal cortical thickness and urinary α1‐microglobulin excretion. Thus, patients born with ELBW would require a longer follow‐up period.
Lactate dehydrogenase predicts hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy in newborn infants: a preliminary study
Authors: Karlsson Mathias , Wiberg‐Itzel Eva , Chakkarapani Ela , Blennow Mats , Winbladh Birger , Thoresen Marianne
Published: July 2010

Background:  Enzyme leakage as a result of hypoxia‐ischaemia induced cell damage in affected organs is seen together with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) after perinatal asphyxia.

Aim:  To investigate whether plasma lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], alanine aminotransferase [ALT] and aspartate aminotransferase [AST] during the first 12 h after birth predict HIE and adverse neurodevelopment outcome in newborn term infants with intra‐partum signs of foetal distress.

Methods:  Enzymes were measured within 12 h post partum in newborn infants with differing degree of HIE (n = 41) and in infants with signs of foetal distress during birth (n = 205) without HIE (non‐HIE group). All infants were randomized into two groups. One group (n = 123) was used for calculation of cut off limits for the enzymes studied and the other group (n = 123) was used for calculation of the predictive value of the enzymes for detection of HIE.

Results:  Using ROC curves, a cut off level of 1049 U/L for [LDH] was the best predictor of HIE (sensitivity 100% and specificity 97%) but also for long term outcome after HIE.

Conclusion: [LDH] is a good predictor of HIE during the first 12 h after birth. This result is of clinical interest offering a potential inexpensive and safe prognostic marker in newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia.
The development of the subplate and thalamocortical connections in the human foetal brain
Authors: Kostović Ivica , Judaš Miloš
Published: July 2010

The aim of this review is to present clinically relevant data on prenatal development of thalamocortical connections in the human brain. The analysis is based on extensive Zagreb Neuroembryological Collection, including more than 500 prenatal human brains stained with various classical neurohistological, as well as modern histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. The connection of thalamocortical axons during the ‘waiting’ period with transient cortical subplate zone and subsequent synaptic engagement in the cortical plate is the main connectivity event in the late foetus and preterm infant. This connectivity is the structural substrate for the endogeneous subplate and sensory‐driven circuitry generating transient electrical phenomena and may represent a transient network in the developmental history of consciousness.

Conclusion:  Findings presented in this review should be considered in the management of pain in preterm infants, in searching for the vulnerability of the subplate zone in diagnostic procedures using the in vivo MRI and in revealing the developmental origin of cognitive and mental disorders.
The diuretic bumetanide decreases autistic behaviour in five infants treated during 3 months with no side effects
Authors: Lemonnier Eric , Ben‐Ari Yehezkel
Published: July 2010

The inhibitory transmitter GABA has been suggested to play an important role in infantile autistic syndrome (IAS), and extensive investigations suggest that excitatory actions of GABA in neurological disorders are because of a persistent increase of [Cl−]I.

Aims:  To test the effects of the chloride co‐transporter NKCC1 diuretic compound Bumetanide that reduces [Cl−]I on IAS.

Methods:  Bumetanide was administered daily (1 mg daily) during a 3 ‐month period and clinical and biological tests made. We used 5 standard IAS severity tests ‐ Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Aberrant Behaviour Checklist, Clinical Global Impressions; Repetitive and Restrictive Behaviour and the Regulation Disorder Evaluation Grid.

Results:  We report a significant improvement in IAS with no side effects.

Conclusion:  Bumetanide decreases autistic behaviour with no side effects suggesting that diuretic agents may exert beneficial effects on IAS and that alterations of the actions of GABA may be efficient in IAS treatment calling for large scale randomized trials.
Towards an Epistolary Discourse: Receiving the Eighteenth‐Century Letter
Authors: Van Hensbergen Claudine
Published: July 2010

This article suggests the significance of letters as texts in the long 18th century. It provides a survey of past and present critical approaches to letters in the period, and outlines the various ways in which scholars use letters in their research. The article argues against the tendency to conceive of the letter as a distinct literary genre, and rather suggests that scholars should think in terms of a broader epistolary discourse.
‘The Excellencies of the Female Character’: Anna Seward’s Censored Sermon
Authors: Barnard Teresa
Published: July 2010

Towards the end of her life, the eighteenth‐century writer, Anna Seward, made meticulous preparations for the publication of her complete works of poetry, choosing her literary colleague, Walter Scott, as her editor. Following conventions, she included a range of autobiographical correspondence and prose writings as a means of self‐expression. Within this compilation is a collection of sermons written for her father, Thomas, who was the canon of Lichfield Cathedral, and for his parish curates in Derbyshire and Staffordshire. However, the sermons were never published, being excised by Scott because her family and executors considered them to be ‘nearly the reverse of what that solemn order of Composition should be’. They were just too subversive for publication by a woman. Among the sermons is a remarkably radical piece, written specifically for annual delivery in Lichfield cathedral by a senior clergyman to the Ladies’ Charitable Society. Yet Seward was by no means pious. Her early adulthood saw a series of battles against her father when she was drawn towards dissenting religions. The sermon is more sisterly than religious, more literary than devout. She uses considerable intellectual dexterity to urge ‘her’ congregation towards a life more independent. Neither parishioners nor minister knew the author was female. Using a text from Proverbs, Seward skilfully juxtaposes the idea of Lemuel as transmitter of his mother’s wisdom on the subject of worthy women, with the Cathedral minister as transmitter of her own thoughts on the ‘excellencies’ of women and their important role in society. The sermon’s content is both a literary expression of self‐identity and of the wider implications of women intervening in traditionally masculine areas, specifically in the Anglican Church. Seward’s identity was, in effect, surrended to her editors and what remains is nowhere near the complete picture. But this narrative is part‐sermon, part‐polemics, as she sets herself above ‘her’ congregation, employs her literary skills and uses the minister as her mouthpiece to encourage women away from domesticity.
‘The Della Cruscans: A Survey of the Criticism and Resources, 1956–2009’
Authors: Broadhead Alex
Published: July 2010

The last 14 years have witnessed an unprecedented surge of critical interest in the Della Cruscans, a coterie of writers (including Robert Merry and Mary Robinson) who enjoyed a short‐lived period of considerable popularity in the late eighteenth century. Prior to the publication of Jerome McGann’s article, ‘The Literal World of the English Della Cruscans’ in 1995, only two studies of the group had been published, in 1956 and 1967, respectively. With the exception of these works, the group had been all but forgotten, and the few existing references to their work in literary histories and encyclopaedias had invariably been dismissive. More successfully than the two critics who preceded him, McGann reclaimed the Della Cruscans as a group worthy of scholarly attention, providing a sympathetic outline of their poetics and emphasising the integral role they played in the development of British romantic poetry. The response to McGann’s positive reappraisal of the group was enthusiastic, and the resulting studies advanced it in a number of different directions, although all shared an interest in the perceived transgressiveness of Della Cruscanism and the role of the satirist William Gifford in their historical devaluation. This article aims to provide a survey of all of the criticism on the movement and some of the currently available primary resources, beginning with earliest published article in 1956 and culminating with the most recent of the post‐McGann studies. It concludes by suggesting some new directions that the ongoing revaluation of the movement might take over the course of the next few years.
BRCA1 16 years later: risk‐associated BRCA1 mutations and their functional implications
Authors: Linger Rebecca J. , Kruk Patricia A.
Published: July 2010

Mutations in the tumor suppressor breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1), an important player in the DNA damage response, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation and transcription, confer a significantly elevated lifetime risk for breast and ovarian cancer. Although the loss of wild‐type BRCA1 function is an important mechanism by which mutations confer increased cancer risk, multiple studies suggest mutant BRCA1 proteins may confer functions independent of the loss of wild‐type BRCA1 through dominant negative inhibition of remaining wild‐type BRCA1, or through novel interactions and pathways. These functions impact various cellular processes and have the potential to significantly influence cancer initiation and progression. In this review, we discuss the functional classifications of risk‐associated BRCA1 mutations and their molecular, cellular and clinical impact for mutation carriers.
Effect of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on Hippocampal Cholinergic Neurons in a Rodent Model of Ischaemic Encephalopathy
Authors: Ye Jianxin , Lin Hang , Mu Junshan , Cui Xiaoping , Ying Hongbing , Lin Min , Wu Lei , Weng Jing , Lin Xiaoshu
Published: July 2010

Abstract:  Ischaemic encephalopathy (IE) is a debilitating condition resulting from stroke that can lead to impaired learning and memory related to damage of cholinergic neurons in the hippocampus. The present study used an animal model of IE to test the hypothesis that treatment with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) can reduce cognitive symptoms of IE by increasing the number of cholinergic neurons in the CA region of the hippocampus. The animal model of IE was created surgically by double ligation of the bilateral common carotid arteries. Three groups of Sprague–Dawley rats: sham, IE and IE with bFGF treatment group, were measured for changes in learning and memory using the Morris water maze test. Microscopic and immunohistochemical techniques were used to identify cells that bind bFGF and cholinergic neurons. IE rats treated with bFGF had better scores in the Morris water maze test than the untreated IE group, indicating improved learning and memory in the treated group. Microscopy showed that bFGF crossed the blood–brain barrier, was taken up by neurons in the hippocampus, and that the number of cholinergic neurons in the treated group was significantly increased. These results may provide an experimental basis for the treatment of IE by subcutaneous injection of bFGF.
Effect of telephone follow‐up on adherence to a diabetes therapeutic regimen
Authors: NESARI Maryam , ZAKERIMOGHADAM Masoumeh , RAJAB Asadollah , BASSAMPOUR Shiva , FAGHIHZADEH Soghrat
Published: July 2010

Aim:  To determine whether a nurse telephone follow‐up service could improve the level of adherence to a diabetes therapeutic regimen for patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods:  A total of 61 patients attended a 3 day diabetes self‐care program at the Iranian Diabetes Society. They were randomly assigned to one of the experimental or control groups. A telephone follow‐up program was applied to the experimental group for 3 months, twice per week for the first month and weekly for the second and third months. The data‐collection instruments included a data sheet to record the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level and a questionnaire. The data were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks.

Results:  There were significant differences between the control and the experimental groups in their adherence to a diabetic diet, exercise, foot care, blood glucose monitoring, and medication‐taking. Also, the HbA1c levels differed significantly between the two groups after 3 months.

Conclusion:  A nurse‐led telephone follow‐up was effective in enhancing the level of adherence to a diabetes therapeutic regimen, such that the HbA1c level decreased.
Association of COL11A2 polymorphism with susceptibility to Kawasaki disease and development of coronary artery lesions
Authors: Sheu J. J. , Lin Y. J. , Chang J. S. , Wan L. , Chen S. Y. , Huang Y. C. , Chan C. , Chiu I. W. , Tsai F. J.
Published: July 2010

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a pediatric systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology wherein genetic influence is suspected. Gene clusters within the HLA region at chromosome 6p21.3 have been linked to KD and other autoimmune disorders. As collagen is a strong autoantigen inducing chronic inflammation in patients with vasculitis, this study tests a hypothesis that single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of a collagen gene, COL11A2, located in this HLA region may affect susceptibility to Kawasaki disease and its arterial sequels. SNP sites rs2294478 (at promoter) and rs2076311 (at intron 19) were genome‐typed on 93 KD patients and 680 healthy subjects. Genotypic and allelic frequencies analyses found A allele at rs2076311 as a risk allele for KD. Clinical association study showed protective potential of C/C genotype at rs2294478 and A/A at rs2076311 for developing coronary artery lesions (CALs) in patients. In addition, C‐A haplotype of COL11A2 gene associates with KD development and can serve as a genetic marker to differentiate KD patients lacking CALs from those with such lesions. Our findings suggest the involvement of genetic variations of COL11A2 in Kawasaki disease and CAL formation.
Factors underpinning the responsiveness and higher levels of virus resistance realised in potato genotypes carrying virus‐specific R genes
Authors: Vuorinen A.L. , Gammelgård E. , Auvinen P. , Somervuo P. , Dere S. , Valkonen J.P.T.
Published: July 2010

Responses to Potato virus A (PVA, genus Potyvirus) segregate to three phenotypic groups in a diploid cross between Solanum tuberosum subsp. andigena and a highly interspecific potato hybrid. The aim of this study was to compare gene expression between the progeny genotypes which react with hypersensitive response (HR) to PVA, allow PVA accumulation in inoculated leaves but restrict PVA infection to the inoculated leaf by blocking systemic movement [non‐necrotic resistance (nnr)], or are susceptible (S) and systemically infected with PVA. Expression levels of ca 10 000 genes were compared using probes arranged in a microarray format, and real‐time RT‐PCR was applied for quantitative comparison of the expression of selected defense‐related genes (DRGs). Results showed that a few DRGs were autoactivated in HR genotypes at an early stage of plant growth in the absence of PVA infection, which was not observed in the two other phenotypic groups (nnr and S). More detailed studies on the DRGs encoding a beta‐1,3‐glucanase, a chitinase and a basic PR‐1b protein showed that autoactivation of the genes was not evident in vitro and up to 2 weeks of growth in soil in a controlled growth cabinet but was apparent 2 weeks later. Hence, autoinduction of these DRGs in the HR genotypes could be associated with growth stage, environmental factors or both. Furthermore, a number of other DRGs were induced in the inoculated leaves of HR genotypes as a response to infection with PVA, which was not observed in nnr and S genotypes. These results provide some novel information about factors underpinning the higher levels of virus resistance realised in potato genotypes carrying virus‐specific R genes and suggest that part of the resistance is attributable to additional ‘minor’ genes functioning simultaneously, hence adding to the overall responsiveness and level of resistance against infection. These results also imply that some genotypes might be more responsive to chemical induction of pathogen and pest resistance, which could be considered in screening of progenies in plant‐breeding programs.
On the Conditions for Antipassives
Authors: Spreng Bettina
Published: July 2010

This survey of the triggers for Antipassives compares the most commonly known conditions under which Antipassive and accusative configurations occur in ergative and split‐ergative languages. It is shown that Antipassives and accusative configurations are triggered by similar if not identical semantic conditions. These conditions are always in contrast to the conditions for ergative configurations. A comparison of those triggers in accusative languages shows that they follow parallel patterns. It is confirmed that changes in case configurations are triggered by similar semantic properties, regardless of the typological corner a language comes from.
Flood Knowledge and Management in Bangladesh: Increasing Diversity, Complexity and Uncertainty
Authors: Cook Brian R.
Published: July 2010

The purpose of this paper is to review and discuss the relationship between government publications and academic studies of flood management in Bangladesh. The paper reviews these literatures while also emphasizing the assumptions, objectives and national issues that have influenced modern flood management. This approach aims to engage with the evolving knowledges used to inform and to criticize flood management in one of the most flood‐prone nations on earth. The analysis suggests a disconnection between government and academic knowledge, particularly concerning the characterization of government objectives within the academic discourse. The paper is divided into four periods in which the objectives, methods and understandings were fundamentally reoriented, contributing to the current discrepancy between government and academic approaches to flooding and flood management. The paper concludes with discussion of three issues related to the competing assumptions of flood risk management in Bangladesh and raises the issue of growing complexity in relation to hazards management.
Barriers to Collaborative Governance in New Zealand Fisheries: Pt I
Authors: Ali Memon P. , Kirk Nicholas A.
Published: July 2010

Recurrent ecological crises in fisheries throughout the world make it imperative that a fundamental re‐alignment of institutional arrangements occurs in order to promote sustainability. Collaborative institutional arrangements that provide incentives for collective action are seen as a more effective way to solve this problem than the more traditional hierarchical regulatory or market led approaches used in the past. While the merits of devolved collaborative governance have been stressed in recent fisheries literature, this paper is the first in a series of two which attempt to critically examine the barriers which impede collaboration in fisheries, using a New Zealand case study. This first paper introduces the New Zealand fisheries context, and continues with a literature review of the theories underpinning collaborative management with insights from the current debates on localised governance of natural resources informed by institutional analysis approaches.
Original Article: Assessing physicians’ in training attitudes and behaviors during the 2009 H1N1 influenza season: a cross‐sectional survey of medical students and residents in an urban academic setting
Authors: May Larissa , Katz Rebecca , Johnston Lindsay , Sanza Megan , Petinaux Bruno
Published: July 2010

Please cite this paper as: May et al. (2010) Assessing physicians’ in training attitudes and behaviors during the 2010 H1N1 influenza season: a cross‐sectional survey of medical students and residents in an urban academic setting. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/j.1750‐2659.2010.00151.x.

Background  Despite concern for hospital‐based transmission of influenza, little research has been carried out on perceptions and behaviors of physicians in training with regard to influenza‐like illness (ILI), especially in light of the recent H1N1 pandemic.

Objectives  We aimed to evaluate self‐reported episodes of ILI among medical students and residents to determine the impact of ILI on school and clinical performance, absenteeism, and patterns of preventive measures used by this population both in and out of the healthcare setting.

Methods  We anonymously surveyed medical students and residents at an urban institution between November 3 and December 11, 2009. Data were analyzed separately for medical students and residents for frequency of close‐ended responses. Open‐ended answers were analyzed thematically. Our Institutional Review Board exempted this study from review.

Results  Forty‐five percent of medical students and 53% of resident respondents perceived the risk of acquiring H1N1 at school or work as high, and although 43% of medical students and 66% of resident respondents had received the influenza vaccination and most reported increasing non‐pharmaceutical preventive measures, 9% of medical students and 61% of residents with one or more episodes of ILI chose to continue to attend class or work when ill.

Conclusions  Although students and residents report high risk of infection because of work‐ or school‐related activities, many involved in patient care activities do not comply with recommended infection control precautions. Educational campaigns should be developed and infection control guidelines should be included in routine medical student and resident curricular activities.
Photochemistry and Photocytotoxicity of Alkaloids from Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) 3: Effect on Human Lens and Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Authors: Chignell Colin F. , Sik Robert H. , Watson Mary A. , Wielgus Albert R.
Published: July 2010

The dried root or rhizome of Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis L.) contains several alkaloids including berberine, hydrastine, palmatine and lesser amounts of canadine and hydrastinine. Preparations derived from Goldenseal have been used to treat skin and eye ailments. Berberine, the major alkaloid in Goldenseal root powder, has been used in eye drops to treat trachoma, a disease characterized by keratoconjunctivitis. Berberine and palmatine are also present in extracts from Berberis amurensis Ruprecht (Berberidaceae) which are used to treat ocular disorders. We have previously shown that Goldenseal alkaloids are phototoxic to keratinocytes (Chem Res Toxicol. 14, 1529, 2001; ibid 19, 739, 2006) and now report their effect on human lens and retinal pigment epithelial cells. Human lens epithelial cells (HLE‐B3) were severely damaged when incubated with berberine (25 μM) and exposed to UVA (5 J cm−2). Under the same conditions, palmatine was less phototoxic and hydrastine, canadine and hydrastinine were inactive. Moderate protection against berberine phototoxicity was afforded by the antioxidants ascorbate (2 mM) and N‐acetylcysteine (5 mM). When exposed to UVA (5 J cm−2) both berberine (10 μM) and palmatine (10 μM) caused mild DNA damage as determined by the alkaline comet assay which measures single strand breaks. Berberine and palmatine are the only Goldenseal alkaloids with appreciable absorption above 400 nm. Because light at wavelengths below 400 nm is cut off by the anterior portion of the adult human eye only berberine and palmatine were tested for phototoxicity to human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells. Although berberine did damage hRPE cells when irradiated with visible light (λ > 400 nm) approximately 10 times higher concentrations were required to produce the same amount of damage as seen in lens cells. Palmatine was not phototoxic to hRPE cells. Neither berberine nor palmatine photodamaged DNA in hRPE. Infusions of Goldenseal are estimated to contain ∼1 mM berberine, while in tinctures the alkaloid concentration may be more than 10 times higher. Our findings show that eyewashes and lotions derived from Goldenseal or containing berberine must be used with caution when the eyes are exposed to bright sunlight but that oral preparations are not likely to cause ocular phototoxicity.
Gender, Conversation Analysis, and the Anatomy of Membership Categorization Practices
Authors: Stokoe Elizabeth
Published: July 2010

This paper describes and illustrates recent developments in the study of identity using membership categorization and conversation analysis. It focuses particularly on identifying and unpacking some practices through which people construct gender‐based categorial phrases and formulations, and how these practices are put to use to accomplish social actions including accounting, complaining, or denying. Drawing on data from a variety of interactional sites, I show how speakers build different categorial practices from particular component features, within or across a sequence of turns, and how they work to formulate idiomatic‐style phrases that ‘package’ cultural knowledge (e.g., “that’s lads for you”, “I would never hit a woman”). When speakers produce such phrases, they invite recipients to display recognition of, or collaboratively develop, the construction of a cultures categories, as the basis for moving through courses of action.
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor deficiency augments cardiac dysfunction in Type 1 diabetic murine cardiomyocytes
Authors: TONG Chao , MORRISON Alex , YAN Xiaoyan , ZHAO Peng , YEUNG Eddie D. , WANG Jingying , XIE Jianxin , LI Ji
Published: July 2010

Background:  It has become evident that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is associated with the development of Type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to determine whether MIF plays a role in cardiac contractile dysfunction in T1DM mice.

Methods:  Mechanical and intracellular Ca2+ properties were measured in cardiomyocytes isolated from wild‐type (WT) and MIF‐knockout (MIF‐KO) mice administrated or not streptozotocin (200 mg/kg, i.p.). Relative stress signaling was evaluated using western blot analysis.

Results:  Peak shortening (PS) and maximal velocity of shortening/relengthening (±dL/dt) were reduced and the duration of relengthening (TR90) was prolonged in both WT and MIF‐KO cardiomyocytes treated with STZ (P < 0.01 vs control), which may be associated with reduced intracellular Ca2+ decay in both groups. However, STZ‐treated WT cardiomyocytes demonstrated significantly better contractile function and intracellular Ca2+ properties compared with STZ‐treated MIF‐KO cardiomyocytes (all P < 0.05). Interestingly, the physiological data clearly showed that blood glucose levels were significantly higher in STZ‐treated MIF‐KO mice than STZ‐treated WT mice (P < 0.01). Moreover, phosphorylation of AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) and its direct downstream target acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC) was markedly lower in hearts from STZ‐treated MIF‐KO mice than STZ‐treated WT mice (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between untreated WT and MIF‐KO control groups.

Conclusions:  There is a beneficial action of MIF in the management of cardiac dysfunction in T1DM. The cardioprotective effect of MIF may be associated with AMPK signaling.
Transforming growth factor‐β regulation of proteoglycan synthesis in vascular smooth muscle: Contribution to lipid binding and accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes
Authors: YANG Sundy N.Y. , BURCH Micah L. , TANNOCK Lisa R. , EVANKO Stephen , OSMAN Narin , LITTLE Peter J.
Published: July 2010

Atherosclerosis is accelerated in the setting of diabetes, but the factors driving this phenomenon remain elusive. Hyperglycemia leads to elevated levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β and TGF‐β has been implicated as a factor in atherosclerosis. Given the established association between hyperglycemia and elevated TGF‐β, it is plausible that elevated TGF‐β levels in diabetes play a pathogenic role in the development of accelerated atherosclerosis. TGF‐β is a potent regulator of extracellular matrix synthesis, including many actions on proteoglycan synthesis that lead to increased binding to low‐density lipoprotein and therefore potentially increased lipid retention in the vessel wall and accelerated atherosclerosis. TGF‐β signals through the canonical TGF‐β receptor I‐mediated phosphorylation of Smad transcription factors and TGF‐β signaling is also known to involve, positively and negatively, interactions with the mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways. The focus of the present review is on the effects of TGF‐β on proteoglycan synthesis in vascular smooth muscle and particularly the signaling pathways through which TGF‐β exerts its effects, because those pathways may be therapeutic targets for the prevention of pathological modifications in the proteoglycan component of the vessel wall in the vascular diseases of diabetes.
SalmonellaInfection in Illegally Imported Spur‐Thighed Tortoises (Testudo graeca)
Authors: Percipalle M. , Giardina G. , Lipari L. , Piraino C. , Macrì D. , Ferrantelli V.
Published: July 2010

The prevalence ofSalmonellainfection was determined in a group of spur‐thighed tortoises (Testudo graeca) seized during two smuggling attempts and in a population of captive Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanni) sheltered in a wildlife rescue centre.Salmonellaspp. was isolated in 81 of 220 (36.8%) and in 17 of 67 (25.4%) cloacal swabs collected from theT. graecaandT. hermannitortoises respectively. Overall, a total of 21 different Salmonella serotypes were found. Some of these serotypes are common to terrestrial chelonians while others have never been reported. All cultured serotypes were non‐typhoidal but nonetheless many of these have been previously reported as source of human outbreaks of reptile‐related salmonellosis. Eighty‐two per cent and 5.3% of the isolates were resistant to two and three anti‐microbial agents respectively. However, the isolates were highly susceptible to the anti‐microbials of choice for the treatment of salmonellosis such as cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. Our findings confirm that tortoises can be considered a reservoir forSalmonellaand that care should be employed when handling and breeding these animals. Tight surveillance should be enforced to avoid illegal importation and prevent the trading of live tortoises, carriers of zoonotic pathogens.
Fair Trade Community Café
Authors: LIGHTSTONE KAREN
Published: July 2010

This case concerns the real operations of a café in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a second location of a theme restaurant, with the first location successfully operating for a number of years. The owner of the first location, and senior partner of the second café, is available for advice but does not participate in the day‐to‐day operations of the second location; there are two junior partners who run the business. The focus is on the financial statements generated by an external bookkeeping service. The income statement reports a significant loss, and some of the accounts on the balance sheet and income statement do not make sense for this type of business. Simple ratio and variance analysis provides information for students to determine where problems lie. The case presents a good opportunity for students who have a basic understanding of financial statements to read a set of real statements generated by a bookkeeping service. Not all transactions are logical for a small café, although the financial information is from a real café in operation. The case also contains industry information on the operations of small food and drinking businesses located in Nova Scotia.
The Gift of the ISE Frameworks: A Better Language for Museum Learning
Authors: Sheppard Beverly
Published: July 2010

Abstract  The publication of Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits has garnered well‐deserved attention from the whole museum profession. It has become a point of discussion and debate, as well as a new tool for museum leadership and advocacy. Thinking of it only as a landmark report for science‐based museums, however, would be a mistake and a lost opportunity. This report has important content for cross‐disciplinary impact. It offers the gift of new language and thoughtful frameworks through which we can tell our individual stories more compellingly while supporting a shared definition of museums as valid places of learning. It gives fresh substance to the role of museums as effective learning resources.
What the Zoo Should Ask: The Visitor Perspective on Pro‐wildlife Behavior Attributes
Authors: Smith Liam , Curtis Jim , Van Dijk Pieter
Published: July 2010

Abstract  Zoos have some choice about which pro‐wildlife behaviors to ask their visitors to do, but with this freedom comes the difficult task of choosing behaviors that are appropriate, effective, and that do not affect visitors’ experiences. This paper presents attributes of pro‐wildlife behaviors that emerged from self‐completed questionnaires administered to 114 zoo visitors. Questions sought to elicit attributes that visitors felt should be considered in the behavior selection process. The results say that behaviors should: have an on‐site option; be new, or if known, include new learning that underpins why they are needed; be easy to do; and have a clear link between the behavior and how it helps wildlife. Respondents also made comments about specific behaviors as well as how behaviors should or should not be requested. We suggest that visitors’ perspectives be incorporated into pro‐wildlife behavior selection in zoos, and we propose that these findings may be relevant beyond zoos.
Dual parameter ballistic electron emission spectroscopy analysis of inhomogeneous interfaces
Authors: Troadec Cedric , Goh Kuan Eng Johnson
Published: July 2010

A dual parameter representation of the barrier height and transmission extracted from ballistic electron emission spectroscopy spectra is presented and evaluated with respect to the noise present in the spectra and the conditions used for data fitting. Simulated dual parameter distributions incorporating only Gaussian (white) noise are compared to experimental dual parameter distributions for two interfaces, namely, Au/n-Si and Au/pentacene/n-Si. The authors find that for both measurements, noise and data fitting conditions can have significant influence on the distributions. Once these contributions are accounted for, such dual parameter representations provide statistical information related to the interfacial homogeneity of devices.
Phase separation and microstructure of BaTiO3–CoFe2O4 epitaxial nanocomposite films deposited under low working pressure
Authors: Kim Kyoung Sun , Han Seung Ho , Kim Ho Gi , Kim Jeong Seog , Cheon Chae Il
Published: July 2010

0.6 BaTiO3–0.4CoFe2O4 (BTO-CFO) composite thin films were deposited under various working pressures on SrTiO3 (100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The phase separation and the microstructure of the composite film were investigated by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The separation of the BTO and CFO phases started at a lower substrate temperature and full width at half maximum values for BTO and CFO were smaller in the heteroepitaxial composite film deposited under a low working pressure of 0.1 mTorr than the composite film deposited under 100 mTorr. The BTO-CFO heteroepitaxial nanocomposite film exhibited a typical 1–3 nanostructure, rectangular-shaped CFO nanopillars with a lateral size of 20–50 nm embedded in the continuous BTO matrix phase, when deposited at 750 °C under 0.1 mTorr.
Germanium surface hydrophilicity and low-temperature Ge layer transfer by Ge–SiO2 bonding
Authors: Ma Xiaobo , Liu Weili , Du Xiaofeng , Liu Xuyan , Song Zhitang , Lin Chenglu , Chu Paul K.
Published: July 2010

Wafer bonding and layer transfer are two fundamental technologies in the fabrication of advanced microsystems. In the authors’ experiments, prior to Ge wafer bonding, the hydrophilicity of the germanium surface after wet chemical treatment and O2/N2 plasma activation is evaluated by contact angle measurement. The effects and mechanism of wet or dry treatments on the Ge surface roughness are also characterized. The results are used to tailor the Ge–SiO2 direct bonding process. Finally, oxygen plasma activation for 10 s and B+/H+ coimplantation are employed to facilitate Ge–SiO2 direct bonding and Ge layer transfer at a low temperature. In comparison with hydrogen only ion implantation using the same fluence, coimplantation of B+ and H+ decreases the layer transfer temperature from over 400–320 °C.