bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression of human Piwi-likegenes is associated with prognosis for soft tissue sarcoma patients
Authors: Greither Thomas , Koser Franziska , Kappler Matthias , Bache Matthias , Lautenschläger Christine , Göbel Steffen , Holzhausen Hans-Jürgen , Wach Sven , Würl Peter , Taubert Helge
Published: June 2012

Background

Argonaute genes are essential for RNA interference, stem cell maintenance and differentiation. The Piwi-like genes, a subclass of the Argonaute genes, are expressed mainly in the germline. These genes may be re-expressed in tumors, and expression of the Piwi-like genes is associated with prognosis in several types of tumors.

Methods

We measured the expression of Piwi-like mRNAs (Piwi-like 2–4) in 125 soft tissue sarcoma (STS) samples by qPCRs. Statistical tests were applied to study the correlation of expression levels with tumor-specific survival for STS patients.

Results

In multivariate Cox’s regression analyses, we showed that low Piwi-like 2 and Piwi-like 4 mRNA expression were significantly associated with a worse prognosis (RR = 1.87; p = 0.032 and RR = 1.82; p = 0.039). Low expression of both genes was associated with a 2.58-fold increased risk of tumor-related death (p = 0.01). Piwi-like 4 and combined Piwi-like 2 and 4 mRNA levels correlated significantly with prognosis (RR = 3.53; p = 0.002 and RR = 5.23; p = 0.004) only for female but not for male patients. However, combined low Piwi-like 2 and 3 transcript levels were associated with worse survival (RR = 5.90; p = 0.02) for male patients.

Conclusions

In this study, we identified a significant association between the expression of Piwi-like 2 and 4 mRNAs and the tumor-specific survival of soft tissue sarcoma patients. Furthermore, a connection between sex and the impact of Piwi-like mRNA expressions on STS patients’ prognosis was shown for the first time.
The role of cytochrome c oxidase subunit Va in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells: association with migration, invasion and prediction of distant metastasis
Authors: Chen Wen-Liang , Kuo Kuang-Tai , Chou Teh-Ying , Chen Chien-Lung , Wang Chih-Hao , Wei Yau-Huei , Wang Liang-Shun
Published: June 2012

Background

Lung cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide, but useful biomarkers of lung cancer are still insufficient. The aim of this study is to identify some membrane-bound protein(s) associated with migration and invasion in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells.

Methods

We classified four NSCLC cell lines into high and low migration/invasion groups by Transwell and Matrigel assays. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), we identified 10 membrane-associated proteins being significantly overexpressed in the high migration/invasion group. The expression of the target protein in the four NSCLC cell lines was then confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blot and immunostaining. RNA interference technique was applied to observe the influence of the target protein on migration and invasion. Gelatin zymography was also performed to evaluate the activities of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9. Expression condition of the target protein on surgical specimens was further examined by immunohistochemical staining and the clinicopathologic data were analyzed.

Results

We identified a mitochondria-bound protein cytochrome c oxidase subunit Va (COX Va) because of its abundant presence found exclusively in tumorous areas. We also demonstrated that migration and invasion of NSCLC cells decreased substantially after knocking down COX Va by siRNA. Meanwhile, we found a positive correlation between COX Va expression, Bcl-2 expression and activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in NSCLC cells. Immunohistochemical staining of surgically resected lung adenocarcinomas in 250 consecutive patients revealed that strong COX Va expression was found in 54.8% (137/250) of patients and correlated positively with the status of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.032). Furthermore, strong COX Va expression was associated with the presence of distant metastasis (P = 0.033).

Conclusions

Our current study showed that COX Va may play a role in migration and invasion of NSCLC cells and can be used as a biomarker to predict aggressiveness of NSCLC.
Diagnosis and treatment delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients identified using the Taiwan reporting enquiry system, 2002–2006
Authors: Lin Hui-Ping , Deng Chung-Yeh , Chou Pesus
Published: June 2012

Background

The tuberculosis reporting enquiry system was launched in Taiwan in 2001. Tuberculosis has been categorized as the third most important notifiable disease in Taiwan and the time required for reporting has been shortened to 7 days.

Methods

A total of 114,827 cases were reported using the Taiwan enquiry system between 2002 and 2006; of these, 26,027 (22.7%) were finally diagnosed as not being tuberculosis, 7,005 (8.2%) were diagnosed as extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and 3,677 (3.2%) were not a first-time diagnosis of tuberculosis, and these cases were hence excluded. Diagnosis time was defined as the length of time between the first medical examination (including chest radiography, sputum smear or sputum culture) to the diagnosis of PTB; treatment time was defined as the period from the diagnosis of PTB to the initiation of treatment. Using the cut-off at the 75th percentile, a period of longer than 9 days was defined as a diagnosis delay and a period of longer than 2 days as a treatment delay. Multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the risk factors associated with these delays.

Results

During the five-year study period, among the 78,118 new PTB patients reported in Taiwan, the mean diagnosis and treatment times were 12 and 5 days and the median times 1 day and 0 days, respectively. In total, 24.9% of the new PTB patients' diagnosis time delays were longer than 9 days and 20.3% of the patients' treatment time delays were longer than 2 days. The main factors associated with diagnosis delay included age, reporting year, living with family and a positive sputum culture (p < 0.0001); the risk factors significantly associated with treatment delay were increased age, an aboriginal ethnic background, a positive sputum culture and diagnosis at a non-medical center (p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The Taiwan TB reporting enquiry system has successfully increased the confirmed PTB reporting rate from 64.4% to 71.5%. Greater age and a positive sputum culture were both found to significantly increase both diagnosis and treatment delays; treatment delay is also significantly affected by the patient having an aboriginal ethnic background and being diagnosed at a non-medical center.
HIV prevention cost-effectiveness: a systematic review
Authors: Galárraga Omar , Colchero M Arantxa , Wamai Richard G , Bertozzi Stefano M
Published: June 2012

Background

After more than 25 years, public health programs have not been able to sufficiently reduce the number of new HIV infections. Over 7,000 people become infected with HIV every day. Lack of convincing evidence of cost-effectiveness (CE) may be one of the reasons why implementation of effective programs is not occurring at sufficient scale. This paper identifies, summarizes and critiques the CE literature related to HIV-prevention interventions in low- and middle-income countries during 2005-2008.

Methods

Systematic identification of publications was conducted through several methods: electronic databases, internet search of international organizations and major funding/implementing agencies, and journal browsing. Inclusion criteria included: HIV prevention intervention, year for publication (2005-2008), setting (low- and middle-income countries), and CE estimation (empirical or modeling) using outcomes in terms of cost per HIV infection averted and/or cost per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) or quality-adjusted life year (QALY).

Results

We found 21 distinct studies analyzing the CE of HIV-prevention interventions published in the past four years (2005-2008). Seventeen CE studies analyzed biomedical interventions; only a few dealt with behavioral and environmental/structural interventions. Sixteen studies focused on sub-Saharan Africa, and only a handful on Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Many HIV-prevention interventions are very cost effective in absolute terms (using costs per DALY averted), and also in country-specific relative terms (in cost per DALY measured as percentage of GDP per capita).

Conclusion

There are several types of interventions for which CE studies are still not available or insufficient, including surveillance, abstinence, school-based education, universal precautions, prevention for positives and most structural interventions. The sparse CE evidence available is not easily comparable; thus, not very useful for decision making. More than 25 years into the AIDS epidemic and billions of dollars of spending later, there is still much work to be done both on costs and effectiveness to adequately inform HIV prevention planning.
Factors affecting the quality of life after total knee arthroplasties: a prospective study
Authors: Papakostidou Ippolyti , Dailiana Zoe H , Papapolychroniou Theodoros , Liaropoulos Lycurgos , Zintzaras Elias , Karachalios Theophilos S , Malizos Konstantinos N
Published: June 2012

Background

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the self-reported outcomes in the first year after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and to determine factors influencing the quality of life (QoL) 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months after TKA.

Methods

A cohort of patients with knee osteoarthritis undergoing primary TKA at two hospitals (a regional university hospital and a capital’s metropolitan hospital) was prospectively followed for 12 months. Patients were assessed preoperatively and at 4 postoperative time-points, with the use of self-reported measurements for pain, physical function and depression with the following evaluation tools: Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC], Knee Society Scoring system [KSS], Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, [CES-D10] and visual analog scale [VAS] for pain). General linear modelling for repeated measures was used to evaluate the effect of each independent variable including clinical and sociodemographic data. Differences between groups at different time points were tested by the independent samples t-test.

Results

Of the 224 eligible patients, 204 (162 females, mean age 69.2) were included in the analysis. Response rate at one year was 90%. At 6 weeks after surgery, despite improvement in pain and alleviation of the depressive mood, the physical function remained less satisfactory. Females presented lower scores in terms of quality of life, both preoperatively and 6 weeks after TKA. Significant improvement was already experienced at 3 months postoperatively. According to WOMAC, KSS, CES-D10 and pain VAS scores the Qol was significantly improved 12 months after TKA (P < 0.001). CES-D10 score was positively correlated with WOMAC and pain VAS scores at all the time points assessed (P < 0.001). Age, body mass index (BMI), place of residence, level of education and social support were not significant predictors of QoL after TKA.

Conclusions

Patients experienced great improvement in their QoL after TKA in spite of a less satisfactory physical function in the first 6 weeks after surgery, with noticeable differences in the QoL among genders in the same time period. After that period all patients experienced significant improvement for all the measured parameters, until the third postoperative month with smaller changes thereafter.
Acclimatory responses of the Daphnia pulex proteome to environmental changes. II. Chronic exposure to different temperatures (10 and 20°C) mainly affects protein metabolism
Authors: Schwerin Susanne , Zeis Bettina , Lamkemeyer Tobias , Paul Rüdiger J , Koch Marita , Madlung Johannes , Fladerer Claudia , Pirow Ralph
Published: June 2012

Background

Temperature affects essentially every aspect of the biology of poikilothermic animals including the energy and mass budgets, activity, growth, and reproduction. While thermal effects in ecologically important groups such as daphnids have been intensively studied at the ecosystem level and at least partly at the organismic level, much less is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the acclimation to different temperatures. By using 2D gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry, the present study identified the major elements of the temperature-induced subset of the proteome from differently acclimatedDaphnia pulex.

Results

Specific sets of proteins were found to be differentially expressed in 10°C or 20°C acclimatedD. pulex. Most cold-repressed proteins comprised secretory enzymes which are involved in protein digestion (trypsins, chymotrypsins, astacin, carboxypeptidases). The cold-induced sets of proteins included several vitellogenin and actin isoforms (cytoplasmic and muscle-specific), and an AAA+ ATPase. Carbohydrate-modifying enzymes were constitutively expressed or down-regulated in the cold.

Conclusion

Specific sets of cold-repressed and cold-induced proteins inD. pulexcan be related to changes in the cellular demand for amino acids or to the compensatory control of physiological processes. The increase of proteolytic enzyme concentration and the decrease of vitellogenin, actin and total protein concentration between 10°C and 20°C acclimated animals reflect the increased amino-acids demand and the reduced protein reserves in the animal's body. Conversely, the increase of actin concentration in cold-acclimated animals may contribute to a compensatory mechanism which ensures the relative constancy of muscular performance. The sheer number of peptidase genes (serine-peptidase-like: > 200, astacin-like: 36, carboxypeptidase-like: 30) in theD. pulexgenome suggests large-scaled gene family expansions that might reflect specific adaptations to the lifestyle of a planktonic filter feeder in a highly variable aquatic environment.
Randomized pilot trial of a synbiotic dietary supplement in chronic HIV-1 infection
Authors: Schunter Marco , Chu Hiutung , Hayes Timothy L , McConnell Delandy , Crawford Sean S , Luciw Paul A , Bengmark Stig , Asmuth David M , Brown Jennifer , Bevins Charles L , Shacklett Barbara L , Critchfield J William
Published: June 2012

Background

Infection with HIV-1 results in marked immunologic insults and structural damage to the intestinal mucosa, including compromised barrier function. While the development of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been a major advancement in the treatment of HIV-1 infection, the need for novel complementary interventions to help restore intestinal structural and functional integrity remains unmet. Known properties of pre-, pro-, and synbiotics suggest that they may be useful tools in achieving this goal.

Methods

This was a 4-week parallel, placebo-controlled, randomized pilot trial in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy. A synbiotic formulation (Synbiotic 2000®) containing 4 strains of probiotic bacteria (1010 each) plus 4 nondigestible, fermentable dietary fibers (2.5 g each) was provided each day, versus a fiber-only placebo formulation. The primary outcome was bacterial translocation. Secondary outcomes included the levels of supplemented bacteria in stool, the activation phenotype of peripheral T-cells and monocytes, and plasma levels of C-reactive protein and soluble CD14.

Results

Microbial translocation, as measured by plasma bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA concentration, was not altered by synbiotic treatment. In contrast, the synbiotic formulation resulted in significantly elevated levels of supplemented probiotic bacterial strains in stool, including L. plantarum and P. pentosaceus, with the colonization of these two species being positively correlated with each other. T-cell activation phenotype of peripheral blood lymphocytes showed modest changes in response to synbiotic exposure, with HLA-DR expression slightly elevated on a minor population of CD4+ T-cells which lack expression of HLA-DR or PD-1. In addition, CD38 expression on CD8+ T-cells was slightly lower in the fiber-only group. Plasma levels of soluble CD14 and C-reactive protein were unaffected by synbiotic treatment in this study.

Conclusions

Synbiotic treatment for 4 weeks can successfully augment the levels of probiotic species in the gut during chronic HIV-1 infection. Associated changes in microbial translocation appear to be absent, and markers of systemic immune activation appear largely unchanged. These findings may help inform future studies aimed at testing pre- and probiotic approaches to improve gut function and mucosal immunity in chronic HIV-1 infection.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials.gov: NCT00688311
Postprandial hyperglycemia and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: focus on mitiglinide
Authors: Kitasato Lisa , Tojo Taiki , Hatakeyama Yuko , Kameda Ryo , Hashikata Takehiro , Yamaoka-Tojo Minako
Published: June 2012

The risk of cardiovascular complication in a diabetes patient is similar to that in a nondiabetic patient with a history of myocardial infarction. Although intensive control of glycemia achieved by conventional antidiabetic agents decreases microvascular complications such as retinopathy and nephropathy, no marked effect has been reported on macrovascular complications or all-cause mortality. Evidence from VADT, ACCORD, and ADVANCE would suggest that glycemic control has little effect on macrovascular outcomes. Moreover, in the case of ACCORD, intensive glycemic control may be associated with an increased risk of mortality. There is sufficient evidence that suggests that postprandial hyperglycemia may be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in diabetes patients. However, there are no prospective clinical trials supporting the recommendation that lowering postprandial blood glucose leads to lower risk of cardiovascular outcomes. Mitiglinide is a short-acting insulinotropic agent used in type 2 diabetes treatment. It has a rapid stimulatory effect on insulin secretion and reduces postprandial plasma glucose level in patients with type 2 diabetes. Because of its short action time, it is unlikely to exert adverse effects related to hypoglycemia early in the morning and between meals. Mitiglinide reduces excess oxidative stress and inflammation, plays a cardioprotective role, and improves postprandial metabolic disorders. Moreover, mitiglinide add-on therapy with pioglitazone favorably affects the vascular endothelial function in type 2 diabetes patients. These data suggest that mitiglinide plays a potentially beneficial role in the improvement of postprandial hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes patients and can be used to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Although the results of long-term, randomized, placebo-controlled trials for determining the cardiovascular effects of mitiglinide on clinical outcomes are awaited, this review is aimed at summarizing substantial insights into this topic.
Associations between toenail arsenic concentration and dietary factors in a New Hampshire population
Authors: Gruber Joann F , Karagas Margaret R , Gilbert-Diamond Diane , Bagley Pamela J , Zens M Scot , Sayarath Vicki , Punshon Tracy , Morris J Steven , Cottingham Kathryn L
Published: June 2012

Background

Dietary factors such as folate, vitamin B12, protein, and methionine are important for the excretion of arsenic via one-carbon metabolism in undernourished populations exposed to high levels of arsenic via drinking water. However, the effects of dietary factors on toenail arsenic concentrations in well-nourished populations exposed to relatively low levels of water arsenic are unknown.

Methods

As part of a population-based case–control study of skin and bladder cancer from the USA, we evaluated relationships between consumption of dietary factors and arsenic concentrations in toenail clippings. Consumption of each dietary factor was determined from a validated food frequency questionnaire. We used general linear models to examine the associations between toenail arsenic and each dietary factor, taking into account potentially confounding effects.

Results

As expected, we found an inverse association between ln-transformed toenail arsenic and consumption of vitamin B12 (excluding supplements) and animal protein. Unexpectedly, there were also inverse associations with numerous dietary lipids (e.g., total fat, total animal fat, total vegetable fat, total monounsaturated fat, total polyunsaturated fat, and total saturated fat). Finally, increased toenail arsenic concentrations were associated with increased consumption of long chain n-3 fatty acids.

Conclusion

In a relatively well-nourished population exposed to relatively low levels of arsenic via water, consumption of certain dietary lipids may decrease toenail arsenic concentration, while long chain n-3 fatty acids may increase toenail arsenic concentration, possibly due to their association with arsenolipids in fish tissue.
Associations of built food environment with body mass index and waist circumference among youth with diabetes
Authors: Lamichhane Archana P , Puett Robin , Porter Dwayne E , Bottai Matteo , Mayer-Davis Elizabeth J , Liese Angela D
Published: June 2012

Background

Youth with diabetes are at increased risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease complications. However, less is known about the influence of built food environment on health outcomes in this population. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of accessibility and availability of supermarkets and fast food outlets with Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score and waist circumference among youth with diabetes.

Methods

Information on residential location and adiposity measures (BMI z-score and waist circumference) for 845 youths with diabetes residing in South Carolina was obtained from the South Carolina site of the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. Food outlets data obtained from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and InfoUSA were merged based on names and addresses of the outlets. The comprehensive data on franchised supermarket and fast food outlets was then used to construct three accessibility and availability measures around each youth’s residence.

Results

Increased number and density of chain supermarkets around residence location were associated with lower BMI z-score and waist circumference among youth with diabetes. For instance, for a female child of 10 years of age with height of 54.2 inches and weight of 70.4 pounds, lower supermarket density around residence location was associated with about 2.8–3.2 pounds higher weight, when compared to female child of same age, height and weight with highest supermarket density around residence location. Similarly, lower supermarket density around residence location was associated with a 3.5–3.7 centimeter higher waist circumference, when compared to residence location with the highest supermarket density. The associations of number and density of chain fast food outlets with adiposity measures, however, were not significant. No significant associations were observed between distance to the nearest supermarket and adiposity measures. However, contrary to our expectation, increased distance to the nearest fast food outlet was associated with higher BMI z-score, but not with waist circumference.

Conclusions

Food environments conducive to healthy eating may significantly influence health behaviors and outcomes. Efforts to increase the availability of supermarkets providing options/selections for health-promoting foods may significantly improve the dietary intake and reduce adiposity among youth with diabetes.
Hormone-replacement therapy influences gene expression profiles and is associated with breast-cancer prognosis: a cohort study
Authors: Hall Per , Ploner Alexander , Bjöhle Judith , Huang Fei , Lin Chin-Yo , Liu Edison T , Miller Lance D , Nordgren Hans , Pawitan Yudi , Shaw Peter , Skoog Lambert , Smeds Johanna , Wedrén Sara , Öhd John , Bergh Jonas
Published: June 2012

Background

Postmenopausal hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) increases breast-cancer risk. The influence of HRT on the biology of the primary tumor, however, is not well understood.

Methods

We obtained breast-cancer gene expression profiles using Affymetrix human genome U133A arrays. We examined the relationship between HRT-regulated gene profiles, tumor characteristics, and recurrence-free survival in 72 postmenopausal women.

Results

HRT use in patients with estrogen receptor (ER) protein positive tumors (n = 72) was associated with an altered regulation of 276 genes. Expression profiles based on these genes clustered ER-positive tumors into two molecular subclasses, one of which was associated with HRT use and had significantly better recurrence free survival despite lower ER levels. A comparison with external data suggested that gene regulation in tumors associated with HRT was negatively correlated with gene regulation induced by short-term estrogen exposure, but positively correlated with the effect of tamoxifen.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that post-menopausal HRT use is associated with a distinct gene expression profile related to better recurrence-free survival and lower ER protein levels. Tentatively, HRT-associated gene expression in tumors resembles the effect of tamoxifen exposure on MCF-7 cells.
The use of electronic collars for training domestic dogs: estimated prevalence, reasons and risk factors for use, and owner perceived success as compared to other training methods
Authors: Blackwell Emily J , Bolster Christine , Richards Gemma , Loftus Bethany A , Casey Rachel A
Published: June 2012

Background

The use of electronic training devices for dog training is controversial. The aims of this study were to give an indication of the extent to which dog owners use these devices in England, identify factors associated with their use, and compare owner report of outcomes. A convenience sample of dog owners in England was used to identify numbers using electronic training devices and identify reasons for use. Factors associated with use of remote e-collars only were determined by comparing dogs trained using these devices with two control populations matched for reason of use (recall / chasing problems). Comparison groups were: those using other ‘negative reinforcement / positive punishment’ training techniques, and those using ‘positive reinforcement / negative punishment’ based methods. A multinominal logistic regression model was used to compare factors between categories of training method. Owner reported success for use was compared using chi-squared analysis.

Results

For England only, 3.3% (n = 133) owners reported using remote activated e-collars, 1.4% (n = 54) reported use of bark activated e-collars, and 0.9% (n = 36) reported using electronic boundary fences. In comparison with the e-collar group, owners using reward based training methods for recall / chasing were 2.8 times more likely to be female and 2.7 times less likely to have attended agility training. Owners using other aversive methods for recall / chasing were 2.8 times more likely to have attended puppy classes than those using e-collars. However, the model only explained 10% variance between groups. A significantly higher proportion of owners in the reward group reported training success than those in the e-collar group.

Conclusions

In conclusion, a fairly low proportion of owners select to use electronic training devices. For a population matched by reason for training method use, characteristics of dogs, including occurrence of undesired behaviours do not appear to distinguish between training methods. Rather, owner gender and attendance at training classes appear more important, although explaining a relatively small amount of variance between groups. More owners using reward based methods for recall / chasing report a successful outcome of training than those using e-collars.
Impact of whole-body computed tomography on mortality and surgical management of severe blunt trauma
Authors: Yeguiayan Jean-Michel , Yap Anabelle , Freysz Marc , Garrigue Delphine , Jacquot Claude , Martin Claude , Binquet Christine , Riou Bruno , Bonithon-Kopp Claire ,   the FIRST Study Group
Published: June 2012

Introduction

The mortality benefit of whole-body computed tomography (CT) in early trauma management remains controversial and poorly understood. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of whole-body CT compared with selective CT on mortality and management of patients with severe blunt trauma.

Methods

The FIRST (French Intensive care Recorded in Severe Trauma) study is a multicenter cohort study on consecutive patients with severe blunt trauma requiring admission to intensive care units from university hospital trauma centers within the first 72 hours. Initial data were combined to construct a propensity score to receive whole-body CT and selective CT used in multivariable logistic regression models, and to calculate the probability of survival according to the Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS) for 1,950 patients. The main endpoint was 30-day mortality.

Results

In total, 1,696 patients out of 1,950 (87%) were given whole-body CT. The crude 30-day mortality rates were 16% among whole-body CT patients and 22% among selective CT patients (p = 0.02). A significant reduction in the mortality risk was observed among whole-body CT patients whatever the adjustment method (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.34-0.99 after adjustment for baseline characteristics and post-CT treatment). Compared to the TRISS predicted survival, survival significantly improved for whole-body CT patients but not for selective CT patients. The pattern of early surgical and medical procedures significantly differed between the two groups.

Conclusions

Diagnostic whole-body CT was associated with a significant reduction in 30-day mortality among patients with severe blunt trauma. Its use may be a global indicator of better management.
Black Aesthetics Unbound
Authors: Crawford Margo Natalie
Published: June 2012

How did the Black Arts movement become an antitext movement? How did the black aesthetic of this movement use the tension between the bound and the unbound? This essay examines the movement’s critique of a dominant “museum exhibit” cultural industry that transformed grass-roots culture into highbrow capital. The author argues that the movement resisted the “museum exhibit” of the dominant-culture industry by dramatizing the tension points between inner space, outside space, and unbound space. The aesthetic warfare of the movement is shown to be a struggle against the textualization of gesture and process. This antitext struggle is brought into close relation with the often unrecognized conceptual art movement at the core of the Black Arts movement. The AfriCOBRA tenet of “mimesis at mid-point” leads the author to a reconsideration of the explicit theorizing, during this movement, about the need for both representation and abstraction. As artists worked books for their most antitext and anti-object possibilities, words were worked for their most oral and visual possibilities. The antitext impulse became the impulse to shape the black aesthetic around sonic imagetexts (textual performances that aimed to somehow avoid framing and containing ephemeral but excessive acts of sounding black, looking black, and becoming black).
Death Proof: Trauma, Memory, and Black Power–Era Images in Contemporary Visual Culture
Authors: Ongiri Amy
Published: June 2012

In Death 24x a Second Laura Mulvey argues that cinematic images belie the deathlike qualities of still photography because of their ability to invoke the appearance of life through motion. This essay examines film and video projects that use found footage and still images from the Black Power era by redeploying them in experimental film and digital formats. Often highly didactic and formulaic in their original form, the Black Panther Party’s imagery of guns, fists, and men in militarized formations contested prevailing notions of race, power, and masculinity. Similarly, groups like the Symbionese Liberation Army are most often remembered through their spectacular representation in visual media culture rather than through their political actions or agendas. Video and film projects such as Raymond Pettibon and David Markey’s Citizen Tania (1989), Isaac Julien’s Baltimore (2003), Sharon Hayes’s Symbionese Liberation Army, Screed #16, Patricia Hearst’s Second Tape (2003), and Coco Fusco’s a/k/a Mrs. George Gilbert (2004) mobilize Black Power–era images in a formal as well as narrative challenge to conventions around race, gender, and sexuality. They also question the notion that the historical past is effectively “dead” because of its seemingly fixed status as a static object in structures of nostalgia and memory. Film, video, and installation work by Fusco, Julien, Pettibon, Bill Jones, Lyle Ashton Harris, and Carrie Mae Weems position still photography and graphic images in ways that challenge the boundaries of new media and the prevalent notion that the radical ideologies of the Black Power era represents necessarily “dead” ideologies.
America Black: Faith Ringgold’s Paintings of the Late 1960s
Authors: Wallace Michele
Published: June 2012

In an article written by her daughter Michele Wallace, Faith Ringgold’s Black Light series is presented as part of an experiment in the 1960s quest for the creation of a “black aesthetics” best understood in relation to Ringgold’s life and the evolution of her oeuvre. Black collectives and groups such as Spiral, Weusi, Where We At, and AfriCOBRA have similarly pursued a uniquely black expression in the context of what came to be known as the Black Arts movement. Ringgold’s journey was singular in that it led her to activism in the larger art world and in the women’s movement, transforming Ringgold herself into a black feminist. At the same time, the Black Light series displays her formalist and aesthetic concerns regarding the larger American art scene, with which she was thoroughly familiar as a well-trained artist conversant with the European and American modernist canons. The series, only recently seen in its entirety in an exhibition curated by the Neuberger Museum in Purchase, New York, of Ringgold’s 1960s paintings, should be considered a brilliant contribution to the trajectory and consequently the narrative of American art at all levels.
Field Notes: Raising the “Studio” at Studio Museum
Authors: Spriggs Edward S.
Published: June 2012

This essay documents how Edward S. Spriggs, early director of the Studio Museum in Harlem, built the museum’s artist-in-residence program with the idea of engaging the community by providing studios to artists in need of space and by creating a printmaking workshop. The essay also describes the debates, about the meaning of black art in the United States, Africa, and the Diaspora, that accompanied the program’s development.
β-Catenin signaling specifies progenitor cell identity in parallel with Shh signaling in the developing mammalian thalamus
Authors: Bluske Krista K. , Vue Tou Yia , Kawakami Yasuhiko , Taketo Makoto M. , Yoshikawa Kazuaki , Johnson Jane E. , Nakagawa Yasushi
Published: June 2012

Neural progenitor cells within the developing thalamus are spatially organized into distinct populations. Their correct specification is critical for generating appropriate neuronal subtypes in specific locations during development. Secreted signaling molecules, such as sonic hedgehog (Shh) and Wnts, are required for the initial formation of the thalamic primordium. Once thalamic identity is established and neurogenesis is initiated, Shh regulates the positional identity of thalamic progenitor cells. Although Wnt/β-catenin signaling also has differential activity within the thalamus during this stage of development, its significance has not been directly addressed. In this study, we used conditional gene manipulations in mice and explored the roles of β-catenin signaling in the regional identity of thalamic progenitor cells. We found β-catenin is required during thalamic neurogenesis to maintain thalamic fate while suppressing prethalamic fate, demonstrating that regulation of regional fate continues to require extrinsic signals. These roles of β-catenin appeared to be mediated at least partly by regulating two basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors, Neurog1 and Neurog2. β-Catenin and Shh signaling function in parallel to specify two progenitor domains within the thalamus, where individual transcription factors expressed in each progenitor domain were regulated differently by the two signaling pathways. We conclude that β-catenin has multiple functions during thalamic neurogenesis and that both Shh and β-catenin pathways are important for specifying distinct types of thalamic progenitor cells, ensuring that the appropriate neuronal subtypes are generated in the correct locations.
Concerted control of gliogenesis by InR/TOR and FGF signalling in the Drosophila post-embryonic brain
Authors: Avet-Rochex Amélie , Kaul Aamna K. , Gatt Ariana P. , McNeill Helen , Bateman Joseph M.
Published: June 2012

Glial cells are essential for the development and function of the nervous system. In the mammalian brain, vast numbers of glia of several different functional types are generated during late embryonic and early foetal development. However, the molecular cues that instruct gliogenesis and determine glial cell type are poorly understood. During post-embryonic development, the number of glia in the Drosophila larval brain increases dramatically, potentially providing a powerful model for understanding gliogenesis. Using glial-specific clonal analysis we find that perineural glia and cortex glia proliferate extensively through symmetric cell division in the post-embryonic brain. Using pan-glial inhibition and loss-of-function clonal analysis we find that Insulin-like receptor (InR)/Target of rapamycin (TOR) signalling is required for the proliferation of perineural glia. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling is also required for perineural glia proliferation and acts synergistically with the InR/TOR pathway. Cortex glia require InR in part, but not downstream components of the TOR pathway, for proliferation. Moreover, cortex glia absolutely require FGF signalling, such that inhibition of the FGF pathway almost completely blocks the generation of cortex glia. Neuronal expression of the FGF receptor ligand Pyramus is also required for the generation of cortex glia, suggesting a mechanism whereby neuronal FGF expression coordinates neurogenesis and cortex gliogenesis. In summary, we have identified two major pathways that control perineural and cortex gliogenesis in the post-embryonic brain and have shown that the molecular circuitry required is lineage specific.
Fat facets deubiquitylation of Medea/Smad4 modulates interpretation of a Dpp morphogen gradient
Authors: Stinchfield Michael J. , Takaesu Norma T. , Quijano Janine C. , Castillo Ashley M. , Tiusanen Nina , Shimmi Osamu , Enzo Elena , Dupont Sirio , Piccolo Stefano , Newfeld Stuart J.
Published: June 2012

The ability of secreted Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) proteins to act as morphogens dictates that their influence be strictly regulated. Here, we report that maternally contributed fat facets (faf; a homolog of USP9X/FAM) is essential for proper interpretation of the zygotic Decapentaplegic (Dpp) morphogen gradient that patterns the embryonic dorsal-ventral axis. The data suggest that the loss of faf reduces the activity of Medea (a homolog of Smad4) below the minimum necessary for adequate Dpp signaling and that this is likely due to excessive ubiquitylation on a specific lysine. This study supports the hypothesis that the control of cellular responsiveness to TGFβ signals at the level of Smad4 ubiquitylation is a conserved mechanism required for proper implementation of a morphogen gradient.
Glycosaminoglycan-dependent restriction of FGF diffusion is necessary for lacrimal gland development
Authors: Qu Xiuxia , Pan Yi , Carbe Christian , Powers Andrea , Grobe Kay , Zhang Xin
Published: June 2012

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) play a central role in embryonic development by regulating the movement and signaling of morphogens. We have previously demonstrated that GAGs are the co-receptors for Fgf10 signaling in the lacrimal gland epithelium, but their function in the Fgf10-producing periocular mesenchyme is still poorly understood. In this study, we have generated a mesenchymal ablation of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (Ugdh), an essential biosynthetic enzyme for GAGs. Although Fgf10 RNA is expressed normally in the periocular mesenchyme, Ugdh mutation leads to excessive dispersion of Fgf10 protein, which fails to elicit an FGF signaling response or budding morphogenesis in the presumptive lacrimal gland epithelium. This is supported by genetic rescue experiments in which the Ugdh lacrimal gland defect is ameliorated by constitutive Ras activation in the epithelium but not in the mesenchyme. We further show that lacrimal gland development requires the mesenchymal expression of the heparan sulfate N-sulfation genes Ndst1 and Ndst2 but not the 6-O and 2-O-sulfation genes Hs6st1, Hs6st2 and Hs2st. Taken together, these results demonstrate that mesenchymal GAG controls lacrimal gland induction by restricting the diffusion of Fgf10.
klumpfuss distinguishes stem cells from progenitor cells during asymmetric neuroblast division
Authors: Xiao Qi , Komori Hideyuki , Lee Cheng-Yu
Published: June 2012

Asymmetric stem cell division balances maintenance of the stem cell pool and generation of diverse cell types by simultaneously allowing one daughter progeny to maintain a stem cell fate and its sibling to acquire a progenitor cell identity. A progenitor cell possesses restricted developmental potential, and defects in the regulation of progenitor cell potential can directly impinge on the maintenance of homeostasis and contribute to tumor initiation. Despite their importance, the molecular mechanisms underlying the precise regulation of restricted developmental potential in progenitor cells remain largely unknown. We used the type II neural stem cell (neuroblast) lineage in Drosophila larval brain as a genetic model system to investigate how an intermediate neural progenitor (INP) cell acquires restricted developmental potential. We identify the transcription factor Klumpfuss (Klu) as distinguishing a type II neuroblast from an INP in larval brains. klu functions to maintain the identity of type II neuroblasts, and klu mutant larval brains show progressive loss of type II neuroblasts due to premature differentiation. Consistently, Klu protein is detected in type II neuroblasts but is undetectable in immature INPs. Misexpression of klu triggers immature INPs to revert to type II neuroblasts. In larval brains lacking brain tumor function or exhibiting constitutively activated Notch signaling, removal of klu function prevents the reversion of immature INPs. These results led us to propose that multiple mechanisms converge to exert precise control of klu and distinguish a progenitor cell from its sibling stem cell during asymmetric neuroblast division.
Selective Hydroxylation of Cyclohexene in Water as an Environment-friendly Solvent with Hydrogen Peroxide over Fe–Bipyridine Encapsulated in Y-type Zeolite
Authors: Yamaguchi Syuhei , Fukura Tomohiro , Fujita Chiharu , Yahiro Hidenori
Published: June 2012

The selective hydroxylation of cyclohexene to 2-cyclohexen-1-ol with hydrogen peroxide in water was successfully achieved using [Fe(bpy)3]2+ complexes encapsulated into Y-type zeolite.
The First Example for Cyanation of Arylboronic Acids with Nontoxic and Inexpensive K4[Fe(CN)6]
Authors: Tian Xinzhe , Sun Yanpei , Dong Chuanhua , Zhang Kaixuan , Liang Tengfei , Zhang Yu , Hou Chaodong
Published: June 2012

Nontoxic and inexpensive K4[Fe(CN)6] is first introduced as a cyanating agent to cyanation of arylboronic acids. The present method is simple, practical, and allowed a wide range of substrates including functionalized phenylboronic acids, 1-naphthylboronic acid as well as heterocyclic boronic acids to be smoothly converted into the corresponding products in moderate to high yields.
Photofuel Cells Using Allophane–Titania Nanocomposites
Authors: Nishikiori Hiromasa , Ito Masaaki , Setiawan Rudi Agus , Kikuchi Ayaka , Yamakami Tomohiko , Fujii Tsuneo
Published: June 2012

Allophane–titania nanocomposite electrodes were prepared from titanium alkoxide sols dispersing the natural clay mineral allophane. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the oxidative degradation of glucose in the electrolyte enhanced the generation of electricity during UV irradiation. A higher short-circuit current was observed in the photofuel cell using the 0.10% allophane-containing titania electrode than that with the normal titania electrode. Allophane effectively adsorbed the glucose molecules and then transported them to the titania, on which their oxidation induced the electrogeneration.
Preparation of Nanosheets by Ultrasonic Exfoliation with the Aid of Surfactant Poly(vinylpyrrolidone)
Authors: Li Caixia , Lv Qing , Jiang Danyu , Zhang Lin , Xia Jinfeng , Li Qiang
Published: June 2012

Using poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) as a stabilizing agent graphite nanosheets (GNs) and molybdenum disulfide nanosheets (MNs) were conveniently obtained under ultrasound treatment. The two kinds of obtained nanosheets were detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. UV–vis spectrophotometric measurement was performed to test their typical absorption peaks.
An Improved Method to Increase the Concentration of Graphene in Organic Solvent
Authors: Zhang Hao , Wen Jiqiu , Meng Xiaopeng , Yao Yadong , Yin Guangfu , Liao Xiaoming , Huang Zhongbing
Published: June 2012

We added an organic additive 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP) and water to dimethylformamide (DMF) and exfoliated graphite therein to prepare graphene. When the content of AMP was 1.0 vol % and the content of water was 0.4 vol %, the dispersion of graphene was obtained at the concentration up to 0.3 mg mL−1, which was 50% higher than that obtained by directly exfoliating graphite in DMF for 24 h. At the same time, the graphene sheets maintained high quality with little impurity.
First trimester, second trimester, and integrated screening for Down's syndrome in China
Authors: Miao Zheng-You , Liu Xia , Shi Tong-Kun , Xu Ying , Song Qin-Hao , Tang Shao-Hua
Published: June 2012

Objective

To compare the effectiveness of first trimester, second trimester, and integrated screening for Down's syndrome.

Setting

Two prenatal diagnosis centres in China.

Methods

A total of 11,966 pregnant women (≥18 years) were screened over 21 months. First trimester screening (11–13 weeks) comprised measurement of serum free beta-human chorionic gonadotrophin (β-hCG) and pregnancy-associated protein-A concentrations, and fetal nuchal translucency thickness. Second trimester screening (15–20 weeks) comprised measurement of β-hCG and alpha fetoprotein concentrations. Computer software was used to calculate the risk of carrying a Down's syndrome fetus.

Results

The overall incidence of Down's syndrome was 0.2% (23/11,966). When the false-positive rate was fixed at 5%, detection rates for first trimester, second trimester, and integrated screening were 73.9%, 69.6%, and 82.6%, respectively. When the false-positive rate was fixed at 3%, detection/sensitivity rates for first trimester, second trimester, and integrated screening were 65.2%, 56.5%, and 73.9%, respectively.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that integrated screening was the most effective means of screening for Down's syndrome in a Chinese population.