bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality of Life Assessment Among Migraine Patients Treated With Sumatriptan
Authors: Solomon Glen D. , Skobieranda Franck G. , Genzen Jonathan R.
Published: May 2005

Purpose.‐Quality of life evaluations can enhance traditional measures of therapeutic efficacy. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the impact of sumatriptan on the quality of life of patients with migraine headaches.

Patients and Methods.‐Migraine patients who were given a prescription for sumatriptan completed an SF‐36 questionnaire and a nine‐item pain questionnaire. Six to 9 months later, patients were mailed another copy of the SF‐36 and the nine‐item pain questionnaire. We compared the pretreatment and posttreatment scores for the SF‐36 and for each question of the nine‐item pain questionnaire.

Results.‐The pretreatment SF‐36 was completed by 255 patients. The pretreatment pain questionnaire was completed by 86 of these patients. Follow‐up questionnaires were returned by 147 patients (58%). Three of the eight SF‐36 scales: role functioning‐physical, bodily pain, and social functioning showed significant (P<0.05) improvement with treatment. On the nine‐item pain‐specific questionnaire, three items ‐ pain interference with normal work, ability to walk or move about, and enjoyment of life showed statistically significant (P<O.05) improvement after sumatriptan treatment.

Conclusions.‐Sumatriptan caused a significant improvement in the quality of life of patients with very severe migraine. This improvement was measurable by both the general quality of life instrument and the pain‐specific questionnaire.
Divalproex Sodium and Other Medications for Headache Following Craniotomy for Acoustic Neuroma
Authors: Hendler Nelson , Cashen Ann , Morrison Candis , Long Donlin , Holliday Michael
Published: May 2005

Multiple pharmacologic agents were used in attempt to relieve a constant and severe headache in a 47‐year‐old patient following craniotomy for removal of an acoustic neuroma. Possible etiologies for the unremitting headache are presented. Response to various pharmacologic agents are listed and discussed. During the postoperative course of two surgeries on this patient, it was possible to propose an etiology for the headache by analyzing the mechanisms of each therapeutic agent, along with the patient's response. Divalproex sodium provided complete relief, suggesting the headache is attributable to cell membrane instability.
Headache Associated With Aseptic Meningeal Reaction as Clinical Onset of Fabry's Disease
Authors: Uyama E. , Ueno N. , Uchino M. , Narahara T. , Owada M. , Taketomi T. , Ando M.
Published: May 2005

This report concerns an 18‐year‐old boy who is hemizygote for Fabry's disease. Varying degrees of nonpulsating headache crises, lasting from a few hours to several days, began when he was 16 years of age. Painful crises in the extremities, characteristic of Fabry's disease, were not present. Although only occasional, he had several episodes of throbbing headache with vomiting without aura. The meningeal signs were equivocal, although the patient had noninfectious pleocytosis, intracranial hypertension, delayed radioisotope clearance on cisternography, and multiple old cerebral infarcts. Nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, carbamazepine, and glycerol were of no benefit for his headache. Although its mode of action remains obscure, prednisolone was effective for treating the headache and the aseptic meningeal reaction.
Headache Disability Inventory (HDI): Short‐term Test‐Retest Reliability and Spouse Perceptions
Authors: Jacobson Gary P. , Ramadan Nabih M. , Norris Lisa , Newman Craig W.
Published: May 2005

We have reported previously that the 25‐item Headache Disability Inventory has good internal consistency reliability, robust long‐term (2 month) test‐retest stability, and good construct validity. We conducted further investigations to evaluate the short‐term (1 week) test‐retest reliability and spouse perceptions of patients' self‐perceived headache disability. The short‐term test‐retest reliability of the Headache Disability Inventory was excellent. Additionally, the spouse and patients' perceptions of the patient's headache disability generally were congruent, although we observed instances where the differences were marked.
Headache Associated With Transient Ischemic Attacks
Authors: Ferro J.M. , Costa Ilda , Melo T.P. , Canhão P. , Oliveira V. , Salgado A.V. , Crespo M. , Pinto A.N.
Published: May 2005

Sixty (29%) of 205 consecutive patients with transient ischemic attacks registered in a hospital stroke data base had headache within 72 hours of onset. Headache was significantly more common in nonsmokers (odds ratio = 2.8; 95% confidence interval = 6.7 to 1.2). Headache was infrequent in patients with amaurosis fugax, and was not significantly associated with any other particular clinical presentation of transient ischemic attack. Headache was more common in vertebrobasilar (33%) than in carotid distribution (24%) episodes, and was not rare in transient ischemic attacks presenting as lacunar syndromes (29%). Headache was less frequent in patients whose computerized tomograms showed an infarct appropriate to the symptoms (odds ratio = 0.2; 95% confidence interval = 0.02 to 1.4). A diffuse headache was more common in patients with lacunar events than in patients with cortical attacks (odds ratio = 3.0; 95% confidence interval = 13 to 0.07). No other association was found between headache location and the presumed involved vascular territory. Headache in patients with transient ischemic attacks is poorly related/explained by the clinical characteristics of the ischemic event.
Facial Pain as a Symptom of Nonmetastatic Lung Cancer
Authors: Capobianco David J.
Published: May 2005

Patients with nonmetastatic lung cancer may rarely experience facial pain as a presenting symptom, during the course of the disease or upon recurrence of the disease. This study reviews a 10‐year experience at Mayo Clinic. The aim of this study was to (1) further characterize the clinical features of facial pain as a symptom of nonmetastatic lung cancer, and (2) assist clinicians in recognizing this association. Ten cases were identified. All patients complained of severe, aching, facial pain typically aural‐temporal in location, ipsilateral to the lung cancer. Six of the 10 cases involved the left side. Recent weight loss was present in 7 of 10 patients, with an elevated sedimentation rate in 6. Digital clubbing was documented in three. Neurologic examinations and neuroimaging were normal in all patients. Lumbar puncture, when performed, was normal. Facial pain preceded the diagnosis of lung cancer by 1 to 24 months. In three patients, facial pain was the initial symptom of tumor recurrence. Four of the 10 tumors were adenocarcinoma; radiation with or without chemotherapyappears to be the treatment of choice for the facial pain. The presumed mechanism is local invasion of the vagus nerve. In suspected cases, a chest x‐ray and chest CT are indicated.
Identification and Treatment of Sleep Apnea in Patients With Chronic Headache
Authors: Poceta J. Steven , Dalessio Donald J.
Published: May 2005

This study investigates the relationship between nocturnal or morning headache and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (sleep apnea). It is not known if headache of any type is more common in patients with sleep apnea than in other patients, but morning headache is a symptom of sleep apnea. A method is needed for identifying patients with chronic headache who might benefit from evaluation and treatment of sleep apnea. We performed a retrospective assessment of frequency of morning headache in patients grouped according to final diagnosis: sleep apnea (n=72), periodic leg movements of sleep (n=28), and psychophysiologic insomnia (n=42). Prospective overnight sleep studies were obtained in a different group of 19 patients who presented for evaluation of headache. We selected certain patient characteristics as possibly indicative of sleep apnea‐related headache. The retrospective study showed that 24% of patients with sleep apnea had frequent morning headache, which was not different from the other groups. In the separate group of 19 patients with chronic headache and suspected sleep disorder, 17 had sleep apnea. Nasal continuous positive airway pressure was prescribed to 14 patients. Marked improvement in headache occurred and persisted in 4 patients and moderate improvement in 3. Responders to therapy were more likely to have vascular headaches than mixed or tension headaches, more severe sleep apnea, and a nocturnal or morning timing to their headaches. However, there was large overlap in severity of sleep apnea and likelihood of response. We conclude that morning headache is not more common in sleep apnea than in other sleep disorders. However, over 30% of patients with chronic headache and other symptoms of sleep apnea have significant improvement in headache after treatment of sleep apnea.
The Relationship Between Headaches and Sleep Disturbances
Authors: Paiva Teresa , Batista André , Martins Paula , Martins António
Published: May 2005

The relationship between headaches and sleep disturbances is complex and difficult to analyze. Both symptoms may have casual relations, or may be associated in the same patient with mutual reinforcements.

We studied 25 patients presenting with morning or nocturnal headaches. Standard headache diagnosis and polysomnography were performed. After polysomnography, the diagnoses were reevaluated.

The main headache entities were cluster, chronic paroxysmal hemicrania, migraine, tension, combined headache, and chronic substance abuse headache.

For each group, headache, sleep data, and changes in diagnosis are discussed. The diagnosis was changed in 13 patients; the final diagnoses were periodic movements of sleep, fibromyalgia syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea. The diagnoses of cluster headache and chronic paroxysmal hemi‐crania were not modified by polysomnography.

The migraine and tension headache groups had a relative male preponderance, and the diagnosis was changed in approximately half of the patients. This was also observed in combined headaches. Patients who had chronic substance abuse headaches had mainly insomnia, which in some cases, was relieved by stopping medication.

Data were also analyzed in terms of simple models linking headache and sleep disturbances. Such an approach allowed the identification of several modes of mutual interaction.

In summary, morning or nocturnal headaches are frequent indicators of a sleep disturbance and their presence might justify polysomnography, and the use of simple clinical models may be useful for understanding the complex relationship between headache and sleep.
Intravenous Magnesium Sulfate Relieves Cluster Headaches in Patients With Low Serum Ionized Magnesium Levels
Authors: Mauskop Alexander , Altura Bella T. , Cracco Roger Q. , Altura Burton M.
Published: May 2005

Patients with cluster headaches have been reported to have low serum ionized magnesium levels. We examined the possibility that patients with cluster headaches and low ionized magnesium levels may respond to an intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate. Thirty‐eight infusions of magnesium sulfate were given to 22 patients with cluster headaches. The mean ionized magnesium level prior to 23 infusions which provided relief for at least 2 days and enabled the patient to skip two or more attacks, was 0.521 ± 0.016 mmol/L; this value was 0.561 plusmn; 0.016 prior to 15 infusions which were ineffective. These latter 15 infusions were preceded by higher total magnesium levels. The ionized magnesium level prior to the 23 effective infusions was below 0.54 mmol/L in 19 patients. Five of the 15 ineffective infusions were accompanied by basal ionized magnesium levels below 0.54 mmol/L. In 76% of the infusions, there was a correlation between a response and an ionized magnesium level below 0.54 mmol/L. Nine patients (41%) obtained clinically meaningful improvement. Spontaneous remissions and a placebo effect might have accounted for some of the improvement. However, this should have applied equally to all patients, regardless of the ionized magnesium level. Measurements of ionized magnesium may prove useful in elucidating the pathogenesis of cluster headache and in identifying patients who may benefit from treatment with magnesium.
Long‐term Efficacy of Subcutaneous Sumatriptan Using a Novel Self‐injector
Authors: Gross M.L.P. , Kay J. , Turner A.M. , Jewsbury J. , Cleal A.L.
Published: May 2005

An open, multicenter study investigated the long‐term efficacy, tolerability, and acceptability to patients of subcutaneous sumatriptan 6 mg, administered using a novel cartridge system self‐injector, for the acute treatment of migraine. Eighty patients treated all migraine attacks for 6 months at home with a subcutaneous injection of sumatriptan 6 mg. A second injection could be taken after 1 to 24 hours if relief was inadequate, or if the headache recurred, and rescue medication could be taken 1 hour after the second injection. The primary end point was the percentage of attacks in which headache improved from severe or moderate before treatment to mild or absent at 1 hour after the first injection. A total of 1566 attacks were treated by the 80 patients and 69 patients completed 6 months of treatment. Headache relief was reported 1 hour after the first injection in a mean of 78% of attacks (83% in the first 3 months and 76% in the second 3 months). A second injection was required in a mean of 40% of attacks, and headache was mild or absent 1 hour after the second injection in a mean of 77% of attacks. Rescue medication was required after the second injection in a mean of 14% of attacks. At the end of the study, 87% of patients said that they would take the medication again, and at each clinic visit over 80% said that they found the injector easy to use. Adverse events were similar to those reported previously with sumatriptan and were mostly mild to moderate in intensity, short‐lived, and resolved spontaneously.

Subcutaneous sumatriptan 6 mg is an effective, well tolerated, and well accepted, long‐term, acute treatment for migraine when self‐injected by patients using the novel self‐injector.
Preemptive Oral Treatment With Sumatriptan During a Cluster Period
Authors: Monstad I. , Krabbe A. , Micieli G. , Prusinski A. , Cole J. , Pilgrim A. , Shevlin P.
Published: May 2005

This multinational, multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study in 169 patients investigated the effect of a 7‐day period of preemptive treatment with oral sumatriptan (100 mg tid) on the frequency and severity of cluster headache attacks occurring during an established cluster headache period. Safety and tolerability were also assessed.

Cluster headache patients who were not taking prophylactic medication and had experienced seven or more attacks in the preceding observation week, treated a cluster headache attack at home with subcutaneous sumatriptan 6 mg using an autoinjector device. Patients were then randomized to take sumatriptan 100 mg or placebo at 8‐hourly intervals for a 7‐day period. Cluster headaches occurring during this period could be treated 5 minutes after onset with rescue medication (100% oxygen or simple analgesics). Diary cards were used to record details of the cluster headache pattern during the observation and study treatment weeks.

Preemptive oral treatment with sumatriptan 100 mg tid for 7 days did not produce a significant reduction in the number or severity of cluster headache attacks occurring during an established cluster headache period. Oral treatment with sumatriptan 100 mg tid over a 7‐day period was not associated with an increased or altered adverse event profile from that previously reported.
Pulsed Radiofrequency for Radicular Pain Due to a Herniated Intervertebral Disc—An Initial Report
Authors: Teixeira Alexandre , Grandinson Magnus , Sluijter Menno E.
Published: May 2005

Abstract:  Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) has been used for the treatment of radicular pain, due to a herniated intervertebral disc, but so far the data are anecdotal. This is a retrospective study on 13 consecutive patients with this type of pain, at levels L3 to S1. All patients had a diagnosis confirmed by imaging, all had neurological abnormalities, and all were scheduled for surgical intervention. All 12 patients who had a profession had stopped working. Treatment consisted of application of PRF to the dorsal root ganglion of the affected segmental nerve, or in the case of S1 to the segmental nerve at the level of the S1 foramen.

One patient underwent disc surgery, and one other patient underwent a spinal fusion 1 year following PRF treatment. He had no leg pain at the time of operation. The remaining patients did not require surgical intervention. The numeric rating scale (NRS) score fell from 7.83 to 2.25 over the first 2 weeks, followed by a gradual further fall to 0.27 at the final follow‐up, 15.8 (11 to 23) months after the procedure. Compared with the initial NRS score the data were significant (P < 0.01) from 4 weeks after the procedure. Neurological abnormalities resolved except in one patient, who had decreased sensibility in a small area in the L3 dermatome at the last follow‐up. All professionally active patients went back to work after 0.49 months (0.1 to 1).

It is concluded that PRF may potentially be a viable alternative for epidural steroid injections in the treatment of acute radicular pain, due to a herniated intervertebral disc, and that further studies, including a control group, should be carried out to establish the value of this method.
Milton's Case for a Free Commonwealth
Authors: Lovett Frank
Published: May 2005

This article will examine the development of John Milton's arguments for democracy as against monarchy and other sorts of autocratic rule. These arguments are interesting both in their own right and insofar as they shed light on historiographical debates concerning the classical republican tradition. Milton is shown to hold a negative conception of liberty, as opposed to a positive or participatory conception, which lends support to the neo‐roman interpretation of that tradition, associated with Quentin Skinner and Philip Pettit. However, it is further shown that Sinner and Pettit misunderstand the classical republicans' case for democracy, attributing to them a conceptual argument in place of an empirical one. A better understanding of Milton's political theory contributes to a better understanding of this dilemma, and perhaps suggests a solution.
News vs. Entertainment: How Increasing Media Choice Widens Gaps in Political Knowledge and Turnout
Authors: Prior Markus
Published: May 2005

Despite dramatic increases in available political information through cable television and the Internet, political knowledge and turnout have not changed noticeably. To explain this seeming paradox, I argue that greater media choice makes it easier for people to find their preferred content. People who like news take advantage of abundant political information to become more knowledgeable and more likely to turn out. In contrast, people who prefer entertainment abandon the news and become less likely to learn about politics and go to the polls. To test this proposition, I develop a measure of people's media content preference and include it in a representative opinion survey of 2,358 U.S. residents. Results show that content preference indeed becomes a better predictor of political knowledge and turnout as media choice increases. Cable TV and the Internet increase gaps in knowledge and turnout between people who prefer news and people who prefer entertainment.
To Run or Not to Run for Office: Explaining Nascent Political Ambition
Authors: Fox Richard L. , Lawless Jennifer L.
Published: May 2005

In this article, we develop the concept of nascent political ambition and offer the first empirical assessment of potential candidates' initial interest in seeking elective office. Our analysis is based on the Citizen Political Ambition Study—our national survey of nearly 3,800 individuals in the four professions that most frequently precede a career in politics. We find that a general sense of efficacy as a candidate, as well as a politicized upbringing, motivate well‐situated potential candidates' inclinations to run for office. Alternatively, status as a member of a group historically excluded from politics depresses the likelihood of considering a candidacy. These findings shed light not only on the prospects for political representation and democratic legitimacy in the United States, but also the means by which to study candidate emergence and conceptualize political ambition.
Political Trust, Ideology, and Public Support for Government Spending
Authors: Rudolph Thomas J. , Evans Jillian
Published: May 2005

This article analyzes the relationship between political trust, ideology, and public support for government spending. We argue that the political trust heuristic is activated when individuals are asked to sacrifice ideological as well as material interests. Aggregate‐ and individual‐level analysis shows that the effects of political trust on support for government spending are moderated by ideology. Consistent with the unbalanced ideological costs imposed by requests for increased government spending, we find that the effects of political trust are significantly more pronounced among conservatives than among liberals. The analysis further demonstrates that ideology conditions the effects of political trust on attitudes toward both distributive and redistributive spending. Our findings suggest that political trust has policy consequences across a much broader range of policy issues than previously thought.
Contrast Echocardiography Can Save Nondiagnostic Exams in Mechanically Ventilated Patients
Authors: Costa Joicely M. , Tsutsui Jeane M. , Nozawa Emília , Morhy Samira S. , Andrade José L. , Ramires José F. , Mathias Wilson
Published: May 2005

Patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) under mechanical ventilation (MV) are very difficult to image by transthoracic echocardiography, diminishing the beneficial information that could be obtained by this noninvasive approach. The objective of this study is to assess whether the addition of a contrast agent to fundamental imaging (FI) can improve or change the initial diagnosis in cardiac postoperative patients under mechanical ventilation by enhancing endocardial border delineation and Doppler flow signal. Thirty mechanically ventilated post–cardiac surgery patients (20 men, mean age 61 ± 13 years) were evaluated with FI before and after intravenous injection of contrast. Left ventricular endocardial border delineation score index (EBDSI), estimated left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and color and spectral Doppler were analyzed. The use of contrast resulted in a significant increase in the number of well‐delineated segments, with a salvage rate of 77% of nondiagnostic studies. EBDSI was 1.62 ± 0.61, before contrast, increasing to 2.05 ± 0.53 after it (P < 0.001). There was a change in the LVEF estimation in 5 exams, and a new wall motion abnormality was detected in other 4 exams, after the use of contrast. Moreover, a significant change was observed in the quantification of mitral regurgitation in 5 patients, in the aortic transvalvular peak gradient in 1 patient, and measurement of tricuspid regurgitation peak flow velocity in 8 patients. It is concluded that in cardiac postoperative patients under mechanical ventilation, intravenous injection of a contrast agent using FI resulted in a high salvage rate of studies and changed the initial diagnosis in a significant number of patients.
Free‐Floating Left Atrial Ball Thrombus Following Mitral Valve Replacement
Authors: Chen Timothy , LeJemtel Thierry H. , Garcia Jose , Gordon Garet M. , Spevack Daniel M.
Published: May 2005

We report the case of a 51‐year‐old woman who underwent mitral valve replacement for prolapse with severe regurgitation, depressed ejection fraction, and atrial fibrillation. Two weeks post‐operatively, a transesophageal echocardiogram was performed for bacteremia. The patient was found incidentally to have a large free‐floating ball thrombus in the left atrium. The patient was managed with anticoagulation because of the high‐risk nature of repeat surgery. One month following diagnosis, the patient still had persistent thrombus in the left atrium seen on transthoracic echocardiography despite therapeutic anticoagulation. Free‐floating ball thrombus is a rare and dramatic finding seen on echocardiography in patients with mitral valve disease.
First case of L1CAM gene mutation identified in MASA syndrome in Asia
Authors: Kanemura Yonehiro , Takuma Yuuichi , Kamiguchi Hiroyuki , Yamasaki Mami
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACT  We report here the first case of an L1CAM gene mutation identified in mental retardation, adducted thumbs, shuffling gait, and aphasia (MASA) syndrome in Japan. The patient was a 10‐year‐old boy with mild mental retardation, bilateral adducted thumbs and corpus callosum hypoplasia. His family had no history of MASA syndrome. The L1CAM gene contained a nonsense mutation (R1166X) in exon 26 in the cytoplasmic domain. No mutation was found in the extracellular and transmembrane domains of L1CAM. The abnormal development of axon tracts resulting in the corpus callosum hypoplasia and adducted thumbs appears to be caused by malfunction of the cytoplasmic domain of L1CAM.
Forgiveness as an Intervention in Family-Owned Business: A New Beginning
Authors: Hubler Thomas M.
Published: May 2005

This article explores the notion of bringing a family business's family values and traditions regarding religion and forgiveness into their everyday lives to create healing when family business differences have broken or severed family relationships. The philosophy of the ritual is to pair it with other family rituals and use it as a tool to begin to focus on the future. The ritual helps the family understand that hurts are inevitable in the context of family businesses, but that the ritual is a way to get beyond them and start over again. The forgiveness ritual that is created draws on the family's history and use of religious traditions to create forgiveness and a new beginning.
Striving for Happiness and Its Impact on Family Stability: An Exploration of the Aristotelian Conception of Happiness
Authors: Sund Lars-Göran , Smyrnios Kosmas X.
Published: May 2005

In Western countries, the ideal of a stable nuclear family is becoming a feature of the past. Instead, families comprising couples living together with their children have become increasingly complex units, as have the multitude of factors impacting on individuals and their relationships. Economic changes and secularization are two examples of dominant causes of instability. In light of these complexities, this article explores the Aristotelian conception of happiness and its association with family stability. It is argued that it is not the endeavor to be happy that contributes to unstable relations, but the current relative unwillingness to support and share in the interest of a partner.
Catastrophic Population Declines and Extinctions in Neotropical Harlequin Frogs (Bufonidae: Atelopus)1
Authors: La Marca Enrique , Lips Karen R. , Lötters Stefan , Puschendorf Robert , Ibáñez Roberto , Rueda‐Almonacid José Vicente , Schulte Rainer , Marty Christian , Castro Fernando , Manzanilla‐Puppo Jesús , García‐Pérez Juan Elías , Bolaños Federico , Chaves Gerardo , Pounds J. Alan , Toral Eduardo , Young Bruce E.
Published: May 2005

We surveyed the population status of the Neotropical toad genus Atelopus, and document recent catastrophic declines that are more severe than previously reported for any amphibian genus. Of 113 species that have been described or are candidates for description, data indicate that in 42 species, population sizes have been reduced by at least half and only ten species have stable populations. The status of the remaining taxa is unknown. At least 30 species have been missing from all known localities for at least 8 yr and are feared extinct. Most of these species were last seen between 1984 and 1996. All species restricted to elevations of above 1000 m have declined and 75 percent have disappeared, while 58 percent of lowland species have declined and 38 percent have disappeared. Habitat loss was not related to declines once we controlled for the effects of elevation. In fact, 22 species that occur in protected areas have disappeared. The fungal disease Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis has been documented from nine species that have declined, and may explain declines in higher elevation species that occur in undisturbed habitats. Climate change may also play a role, but other potential factors such as environmental contamination, trade, and introduced species are unlikely to have affected more than a handful of species. Widespread declines and extinctions in Atelopus may reflect population changes in other Neotropical amphibians that are more difficult to survey, and the loss of this trophic group may have cascading effects on other species in tropical ecosystems.
The Seedling Community of Tropical Rain Forest Edges and Its Interaction with Herbivores and Pathogens1
Authors: Benítez‐Malvido Julieta , Lemus‐Albor Aurora
Published: May 2005

Edge effects alter biotic interactions and forest regeneration. We investigated whether edge creation affected the seedling community and its interactions with herbivores and leaf‐fungal pathogens. In forest edges and interior sites in Chiapas, Mexico, we counted all woody seedlings and species (10–100 cm tall) present in 1‐m2 plots, measured their size (height and leaf number), and examined them for the occurrence of herbivory and pathogen damage. We investigated relationships between levels of damage and size, species richness and density. Species composition and biotic damage varied greatly among sites and habitats (edge vs interior). Late‐successional species dominated the community, but richness was lower in interior sites and species similarity was greater among edges than among interiors. Nearly all species (95%) present at edges and interiors showed herbivory damage, whereas 76 percent of the species in edge plots and 68 percent in interior plots showed pathogen damage. Although leaf area damaged by herbivores was similar between habitats (average 9.2%), pathogen damage was three times greater in edge plots (1.85%) than in interior plots (0.57%). Size was positively related to biotic damage at both habitats. Relationships between herbivory and pathogen damage and between pathogen damage and leaf number were significant only for edges. Biotic damage was not related to density or species richness. Overall, plant community structure was similar between habitats, but biotic damage was enhanced at edges. Thus, disease spread at edges may arise as a threat to tropical rain forest vegetation.
Population Genetic Structure of Neotropical Mangrove Species on the Colombian Pacific Coast: Avicennia germinans (Avicenniaceae)1
Authors: Cerón‐Souza Ivania , Toro‐Perea Nelson , Cárdenas‐Henao Heiber
Published: May 2005

We investigated the genetic variation of Avicennia germinans using 172 AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) bands of 45 plants from four localities on the Colombian Pacific coast: 11 from Virudó (Chocó), 10 from La Plata (Valle), 12 from Tumaco (Nariño), and 12 from Chontal (Nariño). AFLP variation among localities (16.2%) was highly significant (AMOVA; P < 0.0001). All the analyses showed that Tumaco was the most genetically distinct locality of the four under study. The other three localities, La Plata, Virudó, and Chontal, apparently form a large single subpopulation with high‐to‐moderate gene flow among localities. We also found the genetic diversity of A. germinans on the Colombian Pacific coast (HE= 0.251) higher than that estimated by others over the broad geographic range of A. germinans. All these results together show that mangroves on the Colombian Pacific coast deserve a strong investigative effort to improve our ecological, evolutionary, and biogeographic knowledge of this important tropical forest type.
Effects of Season and Vegetation Type on Community Organization of Dung Beetles in a Tropical Dry Forest1
Authors: Andresen Ellen
Published: May 2005

Dung beetles are important components of most terrestrial ecosystems. In tropical rain forests, dung beetle communities can be very rich in number of species and individuals, and they are known to be useful bioindicators of habitat disturbance. In contrast, very little is known about the organization of dung beetle communities in tropical dry forests. The aim of this study was to describe in detail the dung beetle community of a Mexican tropical dry forest and to assess the relative importance of rainfall seasonality and forest structure in affecting the temporal and spatial dynamics of this community. Dung beetles were captured with pitfall traps at the beginning of the rainy season, the middle of the rainy season, and the middle of the dry season, in two distinct forest types: deciduous forest (DF) and semideciduous forest (SDF) at the Estación de Biología Chamela. Both rainfall seasonality and forest structure affected the community organization of dung beetles. During both rainy periods, 14 species were captured, but only three during the dry season. Dung beetles captured during the dry season were only found in the SDF. When comparing the beginning and the middle of the rainy season, differences in abundance and guild structure were also observed between both periods and between forest types, but these differences were much less pronounced.
Effect of Cell Geometry on the Freezing and Melting Processes inside a Thermal Energy Storage Cell
Authors: Herna´ndez-Guerrero Abel , Aceves Salvador M. , Cabrera-Ruiz Eduardo , Romero-Me´ndez Ricardo
Published: May 2005

This paper presents an analysis of the charge and discharge processes in a latent thermal energy storage cell. An individual cell is analyzed to study how its behavior affects the performance of a thermal energy storage system. The analysis considers the exchange of thermal energy between a thermal energy storage cell and a source or sink of thermal energy. Two cases are considered, (i) a process in which the phase change material melts and freezes when a constant and uniform temperature is imposed at the lower surface of the cell, and (ii) a process in which the phase change material melts and freezes when a fluid with a constant inlet temperature flows under the cell. The effect of the aspect ratio of the energy storage cell is analyzed in detail as a possible method to enhance heat transfer and improve performance of the thermal energy storage system. The results include, for different aspect ratios of the storage cell, the evolution of the solid-liquid interface, the rates of melting and solidification, the rate of energy storage and the total amount of energy storage.
Surfactant-Enhanced Treatment of Oil-Based Drill Cuttings
Authors: Childs Jeffrey D. , Acosta Edgar , Scamehorn John F. , Sabatini David A.
Published: May 2005

Surfactant-enhanced washing of oil-based drill cuttings was evaluated as a technology of benefit to domestic oil producers. Laboratory studies showed the branched C14-C15 alcohol propoxylate sulfate to be a promising surfactant for liberating oils from these drill cuttings. Low concentrations (∼0.1% by weight) of this surfactant produced ultra-low oil-water interfacial tensions (IFTs), thereby allowing the rollup/snap-off mechanisms to liberate drilling oil (C16, C18 alpha olefins) from the cuttings. Surfactant-enhanced washing was compared between oil-based drill cuttings, Canadian River Alluvium (CRA), and silica, showing that the hydrophobic nature of the oil-based cuttings limited the amount of oil removed. The Ca++ content of the cuttings promoted surfactant abstraction by the cuttings, thereby increasing the hydrophobicity and oil retention by the cuttings. For this reason, three components were added to produce a robust system: (1) branched C14-C15 alcohol propoxylate sulfate, (2) octyl-sulfobetaine, and (3) builder (Na2SiO3). The Na2SiO3 builder was added to promote Ca++ sequestration, thereby decreasing the Ca++ available for precipitating the surfactant. The octyl-sulfobetaine helps mitigate high hardness and high hydrophobicity by acting as a lime soap dispersing agent (LSDA). Surfactant losses were minimized and oil removal was maximized by using all three components. When washing with this three-component formulation, oil removal was relatively independent of operating conditions such as bath-cuttings contact time and agitation energy; minimizing the contact time and agitation has the added benefit of reducing the fines production during washing operations. When washing with the three-component formulation, the oil was liberated from the cuttings as a free phase layer, sans surfactant and sans solids. The final (post washing) oil content of oil-based cuttings was in the range of 2% to 5%, which is below treatment standards for these cuttings. In addition, greater than 85% of the initial branched C14-C15 alcohol propoxylate sulfate remained in the bath after washing, which minimizes the need for make-up surfactant when the wash water is reused.
Transient Vibration Analysis of a Pinned Beam With Transverse Magnetic Fields and Thermal Loads
Authors: Wu Guan-Yuan
Published: May 2005

The research investigates the transient vibrations of a pinned beam with transverse magnetic fields and thermal loads. The equation of motion is derived by the Hamilton’s principal, and the damping factor is considered. The property of the material is assumed which has the linear thermal expansion and resistivity. Using the Runge–Kutta method, the amplitude versus time and velocity versus amplitude for the first mode and the first two modes are dertermined. The results show that the transient vibratory behaviors of the beam are influenced by the magnetic fields, thermal loads, and the frequencies of oscillation transverse magnetic field. Also, the period of vibration shifts to higher value with the increase of the magnetic fields and temperatures. In this paper, the effects of using different frequencies of the oscillating transverse magnetic field to display the beat phenomenon and primary resonance are also presented and discussed.
Vibrio fischeri
Uses Two Quorum-Sensing Systems for the Regulation of Early and Late Colonization Factors
Authors: Lupp Claudia , Ruby Edward G.
Published: May 2005

Vibrio fischeri
possesses two quorum-sensing systems,
ain
and
lux
, using acyl homoserine lactones as signaling molecules. We have demonstrated previously that the
ain
system activates luminescence gene expression at lower cell densities than those required for
lux
system activation and that both systems are essential for persistent colonization of the squid host,
Euprymna scolopes
. Here, we asked whether the relative contributions of the two systems are also important at different colonization stages. Inactivation of
ain
, but not
lux
, quorum-sensing genes delayed initiation of the symbiotic relationship. In addition, our data suggest that
lux
quorum sensing is not fully active in the early stages of colonization, implying that this system is not required until later in the symbiosis. The
V. fischeri luxI
mutant does not express detectable light levels in symbiosis yet initiates colonization as well as the wild type, suggesting that
ain
quorum sensing regulates colonization factors other than luminescence. We used a recently developed
V. fischeri
microarray to identify genes that are controlled by
ain
quorum sensing and could be responsible for the initiation defect. We found 30 differentially regulated genes, including the repression of a number of motility genes. Consistent with these data,
ain
quorum-sensing mutants displayed an altered motility behavior in vitro. Taken together, these data suggest that the sequential activation of these two quorum-sensing systems with increasing cell density allows the specific regulation of early colonization factors (e.g., motility) by
ain
quorum sensing, whereas late colonization factors (e.g., luminescence) are preferentially regulated by
lux
quorum sensing.
The Archaeon
Pyrococcus horikoshii
Possesses a Bifunctional Enzyme for Formaldehyde Fixation via the Ribulose Monophosphate Pathway
Authors: Orita Izumi , Yurimoto Hiroya , Hirai Reiko , Kawarabayasi Yutaka , Sakai Yasuyoshi , Kato Nobuo
Published: May 2005

Pyrococcus horikoshii
OT3, a hyperthermophilic and anaerobic archaeon, was found to have an open reading frame (
PH1938
) whose deduced amino acid sequence of the N-terminal and C-terminal halves showed significant similarity to two key enzymes of the ribulose monophosphate pathway for formaldehyde fixation in methylotrophic bacteria, 3-hexulose-6-phosphate synthase (HPS) and 6-phospho-3-hexuloisomerase (PHI), respectively. The organism constitutively produced the encoded protein and exhibited activity of the sequential HPS- and PHI-mediated reactions in a particulate fraction. The full-length gene encoding the hybrid enzyme, the sequence corresponding to the HPS region, and the sequence corresponding to the PHI region were expressed in
Escherichia coli
and were found to produce active enzymes, rHps-Phi, rHps, or rPhi, respectively. Purified rHps-Phi and rHps were found to be active at the growth temperatures of the parent strain, but purified rPhi exhibited significant susceptibility to heat, suggesting that thermostability of the PHI moiety of the bifunctional enzyme (rHps-Phi) resulted from fusion with HPS. The bifunctional enzyme catalyzed the sequential reaction much more efficiently than a mixture of rHps and rPhi. These and other biochemical characterizations of the
PH1938
gene product suggest that the ribulose monophosphate pathway plays a significant role in the archaeon under extreme environmental conditions.
Analysis of Transient Polyhydroxybutyrate Production in
Wautersia eutropha
H16 by Quantitative Western Analysis and Transmission Electron Microscopy
Authors: Tian Jiamin , He Aimin , Lawrence Adam G. , Liu Pinghua , Watson Nicki , Sinskey Anthony J. , Stubbe JoAnne
Published: May 2005

Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) are polyoxoesters generated from (
R
)3-hydroxybutyryl coenzyme A by PHB synthase. During the polymerization reaction, the polymers undergo a phase transition and generate granules.
Wautersia eutropha
can transiently accumulate PHB when it is grown in a nutrient-rich medium (up to 23% of the cell dry weight in dextrose-free tryptic soy broth [TSB]). PHB homeostasis under these growth conditions was examined by quantitative Western analysis to monitor the proteins present, their levels, and changes in their levels over a 48-h growth period. The proteins examined include PhaC (the synthase), PhaP (a phasin), PhaR (a transcription factor), and PhaZ1
a
, PhaZ1
b
, and PhaZ1
c
(putative intracellular depolymerases), as well as PhaZ2 (a hydroxybutyrate oligomer hydrolase). The results show that PhaC and PhaZ1
a
were present simultaneously. No PhaZ1
b
or PhaZ1
c
was detected at any time throughout growth. PhaZ2 was observed and exhibited an expression pattern different from that of PhaZ1
a
. The levels of PhaP changed dramatically and corresponded kinetically to the levels of PHB. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provided the dimensions of the average cell and the average granule at 4 h and 24 h of growth (J. Tian, A. J. Sinskey, and J. Stubbe, J. Bacteriol.
187:
3814-3824, 2005). This information allowed us to calculate the amount of each protein and number of granules per cell and the granule surface coverage by proteins. The molecular mass of PHB (10
6
Da) was determined by dynamic light scattering at 4 h, the time of maximum PHB accumulation. At this time, the surface area of the granules was maximally covered with PhaP (27 to 54%), and there were one or two PhaP molecules/PHB chain. The ratio of PHB chains to PhaC was ∼60, which required reinitiation of polymer formation on PhaC. The TEM studies of wild-type and Δ
phaR
strains in TSB provided further support for an alternative mechanism of granule formation (Tian et al., J. Bacteriol.
187:
3814-3824, 2005).
Structure-Activity Analysis of Microcin J25: Distinct Parts of the Threaded Lasso Molecule Are Responsible for Interaction with Bacterial RNA Polymerase
Authors: Semenova Ekaterina , Yuzenkova Yulia , Peduzzi Jean , Rebuffat Sylvie , Severinov Konstantin
Published: May 2005

Peptide microcin J25 (MccJ25) inhibits bacterial RNA polymerase. We show that thermolysin-cleaved MccJ25 and MccJ25 lacking amino acids 13 to 17 also inhibit transcription. Our data and structural analysis of intact and thermolysin-digested MccJ25 suggest that distinct regions of MccJ25 are involved in transcription inhibition and cell entry.
Osmotic Regulation of theEscherichia coli bdm(Biofilm-Dependent Modulation) Gene by the RcsCDB His-Asp Phosphorelay
Authors: Francez-Charlot Anne , Castanié-Cornet Marie-Pierre , Gutierrez Claude , Cam Kaymeuang
Published: May 2005

The RcsCDB His-Asp phosphorelay is shown to positively regulate thebdm(biofilm-dependent modulation) andsra(stationary-phase-induced ribosome-associated protein) genes inEscherichia coli. The regulation is direct and requires an RcsB box next to thebdm−35 element. In addition,bdmis shown to be activated by osmotic shock in an Rcs-dependent way.
Two Additional Components of the Accessory Sec System Mediating Export of the
Streptococcus gordonii
Platelet-Binding Protein GspB
Authors: Takamatsu Daisuke , Bensing Barbara A. , Sullam Paul M.
Published: May 2005

The
gspB-secY2A2
locus of
Streptococcus gordonii
strain M99 encodes the platelet-binding glycoprotein GspB, along with proteins that mediate its glycosylation and export. We have identified two additional components of the accessory Sec system (Asp4 and Asp5) encoded just downstream of
gtfB
in the
gspB-secY2A2
locus. These proteins are required for GspB export and for normal levels of platelet binding by M99. Asp4 and Asp5 may be functional homologues of SecE and SecG, respectively.
The
eefABC
Multidrug Efflux Pump Operon Is Repressed by H-NS in
Enterobacter aerogenes
Authors: Masi Muriel , Pagès Jean-Marie , Villard Claude , Pradel Elizabeth
Published: May 2005

The
Enterobacter aerogenes eefABC
locus, which encodes a tripartite efflux pump, was cloned by complementation of an
Escherichia coli tolC
mutant.
E. aerogenes
Δ
acrA
expressing EefABC became less susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics. Data from
eef
::
lacZ
fusions showed that
eefABC
was not transcribed in the various laboratory conditions tested. However, increased transcription from P
eef
was observed in an
E. coli hns
mutant. In addition, EefA was detected in
E. aerogenes
expressing a dominant negative
E. coli hns
allele.
Horse rug lung: toxic pneumonitis due to fluorocarbon inhalation
Authors: Wallace G M F , Brown P H
Published: May 2005

Fluorocarbons are widely used in industry, and manifestations of inhalation toxicity include polymer fume fever, reactive airways dysfunction, and bronchospasm. Only seven cases of alveolitis occurring acutely after inhalation have been reported. This paper presents four cases of toxic pneumonitis due to direct inhalation of industrial fluorocarbon used as a waterproofing spray for horse rugs. These cases differ from previous reports and show that chronic as well as acute alveolitis can result from fluorocarbon inhalation. Corticosteroid treatment may be beneficial. The need for stricter control in the workplace is emphasised.