bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nomograms for prostate cancer
Authors: STEPHENSON ANDREW J. , KATTAN MICHAEL W.
Published: June 2006

There are several papers in this section on various aspects of prostate cancer: predictive models, robotic radical prostatectomy in large glands, PSA distribution, bicalutamide and PIN, and finally the clinical characteristics of bladder cancer in patients previously treated with irradiation for prostate cancer. There are also several manuscripts on renal, testis and penile cancer. A wide variety of topics, from authors of many nationalities, maintaining the unique internationalism of the BJU International.
Further experience with laparoscopic nephrectomy for Wilms’ tumour after chemotherapy
Authors: DUARTE RICARDO J. , DÉNES FRANCISCO T. , CRISTOFANI LILIAN M. , ODONE‐FILHO VICENTE , SROUGI MIGUEL
Published: June 2006

There are four papers in this section, from Turkey, Japan and two from Brazil. The topics dealt with are VUR, PUJ and vesico‐ureteric junction obstruction, the non‐pharmocological treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction, and laparoscopic nephrectomy for Wilms’ tumour after chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE

To report the results of laparoscopic nephrectomy for unilateral Wilms’ tumour in children treated with chemotherapy before surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eight children with unilateral nonmetastatic Wilms’ tumour included in the International Society of Pediatric Oncology 2001 protocol were treated with vincristine/actinomycin D and then had laparoscopic nephrectomy and lymph‐node sampling. A Veress needle puncture was made and a four‐trocar transperitoneal approach was used in all cases. The tumour was extracted with no morcellation through a Pfannenstiel incision.

RESULTS

All eight tumours were completely removed, with lymph node samples; intraoperative bleeding was minimal (50 mL). There were no complications after surgery and patients were discharged after 2–3 days. No recurrences of disease, port‐site implantation or long‐term complications were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic nephrectomy for unilateral Wilms’ tumour is feasible in children after chemotherapy; it is safe and allows the complete surgical approach required for treating this tumour. Although the patients had a good long‐term follow‐up, more patients are needed to compare the results of laparoscopic techniques with open surgery.
Computed tomography urography for diagnosing bladder cancer
Authors: TURNEY BENJAMIN W. , WILLATT JONATHAN M.G. , NIXON DAVID , CREW JEREMY P. , COWAN NIGEL C.
Published: June 2006

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the use of computed tomography urography (CTU) for diagnosing bladder tumours in patients with macroscopic haematuria and aged >40 years.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 200 consecutive patients attending a fast‐track haematuria clinic were assessed using ‘same‐day’ CTU and flexible cystoscopy. Patients were aged >40 years and had macroscopic haematuria with no urine infection. CTU studies were reported by one uroradiologist and scored on a 3‐point scale to quantify the probability of bladder cancer. All flexible cystoscopies were performed by the same cystoscopist with no knowledge of the findings of CTU, and scored using a 3‐point scale. Cystoscopy, pathological findings and CTU were then compared.

RESULTS

The prevalence of bladder tumours was 24%; when CTU was compared with the histopathological findings, there was one false‐positive and three false‐negative diagnoses, indicating a sensitivity of 0.93 and a specificity of 0.99, with a 0.98 positive and 0.97 negative predictive value for detecting bladder cancer. A review of the three false‐negative cases showed that one was missed on original CTU reporting, the second had the appearance of prostate cancer on CTU and the third was a squamous metaplasia.

CONCLUSIONS

CTU is an accurate method of detecting bladder tumours in the present patients, and is reliable and accurate for assessing the bladder. Our results support the use of CTU as a first‐line screening tool for this high‐risk group, the use of which will obviate the need for flexible cystoscopy in patients with a negative CTU and allow those with an obvious tumour to be referred directly for rigid cystoscopy and resection. The remaining patients should be referred for flexible cystoscopy. Such a pathway would accelerate patient assessment by using fewer tests and provide a true ‘one‐stop’ clinic, allowing a comprehensive evaluation with a single test for the upper and lower urinary tract.
Risk factors for a poor outcome after therapy for acute pyelonephritis
Authors: PERTEL PETER E. , HAVERSTOCK DANIEL
Published: June 2006

OBJECTIVE

To define and characterize risk factors for the failure of treatment for acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, as there are few reports available to predict which patients will respond poorly to treatment.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Retrospective univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess data from two prospective clinical trials designed to evaluate antibiotic regimens for urinary tract infections. Data from 522 adult patients with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis were analysed.

RESULTS

The cure rate was 442/522 (85%) for patients with acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis. Significant independent predictors for treatment failure included hospitalization at baseline (P < 0.001), the presence of a resistant infecting organism (P < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (P = 0.001), and a history of kidney stones (P = 0.004). The cure rate was 35/74 (47%) for patients with at least one of these four risk factors. Of the 80 patients assessed as treatment failures, only 39 (49%) had at least one of the four risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Four risk factors for a poor outcome after therapy for acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis were identified. The strongest predictors of failure were the need for hospitalization at baseline and the presence of an organism resistant to the antimicrobial agent used for therapy. Two other factors, diabetes mellitus and a history of kidney stones, might assist clinicians at the initial evaluation to decide which patients are at risk of subsequent treatment failure.
Intra‐individual variation in clutch and offspring size in an oviparous snake
Authors: Ford N. B. , Seigel R. A.
Published: June 2006

Intra‐individual variation can be extremely informative in understanding the evolution of life‐history traits. In this study, we examined intra‐individual variation in clutch and offspring size for brown house snakes Lamprophis fuliginosus, a species that can lay up to six clutches in the laboratory within a 12‐month interval without a refractory period. The number of clutches produced per female during this interval ranged from two to six, and there was no significant relationship between the total number of clutches laid and maternal body size. Unlike results from lizards and turtles, house snakes showed no significant changes in clutch size or offspring size among successive clutches, and individual repeatability of both traits was moderate to high. House snakes in this study also showed a strong negative relationship between clutch size and offspring size for all clutches produced, as expected by life‐history theory. Our data indicate that house snakes show much less intra‐individual variation than most other reptile species examined. However, this high level of consistency may be due to regulation of food availability under laboratory conditions. This will be varied in future experiments to test the degree of plasticity exhibited by individual females for these traits.
Use of class pedotransfer functions based on texture and bulk density of clods to generate water retention curves
Authors: Bruand A. , Fernández P. Pérez , Duval O.
Published: June 2006

Abstract. Water retention properties of 219 horizons were measured in Cambisols, Luvisols and Fluvisols, mainly from the Paris basin. We derived class pedotransfer functions (class PTFs) based on texture alone and in a second stage class PTFs based on classes combining texture and clod bulk density. The performance of these two types of PTFs were discussed at −330 and −15000 hPa water potential on an independent set of 221 horizons. Results showed that PTFs based on sets grouped by texture and clod bulk density provide estimates with an accuracy that is (i) greater than with class PTFs based on texture alone, and (ii) similar to the estimation accuracy recorded with continuous PTFs. As a consequence, the lack of interest in class PTFs should be reconsidered to bridge the gap between the available basic soil data and hydraulic properties which are generally missing, particularly when pertinent soil characteristics can be derived from the data available in soil databases. The two types of class PTFs providing gravimetric water contents at seven water potentials ranging from −10 to −15 000 hPa were converted to volumetric water content using the soil bulk density. Finally, the parameters of van Genuchten's water retention curve model were computed for every class PTF.
Increased Plasma Fatty Acid Ethyl Ester Levels Following Inhibition of Oxidative Metabolism of Ethanol by 4‐Methylpyrazole Treatment in Human Subjects
Authors: Best Catherine A. , Sarkola Taisto , Peter Eriksson C.J. , Cluette‐Brown Joanne E. , Laposata Michael
Published: June 2006

Background: Recent experimental evidence suggests that fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE), nonoxidative metabolites of ethanol, mediate ethanol‐induced organ damage. A direct association between pancreas‐specific toxicity and increased levels of FAEE following inhibition of the oxidative metabolism of ethanol by 4‐methylpyrazole (4‐MP) has previously been shown in studies with rats.

Methods: We obtained plasma samples from 32 healthy human volunteers who drank ethanol following 4‐MP or placebo ingestion to determine whether in vivo inhibition of oxidative metabolism of ethanol causes a shift to nonoxidative metabolism of ethanol and the subsequent production of increased levels of FAEE. Plasma FAEE were isolated by solid‐phase extraction and quantified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC‐MS).

Results: Plasma FAEE levels in subjects receiving 4‐MP treatment before ethanol consumption were elevated compared with plasma FAEE concentrations taken from control subjects who received a placebo before ethanol ingestion. Increased FAEE levels in the 4‐MP treatment group occurred after peak blood ethanol, and peak FAEE levels were achieved. There was a correlation between the blood ethanol and the plasma FAEE levels, and the correlation persisted in the presence or absence of 4‐MP. The peak FAEE values were greater in men than in women, with or without 4‐MP treatment.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that the in vivo inhibition of the oxidative metabolism of ethanol using 4‐MP results in an increased circulating concentration of FAEE, products of the nonoxidative metabolism of ethanol.
Functional Assessment of Human Alcohol Dehydrogenase Family in Ethanol Metabolism: Significance of First‐Pass Metabolism
Authors: Lee Shou‐Lun , Chau Gar‐Yang , Yao Chung‐Tay , Wu Chew‐Wun , Yin Shih‐Jiun
Published: June 2006

Background:Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) is the principal enzyme responsible for ethanol metabolism in mammals. Human ADH constitutes a unique complex enzyme family with no equivalent counterpart in experimental rodents. This study was undertaken to quantitatively assess relative contributions of human ADH isozymes and allozymes to hepatic versus gastric metabolism of ethanol in the context of the entire family.

Methods:Kinetic parameters for ethanol oxidation for recombinant human class I ADH1A, ADH1B1, ADH1B2, ADH1B3, ADH1C1, and ADH1C2; class II ADH2; class III ADH3; and class IV ADH4 were determined in 0.1 M sodium phosphate at pH 7.5 over a wide range of substrate concentrations in the presence of 0.5 mM NAD+. The composite numerical formulations for organ steady‐state ethanol clearance were established by summing up the kinetic equations of constituent isozymes/allozymes with the assessed contents in livers and gastric mucosae with different genotypes.

Results:InADH1B*1individuals, ADH1B1 and ADH1C allozymes were found to be the major contributors to hepatic‐alcohol clearance; ADH2 made a significant contribution only at high ethanol levels (>20 mM). ADH1B2 was the major hepatic contributor inADH1B*2individuals. ADH1C allozymes were the major contributor at low ethanol (<2 mM), whereas ADH1B3 the major form at higher levels (>10 mM) inADH1B*3individuals. For gastric mucosal‐alcohol clearance, the relative contributions of ADH1C allozymes and ADH4 were converse as ethanol concentration increased. It was assessed that livers withADH1B*1may eliminate ∼95% or more of single‐passed ethanol as inflow sinusoidal alcohol reaches ∼1 mM and that stomachs with differentADH1Cgenotypes may remove 20% to 30% of single‐passed alcohol at the similar level in mucosal cells.

Conclusions:This work provides just a model, but a strong one, for quantitative assessments of ethanol metabolism in the human liver and stomach. The results indicate that the hepatic‐alcohol clearance ofADH1B*2individuals is higher than that of theADH1B*1and those of theADH1B*3versus theADH1B*1vary depending on sinusoidal ethanol levels. The maximal capacity for potential alcohol first‐pass metabolism in the liver is greater than in the stomach.
Propensity of Alcohol Establishments to Sell to Obviously Intoxicated Patrons
Authors: Lenk Kathleen M. , Toomey Traci L. , Erickson Darin J.
Published: June 2006

Background: Although it is illegal to sell alcohol to an individual who appears obviously intoxicated, several recent studies show that the propensity of these types of sales is high. Our study further assesses the propensity of alcohol establishments to sell alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons. In addition to providing more recent data (2001) on pseudo‐intoxicated purchase attempts at Midwestern on‐premise establishments, our study examines the association between establishment policies/practices and the likelihood of sales to intoxicated patrons.

Method: We hired professional actors to feign intoxication while attempting to purchase alcohol (pseudo‐intoxicated patrons) at 231 bars and restaurants, and we conducted a phone survey of owners/managers of each establishment. Our dependent variable was purchase attempt outcome (alcohol sold vs not sold). Our independent variables included policies/practices of establishments and characteristics of buyers/servers, establishments, and neighborhoods.

Results: Pseudo‐intoxicated patrons were able to purchase alcohol in 65% of their attempts. Multivariate analyses showed the following: (1) compared with establishments with beer‐ and/or wine‐only licenses, establishments with full liquor licenses were less likely to sell to intoxicated patrons; (2) establishments with average length of employment among managers of at least 1 year were more likely to sell to obviously intoxicated patrons; and (3) establishments that held staff meetings at least once a month were less likely to sell to obviously intoxicated patrons. Neighborhood characteristics were not associated with our outcome in multivariate analyses.

Conclusions: Our findings provide increased evidence of the need to address the illegal sale of alcohol to intoxicated patrons, particularly given that increased intoxication levels among patrons resulting from these types of sales can lead to alcohol‐related problems.
Behavioral Interaction Between Nicotine and Ethanol: Possible Modulation by Mouse Cerebellar Glutamate
Authors: Al‐Rejaie Salim , Dar M. Saeed
Published: June 2006

Background: Epidemiological studies show that people who drink alcoholic beverages also smoke cigarettes and vice versa. Furthermore, animal studies provide circumstantial evidence for ethanol and nicotine interaction. Previously, we demonstrated that intracerebellar nicotine attenuates ethanol ataxia. This study investigated the possible role of glutamate in modulating the interaction of nicotine and ethanol.

Methods: Glutamate drugs N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) and (+)‐α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐propionic acid hydrate (AMPA) as well as their antagonists were directly microinfused into the cerebellum of CD‐1 male mice to evaluate their effect on ethanol (2 g/kg i.p.) ataxia. Drug microinfusions were made via stereotaxically implanted stainless‐steel guide cannulas. Rotorod was used to evaluate the ataxic response of ethanol.

Results: Microinfusion of nicotine (0.3125, 1.25, 5 ng) significantly attenuated ethanol ataxia dose‐dependently, confirming the functional interaction between nicotine and ethanol as reported earlier. Intracerebellar pretreatment with hexamethonium, a nicotinic receptor (nAChR) antagonist, significantly blocked nicotine‐induced attenuation of ethanol ataxia suggesting participation of nAChRs. When ethanol was injected before nicotine microinfusion, nicotine failed to attenuate ethanol ataxia, indicating the critical importance of initial activation of nAChRs by nicotine. Intracerebellar microinfusion of NMDA (30, 60, 125 ng) and its antagonist, (+)‐MK‐801 (50, 100, 200 ng), significantly increased and decreased, respectively, the nicotine‐induced attenuation of ethanol ataxia in a dose‐related manner, suggesting participation of the NMDA receptor. Similarly, intracerebellar microinfusion of AMPA (7.5, 15, 30 ng) and its antagonist, nitro ‐2, 3‐dioxobenzoquinoxaline‐sulfonamide (NBQX; 25, 50, 100 ng), significantly increased and decreased, respectively, the nicotine‐induced attenuation of ethanol ataxia in a dose‐dependent manner. This suggests participation of the AMPA receptor and further supports involvement of the glutamate system in the ethanol–nicotine interaction. Intracerebellar nicotine failed to attenuate sodium‐pentobarbital (25 mg/kg i.p.) ataxia, suggesting the relative specificity of the nicotine–ethanol interaction.

Conclusions: The results suggested that glutamate modulates the functional interaction between nicotine and ethanol because NMDA and AMPA enhanced the nicotine‐induced attenuation of ethanol ataxia, whereas (+)‐MK‐801 and NBQX reduced the attenuation.
Processing and Thermal Shock Resistance of a Polymer‐Derived MoSi2/SiCO Ceramic Composite
Authors: Bergero Luca , Sglavo Vincenzo M. , Soraru Gian Domenico
Published: June 2006

In this paper, we report a study on the thermal shock resistance (TSR) of MoSi2/SiCO ceramic composites obtained through controlled pyrolysis of a gel‐derived precursor. MoSi2‐filled gel is prepared by casting a sol obtained from MoSi2 powder dispersed in methyltriethoxysilane. The pyrolysis product can be described as a porous ceramic composite formed by a SiCO matrix with a dispersion of MoSi2 particles. Mechanical characterization is performed on bar samples by four‐point bending. The TSR is investigated either by evaluating the R parameter (associated with strength, elastic modulus, and thermal expansion coefficient), or with the conventional water quenching technique. In both cases, the results suggest that the studied ceramic material displays a good TSR, which makes it a candidate for high‐temperature application.
A Novel Approach to Sintering Nanocrystalline Barium Titanate Ceramics
Authors: Polotai Anton , Breece Kristen , Dickey Elizabeth , Randall Clive , Ragulya Andrey
Published: June 2006

A novel approach to pressureless sintering based on the combination of rapid‐rate sintering, rate‐controlled sintering, and two‐step sintering under a controlled atmosphere is proposed. This combined sintering method facilitates control of grain and pore morphology. The application of this sintering approach for pure nanocrystalline barium titanate powder enables the suppression of grain growth during the intermediate and final stages of sintering and the production of fully dense ceramics with 108 nm grain size. The grain growth factor is 3.5, which is three and 17 times smaller than rate‐controlled and conventional sintering, respectively.
Colonisation pattern of nonpathogenic Fusarium oxysporum, a potential biological control agent, in roots and rhizomes of tissue cultured Musa plantlets
Authors: Paparu P. , Dubois T. , Gold C.S. , Niere B. , Adipala E. , Coyne D.
Published: June 2006

Under laboratory conditions, nonpathogenic, endophytic Fusarium oxysporum inflicts high mortality among banana weevils and nematodes. Following inoculation into banana (Musa spp.) tissue cultured plants, successful colonisation is necessary for efficient biological control of these pests. The pattern of root and rhizome colonisation by two nonpathogenic Ugandan F. oxysporum strains (V2w2 and III4w1) in cv. Nabusa (AAA‐EA) was investigated using light microscopy. Percentage of colonisation in the rhizomes (93%) was higher than in the roots (56%), but hyphal density in the roots (0.30 mm−2) was higher than in the rhizomes (0.21 mm−2). The root bases were better colonised (76%) than root midsections (53%) or tips (39%). Both the strains colonised the roots and the rhizomes, with numerous hyphae infecting the hypodermis but fewer infecting the cortex. Colonisation of vascular tissues was not recorded. Despite the presence of hyphae in intercellular and intracellular spaces of the roots and the rhizomes, normal cell structure was observed. Our report provides the first in situ observation and quantification of endophyte colonisation in banana. The study demonstrated the ability of F. oxysporum strains V2w2 and III4w1 to penetrate intact host tissues and recolonise the host internally upon inoculation, an important step for their suitability as biological control agents.
Onset and Progression in Inherited ALS Determined by Motor Neurons and Microglia
Authors: Boillée Séverine , Yamanaka Koji , Lobsiger Christian S. , Copeland Neal G. , Jenkins Nancy A. , Kassiotis George , Kollias George , Cleveland Don W.
Published: June 2006

Dominant mutations in superoxide dismutase cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive paralytic disease characterized by loss of motor neurons. With the use of mice carrying a deletable mutant gene, expression within motor neurons was shown to be a primary determinant of disease onset and of an early phase of disease progression. Diminishing the mutant levels in microglia had little effect on the early disease phase but sharply slowed later disease progression. Onset and progression thus represent distinct disease phases defined by mutant action within different cell types to generate non–cell-autonomous killing of motor neurons; these findings validate therapies, including cell replacement, targeted to the non-neuronal cells.
Preserved CD4+ Central Memory T Cells and Survival in Vaccinated SIV-Challenged Monkeys
Authors: Letvin Norman L. , Mascola John R. , Sun Yue , Gorgone Darci A. , Buzby Adam P. , Xu Ling , Yang Zhi-yong , Chakrabarti Bimal , Rao Srinivas S. , Schmitz Jörn E. , Montefiori David C. , Barker Brianne R. , Bookstein Fred L. , Nabel Gary J.
Published: June 2006

Vaccine-induced cellular immunity controls virus replication in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)–infected monkeys only transiently, leading to the question of whether such vaccines for AIDS will be effective. We immunized monkeys with plasmid DNA and replication-defective adenoviral vectors encoding SIV proteins and then challenged them with pathogenic SIV. Although these monkeys demonstrated a reduction in viremia restricted to the early phase of SIV infection, they showed a prolonged survival. This survival was associated with preserved central memory CD4
+
T lymphocytes and could be predicted by the magnitude of the vaccine-induced cellular immune response. These immune correlates of vaccine efficacy should guide the evaluation of AIDS vaccines in humans.
A Mostly Sure-Footed Account of the Hand
Authors: Gross Charles G. , Ghazanfar Asif A.
Published: June 2006

The Sensory Hand
. Neural Mechanisms of Somatic Sensation.
By Vernon B. Mountcastle
. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2005. 630 pp. $85, £53.95, €78.30. ISBN 0-674-01974-1.

Drawing on his career of research into the neurophysiology of sensation, the author provides a detailed consideration of the neural mechanisms that underlie the perceptual experiences evoked by touching the hand.
Neodymium Isotope Evidence for a Chondritic Composition of the Moon
Authors: Rankenburg K. , Brandon A. D. , Neal C. R.
Published: June 2006

Samarium-neodymium isotope data for six lunar basalts show that the bulk Moon has a
142
Nd/
144
Nd ratio that is indistinguishable from that of chondritic meteorites but is 20 parts per million less than most samples from Earth. The Sm/Nd formation interval of the lunar mantle from these data is

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million years after the onset of solar system condensation. Because both Earth and the Moon likely formed in the same region of the solar nebula, Earth should also have a chondritic bulk composition. In order to mass balance the Nd budget, these constraints require that a complementary reservoir with a lower
142
Nd/
144
Nd value resides in Earth's mantle.
Touchdown of the Hayabusa Spacecraft at the Muses Sea on Itokawa
Authors: Yano Hajime , Kubota T. , Miyamoto H. , Okada T. , Scheeres D. , Takagi Y. , Yoshida K. , Abe M. , Abe S. , Barnouin-Jha O. , Fujiwara A. , Hasegawa S. , Hashimoto T. , Ishiguro M. , Kato M. , Kawaguchi J. , Mukai T. , Saito J. , Sasaki S. , Yoshikawa M.
Published: June 2006

After global observations of asteroid 25143 Itokawa by the Hayabusa spacecraft, we selected the smooth terrain of the Muses Sea for two touchdowns carried out on 19 and 25 November 2005 UTC for the first asteroid sample collection with an impact sampling mechanism. Here, we report initial findings about geological features, surface condition, regolith grain size, compositional variation, and constraints on the physical properties of this site by using both scientific and housekeeping data during the descent sequence of the first touchdown. Close-up images revealed the first touchdown site as a regolith field densely filled with size-sorted, millimeter- to centimeter-sized grains.
Seasonal Cholera Caused by
Vibrio cholerae
Serogroups O1 and O139 in the Coastal Aquatic Environment of Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Munirul , Hasan Nur A. , Sadique Abdus , Bhuiyan N. A. , Ahmed Kabir U. , Nusrin Suraia , Nair G. Balakrish , Siddique A. K. , Sack R. Bradley , Sack David A. , Huq Anwar , Colwell Rita R.
Published: June 2006

Since
Vibrio cholerae
O139 first appeared in 1992, both O1 El Tor and O139 have been recognized as the epidemic serogroups, although their geographic distribution, endemicity, and reservoir are not fully understood. To address this lack of information, a study of the epidemiology and ecology of
V. cholerae
O1 and O139 was carried out in two coastal areas, Bakerganj and Mathbaria, Bangladesh, where cholera occurs seasonally. The results of a biweekly clinical study (January 2004 to May 2005), employing culture methods, and of an ecological study (monthly in Bakerganj and biweekly in Mathbaria from March 2004 to May 2005), employing direct and enrichment culture, colony blot hybridization, and direct fluorescent-antibody methods, showed that cholera is endemic in both Bakerganj and Mathbaria and that
V. cholerae
O1, O139, and non-O1/non-O139 are autochthonous to the aquatic environment. Although
V. cholerae
O1 and O139 were isolated from both areas, most noteworthy was the isolation of
V. cholerae
O139 in March, July, and September 2004 in Mathbaria, where seasonal cholera was clinically linked only to
V. cholerae
O1. In Mathbaria,
V. cholerae
O139 emerged as the sole cause of a significant outbreak of cholera in March 2005.
V. cholerae
O1 reemerged clinically in April 2005 and established dominance over
V. cholerae
O139, continuing to cause cholera in Mathbaria. In conclusion, the epidemic potential and coastal aquatic reservoir for
V. cholerae
O139 have been demonstrated. Based on the results of this study, the coastal ecosystem of the Bay of Bengal is concluded to be a significant reservoir for the epidemic serogroups of
V. cholerae
.
Thermal Inactivation of
Bacillus anthracis
Spores in Cow's Milk
Authors: Xu Sa , Labuza Theodore P. , Diez-Gonzalez Francisco
Published: June 2006

Decimal reduction time (time to inactivate 90% of the population) (
D
) values of
Bacillus anthracis
spores in milk ranged from 3.4 to 16.7 h at 72°C and from 1.6 to 3.3 s at 112°C. The calculated increase of temperature needed to reduce the
D
value by 90% varied from 8.7 to 11.0°C, and the Arrhenius activation energies ranged from 227.4 to 291.3 kJ/mol. Six-log-unit viability reductions were achieved at 120°C for 16 s. These results suggest that a thermal process similar to commercial ultrahigh-temperature pasteurization could inactivate
B. anthracis
spores in milk.
Dipeptide Synthesis by an Aminopeptidase from
Streptomyces septatus
TH-2 and Its Application to Synthesis of Biologically Active Peptides
Authors: Arima Jiro , Uesugi Yoshiko , Uraji Misugi , Iwabuchi Masaki , Hatanaka Tadashi
Published: June 2006

Dipeptide synthesis by aminopeptidase from
Streptomyces septatus
TH-2 (SSAP) was demonstrated using free amino acid as an acyl donor and aminoacyl methyl ester as an acyl acceptor in 98% methanol (MeOH). SSAP retained its activity after more than 100 h in 98% MeOH, and in the case of phenylalanyl-phenylalanine methyl ester synthesis, the enzyme reaction reached equilibrium when more than 50% of the free phenylalanine was converted to the product. In an investigation of the specificity of SSAP toward acyl donors and acyl acceptors, SSAP showed a broad specificity toward various free amino acids and aminoacyl methyl esters. Furthermore, we applied SSAP to the synthesis of several biologically active peptides, such as aspartyl-phenylalanine, alanyl-tyrosine, and valyl-tyrosine methyl esters.
One Group of Genetically Similar
Listeria monocytogenes
Strains Frequently Dominates and Persists in Several Fish Slaughter- and Smokehouses
Authors: Wulff Gitte , Gram Lone , Ahrens Peter , Vogel Birte Fonnesbech
Published: June 2006

Contamination of foods with the human pathogen
Listeria monocytogenes
may occur during processing, and the purpose of this study was to determine whether genetically similar strains colonize different processing plants or whether specific persistent strains are unique to each processing plant. We hypothesized that specific
L. monocytogenes
strains may be better adapted to specific environmental niches in the processing environment.
L. monocytogenes
contamination patterns were identified by the collection of 686 and 267 samples from the processing environments: raw fish and products of four fish smokehouses and four fish slaughterhouses, respectively. Samples were collected both during production and after cleaning and disinfection. Typically, these samplings were separated by 1 to 3 months. Sampling sites were targeted toward areas likely to harbor the bacterium.
L. monocytogenes
was isolated from 213 samples, and one strain from each positive sample was typed by RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) analysis with four different primers. The 213 strains were divided into 37 RAPD types. One RAPD type was predominant; 86 of 213 strains belonged to this type. This type was found in three smokehouses and two slaughterhouses and was predominant in three of these plants. A subset of 35 strains was also analyzed by amplified fragment length polymorphism typing, which confirmed the genetic similarity of the groups. Moreover, strains of the dominant RAPD type were indistinguishable from strains isolated frequently from smoked fish products 10 years ago. One smokehouse was surveyed for a year and a half, and the dominant RAPD type persisted throughout the survey period and accounted for 94 of 118 isolates. Our study indicates that strains of
L. monocytogenes
that are genetically very closely related may be especially adapted to colonizing the processing equipment or especially resistant to cleaning and disinfection.
Biotic and Abiotic Factors Influencing In Vitro Growth of
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 in Ruminant Digestive Contents
Authors: Chaucheyras-Durand Frédérique , Madic Jordan , Doudin Florent , Martin Christine
Published: June 2006

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of ruminants is the main reservoir of enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
, which is responsible for food-borne infections in humans that can lead to severe kidney disease. Characterization of biotic and abiotic factors that influence the carriage of these pathogens by the ruminant would help in the development of ecological strategies to reduce their survival in the GIT and to decrease the risk of contamination of animal products. We found that growth of
E. coli
O157:H7 in rumen fluid was inhibited by the autochthonous microflora. Growth was also reduced when rumen fluid came from sheep fed a mixed diet composed of 50% wheat and 50% hay, as opposed to a 100% hay diet. In fecal suspensions,
E. coli
O157:H7 growth was not suppressed by the autochthonous flora. However, a probiotic strain of
Lactobacillus acidophilus
inhibited
E. coli
O157:H7 growth in fecal suspensions. The inhibitory effect was dose dependent. These lactic acid bacteria could be a relevant tool for controlling O157:H7 development in the terminal part of the ruminant GIT, which has been shown to be the main site of colonization by these pathogenic bacteria.
Energetic Consequences of Nitrite Stress in
Desulfovibrio vulgaris
Hildenborough, Inferred from Global Transcriptional Analysis
Authors: He Qiang , Huang Katherine H. , He Zhili , Alm Eric J. , Fields Matthew W. , Hazen Terry C. , Arkin Adam P. , Wall Judy D. , Zhou Jizhong
Published: June 2006

Many of the proteins that are candidates for bioenergetic pathways involved with sulfate respiration in
Desulfovibrio
spp. have been studied, but complete pathways and overall cell physiology remain to be resolved for many environmentally relevant conditions. In order to understand the metabolism of these microorganisms under adverse environmental conditions for improved bioremediation efforts,
Desulfovibrio vulgaris
Hildenborough was used as a model organism to study stress response to nitrite, an important intermediate in the nitrogen cycle. Previous physiological studies demonstrated that growth was inhibited by nitrite and that nitrite reduction was observed to be the primary mechanism of detoxification. Global transcriptional profiling with whole-genome microarrays revealed coordinated cascades of responses to nitrite in pathways of energy metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, oxidative stress response, and iron homeostasis. In agreement with previous observations, nitrite-stressed cells showed a decrease in the expression of genes encoding sulfate reduction functions in addition to respiratory oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthase activity. Consequently, the stressed cells had decreased expression of the genes encoding ATP-dependent amino acid transporters and proteins involved in translation. Other genes up-regulated in response to nitrite include the genes in the Fur regulon, which is suggested to be involved in iron homeostasis, and genes in the Per regulon, which is predicted to be responsible for oxidative stress response.
Ca
2+
-Dependent Maturation of Subtilisin from a Hyperthermophilic Archaeon,
Thermococcus kodakaraensis
: the Propeptide Is a Potent Inhibitor of the Mature Domain but Is Not Required for Its Folding
Authors: Pulido Marian , Saito Kenji , Tanaka Shun-Ichi , Koga Yuichi , Morikawa Masaaki , Takano Kazufumi , Kanaya Shigenori
Published: June 2006

Subtilisin from the hyperthermophilic archaeon
Thermococcus kodakaraensis
KOD1 is a member of the subtilisin family.
T. kodakaraensis
subtilisin in a proform (
T. kodakaraensis
pro-subtilisin), as well as its propeptide (
T. kodakaraensis
propeptide) and mature domain (
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin), were independently overproduced in
E. coli
, purified, and biochemically characterized.
T. kodakaraensis
pro-subtilisin was inactive in the absence of Ca
2+
but was activated upon autoprocessing and degradation of propeptide in the presence of Ca
2+
at 80°C. This maturation process was completed within 30 min at 80°C but was bound at an intermediate stage, in which the propeptide is autoprocessed from the mature domain (
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin*) but forms an inactive complex with
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin*, at lower temperatures. At 80°C, approximately 30% of
T. kodakaraensis
pro-subtilisin was autoprocessed into
T. kodakaraensis
propeptide and
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin*, and the other 70% was completely degraded to small fragments. Likewise,
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin was inactive in the absence of Ca
2+
but was activated upon incubation with Ca
2+
at 80°C. The kinetic parameters and stability of the resultant activated protein were nearly identical to those of
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin*, indicating that
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin does not require
T. kodakaraensis
propeptide for folding. However, only ∼5% of
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin was converted to an active form, and the other part was completely degraded to small fragments.
T. kodakaraensis
propeptide was shown to be a potent inhibitor of
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin* and noncompetitively inhibited its activity with a

K
i

of 25 ± 3.0 nM at 20°C.
T. kodakaraensis
propeptide may be required to prevent the degradation of the
T. kodakaraensis
mat-subtilisin molecules that are activated later by those that are activated earlier.
Immobilization and Detection of
Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Schindler B. D. , Shelef L. A.
Published: June 2006

A procedure was developed for immobilization of
Listeria monocytogenes
cells on metal hydroxides coupled with detection and enumeration using an automated optical system. The results of the immobilization procedure (<1 h) and detection during overnight incubation agreed with calculated plate counts, and this technique is simple and rapid and provides samples that are ready for confirmation of the presence of the pathogen by rapid methods.
High-Resolution Fluorometer for Mapping Microscale Phytoplankton Distributions
Authors: Doubell Mark J. , Seuront Laurent , Seymour Justin R. , Patten Nicole L. , Mitchell James G.
Published: June 2006

A new high-resolution, in situ profiling fluorometer maps fluorescence distributions with a spatial resolution of 0.5 to 1.5 mm to a depth of 70 m in the open ocean. We report centimeter-scale patterns for phytoplankton distributions associated with gradients exhibiting 10- to 30-fold changes in fluorescence in contrasting marine ecosystems.
Use of the modified Delphi technique to identify and rate home injury hazard risks and prevention methods for young children
Authors: Katcher M L , Meister A N , Sorkness C A , Staresinic A G , Pierce S E , Goodman B M , Peterson N M , Hatfield P M , Schirmer J A
Published: June 2006

Objective:For children aged 1–5 years, the authors used the Delphi method to determine (1) the most important injury hazards in each area of the home; (2) the most important injury prevention behaviors; and (3) feasible and efficacious safety devices and behaviors to reduce injury risks.

Design:The authors used a modified Delphi method to prioritize home injury hazards for children 1–5 years of age. The Delphi method is an indirect, anonymous, iterative process aimed at achieving consensus among experts; in this study, the authors queried key informants electronically. Thirty four key informants, primarily from the United States, participated in at least one of the three rounds of questionnaires. Responses were submitted by email or fax. Participants identified, rated, and ranked home injury hazards and prevention methods.

Results:The overall response rate for each survey ranged from 82% to 97%. Initially, 330 unique hazards and prevention behaviors/devices were identified in seven areas of the home. The 126 home injury hazards were rated based on frequency, severity, and preventability of injury; and the 204 behaviors and devices were rated by efficacy and feasibility. These experts rated firearms and pools as the most significant hazards, and smoke alarms and safe water temperature as the most important preventions.

Conclusions:The modified Delphi method of consensus was useful to prioritize home injury hazards and prevention methods for children under the age of 6 years.
Changes in traffic crash mortality rates attributed to use of alcohol, or lack of a seat belt, air bag, motorcycle helmet, or bicycle helmet, United States, 1982–2001
Authors: Cummings P , Rivara F P , Olson C M , Smith K M
Published: June 2006

Objective:To estimate the contributions of five risk factors to changes in US traffic crash mortality: (1) alcohol use by drivers and pedestrians, (2) not wearing a seat belt, (3) lack of an air bag, (4) not wearing a motorcycle helmet, and (5) not wearing a bicycle helmet.

Design:Longitudinal study of deaths; attributable deaths were estimated using data from other studies.

Setting:US traffic crashes in 1982–2001.

Subjects:People who died in a crash.

Main outcome measures:Counts of deaths attributed to each risk factor, change in rates of deaths, and counts of lives saved by changes in risk factor prevalence.

Results:There were 858 741 traffic deaths during the 20 year period. Estimated deaths attributed to each factor were: (1) alcohol use, 366 606; (2) not wearing a seat belt, 259 239; (3) lack of an air bag, 31 377; (4) no motorcycle helmet, 12 095; (5) no bicycle helmet, 10 552. Over the 20 years, mortality rates attributed to each risk factor declined: alcohol by 53%; not wearing a seat belt by 49%; lack of an air bag by 17%; no motorcycle helmet by 74%; no bicycle helmet by 39%. There were 153 168 lives saved by decreased drinking and driving, 129 297 by increased use of seat belts, 4305 by increased air bag prevalence, 6475 by increased use of motorcycle helmets, and 239 by increased use of bicycle helmets.

Conclusions:Decreased alcohol use and increased use of seat belts were associated with substantial reductions in crash mortality from 1982 through 2001. Increased presence of air bags, motorcycle helmets, and bicycle helmets were associated with smaller reductions.
SPACE NONCOMMUTATIVITY CORRECTIONS TO THE CARDY–VERLINDE FORMULA
Authors: SETARE M. R.
Published: June 2006

In this paper we compute the corrections to the Cardy–Verlinde formula of Schwarzschild black holes. These corrections stem from the space noncommutativity. Because the Schwarzschild black holes are nonrotating, to the first order of perturbative calculations, there is no any effect on the properties of black hole due to the noncommutativity of space.
EXTENDED CONFORMAL GROUP AND DSR VELOCITIES ON THE PHYSICAL SURFACE
Authors: LEIVA CARLOS
Published: June 2006

The relation between conformal generators and Magueijo–Smolin Doubly Special Relativity term, is achieved. Through a dimensional reduction procedure, it is demonstrated that a massless relativistic particle living in a d-dimensional space, is isomorphic to the one living in a d+2 space with pure Lorentz invariance and to a particle living in a AdS d+1 space. To accomplish these identifications, the conformal group is extended and a nonlinear algebra is obtained. Finally, because the relation between momenta and velocities is known through the dimensional reduction procedure, the problem of position space dynamics is solved.
ON THE UNIQUENESS OF GIBBS STATES IN THE PIROGOV–SINAI THEORY
Authors: KERIMOV AZER
Published: June 2006

We consider models of classical statistical mechanics satisfying natural stability conditions: a finite spin space, translation-periodic finite potential of finite range, a finite number of ground states meeting Peierls or Gertzik–Pirogov–Sinai condition. The Pirogov–Sinai theory describes the phase diagrams of these models at low temperature regimes. By using the method of doubling and mixing of partition functions we give an alternative elementary proof of the uniqueness of limiting Gibbs states at low temperatures in ground state uniqueness region.
COMPLEXITY AND EFFICIENCY OF BEIJING TRANSIT NETWORK
Authors: WU JIANJUN , GAO ZIYOU , SUN HUIJUN
Published: June 2006

Transit system has great impact on urban transportation, and it is especially important when the Olympic games take place in 2008. In this paper, Beijing Transit Network (BTN) is reconstructed based on Ref. 6, and the global and local efficiencies are given. Results show that the degree distribution exhibits broad-scale behavior, and there is a poor global and a good local efficiency in BTN. These results may lead to useful advice for the planning and redesigning of BTN.
Heat stress reduces cerebral blood velocity and markedly impairs orthostatic tolerance in humans
Authors: Wilson Thad E. , Cui Jian , Zhang Rong , Crandall Craig G.
Published: June 2006

Orthostatic tolerance is reduced in the heat-stressed human. This study tested the following hypotheses: 1) whole body heat stress reduces cerebral blood velocity (CBV) and increases cerebral vascular resistance (CVR); and 2) reductions in CBV and increases in CVR in response to an orthostatic challenge will be greater while subjects are heat stressed. Fifteen subjects were instrumented for measurements of CBV (transcranial ultrasonography), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate, and internal temperature. Whole body heating increased both internal temperature (36.4 ± 0.1 to 37.3 ± 0.1° C) and heart rate (59 ± 3 to 90 ± 3 beats/min); P < 0.001. Whole body heating also reduced CBV (62 ± 3 to 53 ± 2 cm/s) primarily via an elevation in CVR (1.35 ± 0.06 to 1.63 ± 0.07 mmHg · cm−1 · s); P < 0.001. A subset of subjects ( n = 8) were exposed to lower-body negative pressure (LBNP 10, 20, 30, 40 mmHg) in both normothermic and heat-stressed conditions. During normothermia, LBNP of 30 mmHg (highest level of LBNP achieved by the majority of subjects in both thermal conditions) did not significantly alter CBV, CVR, or MAP. During whole body heating, this LBNP decreased MAP (81 ± 2 to 75 ± 3 mmHg), decreased CBV (50 ± 4 to 39 ± 1 cm/s), and increased CVR (1.67 ± 0.17 to 1.92 ± 0.12 mmHg · cm−1 · s); P < 0.05. These data indicate that heat stress decreases CBV, and the reduction in CBV for a given orthostatic challenge is greater during heat stress. These outcomes reduce the reserve to buffer further decreases in cerebral perfusion before presyncope. Increases in CVR during whole body heating, coupled with even greater increases in CVR during orthostasis and heat stress, likely contribute to orthostatic intolerance.