bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Weathering-Associated Bacteria from the Damma Glacier Forefield: Physiological Capabilities and Impact on Granite Dissolution
Authors: Frey Beat , Rieder Stefan R. , Brunner Ivano , Plötze Michael , Koetzsch Stefan , Lapanje Ales , Brandl Helmut , Furrer Gerhard
Published: June 2010

Several bacterial strains isolated from granitic rock material in front of the Damma glacier (Central Swiss Alps) were shown (i) to grow in the presence of granite powder and a glucose-NH
4
Cl minimal medium without additional macro- or micronutrients and (ii) to produce weathering-associated agents. In particular, four bacterial isolates (one isolate each of
Arthrobacter
sp.,
Janthinobacterium
sp.,
Leifsonia
sp., and
Polaromonas
sp.) were weathering associated. In comparison to what was observed in abiotic experiments, the presence of these strains caused a significant increase of granite dissolution (as measured by the release of Fe, Ca, K, Mg, and Mn). These most promising weathering-associated bacterial species exhibited four main features rendering them more efficient in mineral dissolution than the other investigated isolates: (i) a major part of their bacterial cells was attached to the granite surfaces and not suspended in solution, (ii) they secreted the largest amounts of oxalic acid, (iii) they lowered the pH of the solution, and (iv) they formed significant amounts of HCN. As far as we know, this is the first report showing that the combined action of oxalic acid and HCN appears to be associated with enhanced elemental release from granite, in particular of Fe. This suggests that extensive microbial colonization of the granite surfaces could play a crucial role in the initial soil formation in previously glaciated mountain areas.
Biosynthesis of Cylindrospermopsin and 7-Epicylindrospermopsin in
Oscillatoria
sp. Strain PCC 6506: Identification of the
cyr
Gene Cluster and Toxin Analysis
Authors: Mazmouz Rabia , Chapuis-Hugon Florence , Mann Stéphane , Pichon Valérie , Méjean Annick , Ploux Olivier
Published: June 2010

Cylindrospermopsin is a cytotoxin produced by
Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii
and other cyanobacteria that has been implicated in human intoxications. We report here the complete sequence of the gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of this toxin in
Oscillatoria
sp. strain PCC 6506. This cluster of genes was found to be homologous with that of
C. raciborskii
but with a different gene organization. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an optimized liquid chromatography analytical method coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, we detected 7-epicylindrospermopsin, cylindrospermopsin, and 7-deoxycylindrospermopsin in the culture medium of axenic
Oscillatoria
PCC 6506 at the following relative concentrations: 68.6%, 30.2%, and 1.2%, respectively. We measured the intracellular and extracellular concentrations, per mg of dried cells of
Oscillatoria
PCC 6506, of 7-epicylindrospermopsin (0.18 μg/mg and 0.29 μg/mg, respectively) and cylindrospermopsin (0.10 μg/mg and 0.11 μg/mg, respectively). We showed that these two toxins accumulated in the culture medium of
Oscillatoria
PCC 6506 but that the ratio (2.5 ± 0.3) was constant with 7-epicylindrospermopsin being the major metabolite. We also determined the concentrations of these toxins in culture media of other
Oscillatoria
strains, PCC 6407, PCC 6602, PCC 7926, and PCC 10702, and found that, except for PCC 6602, they all produced 7-epicylindrospermopsin and cylindrospermopsin, with the former being the major toxin, except for PCC 7926, which produced very little 7-epicylindrospermopsin. All the cylindrospermopsin producers studied gave a PCR product using specific primers for the amplification of the
cyrJ
gene from genomic DNA.
Enumeration and Characterization of Antimicrobial-Resistant
Escherichia coli
Bacteria in Effluent from Municipal, Hospital, and Secondary Treatment Facility Sources
Authors: Galvin Sandra , Boyle Fiona , Hickey Paul , Vellinga Akke , Morris Dearbháile , Cormican Martin
Published: June 2010

We describe a modification of the most probable number (MPN) method for rapid enumeration of antimicrobial-resistant
Escherichia
coli
bacteria in aqueous environmental samples.
E. coli
(total and antimicrobial-resistant) bacteria were enumerated in effluent samples from a hospital (
n
= 17) and municipal sewers upstream (
n
= 5) and downstream (
n
= 5) from the hospital, effluent samples from throughout the treatment process (
n
= 4), and treated effluent samples (
n
= 13). Effluent downstream from the hospital contained a higher proportion of antimicrobial-resistant
E. coli
than that upstream from the hospital. Wastewater treatment reduced the numbers of
E. coli
bacteria (total and antimicrobial resistant); however, antimicrobial-resistant
E. coli
was not eliminated, and
E. coli
resistant to cefotaxime (including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase [ESBL] producers), ciprofloxacin, and cefoxitin was present in treated effluent samples.
Predator-Prey Chemical Warfare Determines the Expression of Biocontrol Genes by Rhizosphere-Associated
Pseudomonas fluorescens
Authors: Jousset Alexandre , Rochat Laurène , Scheu Stefan , Bonkowski Michael , Keel Christoph
Published: June 2010

Soil bacteria are heavily consumed by protozoan predators, and many bacteria have evolved defense strategies such as the production of toxic exometabolites. However, the production of toxins is energetically costly and therefore is likely to be adjusted according to the predation risk to balance the costs and benefits of predator defense. We investigated the response of the biocontrol bacterium
Pseudomonas fluorescens
CHA0 to a common predator, the free-living amoeba
Acanthamoeba castellanii
. We monitored the effect of the exposure to predator cues or direct contact with the predators on the expression of the
phlA
,
prnA
,
hcnA
, and
pltA
genes, which are involved in the synthesis of the toxins, 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG), pyrrolnitrin, hydrogen cyanide, and pyoluteorin, respectively. Predator chemical cues led to 2.2-, 2.0-, and 1.2-fold increases in
prnA
,
phlA
, and
hcnA
expression, respectively, and to a 25% increase in bacterial toxicity. The upregulation of the tested genes was related to the antiprotozoan toxicity of the corresponding toxins. Pyrrolnitrin and DAPG had the highest toxicity, suggesting that bacteria secrete a predator-specific toxin cocktail. The response of the bacteria was elicited by supernatants of amoeba cultures, indicating that water-soluble chemical compounds were responsible for induction of the bacterial defense response. In contrast, direct contact of bacteria with living amoebae reduced the expression of the four bacterial toxin genes by up to 50%, suggesting that protozoa can repress bacterial toxicity. The results indicate that predator-prey interactions are a determinant of toxin production by rhizosphere
P. fluorescens
and may have an impact on its biocontrol potential.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Electricity-Producing “
Thermincola potens
” Strain JR
Authors: Byrne-Bailey Kathryne G. , Wrighton Kelly C. , Melnyk Ryan A. , Agbo Peter , Hazen Terry C. , Coates John D.
Published: June 2010

“
Thermincola potens
” strain JR is one of the first Gram-positive dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria (DMRB) for which there is a complete genome sequence. Consistent with the physiology of this organism, preliminary annotation revealed an abundance of multiheme
c
-type cytochromes that are putatively associated with the periplasm and cell surface in a Gram-positive bacterium. Here we report the complete genome sequence of strain JR.
CcpA Mediates Proline Auxotrophy and Is Required forStaphylococcus aureusPathogenesis
Authors: Li Chunling , Sun Fei , Cho Hoonsik , Yelavarthi Vamshi , Sohn Changmo , He Chuan , Schneewind Olaf , Bae Taeok
Published: June 2010

Human clinical isolates ofStaphylococcus aureus, for example, strains Newman and N315, cannot grow in the absence of proline, albeit their sequenced genomes harbor genes for two redundant proline synthesis pathways. We show here that under selective pressure,S. aureusNewman generates proline-prototrophic variants at a frequency of 3 × 10−6, introducing frameshift and missense mutations inccpAor IS1811insertions inptsH, two regulatory genes that carry out carbon catabolite repression (CCR) in staphylococci and other Gram-positive bacteria.S. aureusNewman variants with mutations inrocF(arginase),rocD(ornithine aminotransferase), andproC(Δ1-pyrroline 5-carboxylate [P5C] reductase) are unable to generate proline-prototrophic variants, whereas a variant with a mutation inocd(ornithine cyclodeaminase) is unaffected. Transposon insertion inccpAalso restored proline prototrophy. CcpA was shown to repress transcription ofrocFandrocD, encoding the first two enzymes, but not ofproC, encoding the third and final enzyme in the P5C reductase pathway. CcpA bound to the upstream regions ofrocFandrocDbut not to that ofproC. CcpA's binding to the upstream regions was greatly enhanced by phosphorylated HPr. The CCR-mediated proline auxotrophy was lifted when nonpreferred carbohydrates were used as the sole carbon source. TheccpAmutant displayed reduced staphylococcal load and replication in a murine model of staphylococcal abscess formation, indicating that carbon catabolite repression presents an important pathogenesis strategy ofS. aureusinfections.
Allelic Diversity amongHelicobacter pyloriOuter Membrane Protein GeneshomBandhomAGenerated by Recombination
Authors: Oleastro Mónica , Cordeiro Rita , Ménard Armelle , Gomes João Paulo
Published: June 2010

Recombination is one of the main mechanisms contributing toHelicobacter pylorigenomic variability.homBandhomAare paralogous genes coding forH. pyloriouter membrane proteins (OMPs). Both genes display allelic variation yielded by polymorphisms of the genes' middle regions, with six different alleles. This study used bioinformatic and statistical analyses to evaluate whether the allelic diversity ofhomBandhomAis generated by recombination. A detailed molecular analysis of the most prevalenthomBallelic variant was also performed to establish its molecular profile. The two most prevalenthomBandhomAallelic variants resulted from interallelic homologous recombination between the rarest allelic variants of each gene, with a crossover point localized in the middle of the genes, containing the allelic region. Molecular analysis of the most prevalenthomBallele revealed a geographic partition among Western and East Asian strains, more noticeable for the 5′ and 3′homBregions than for the middle allelic regions. In conclusion, the diversity of the 5′ and 3′homBregions reflect the strains' geographical origin, and variants likely occur via the accumulation of single nucleotide polymorphisms. On the other hand, homologous recombination seems to play an important role in the diversification of the highly polymorphichomBandhomAallele-defining regions, where the most prevalent alleles worldwide result from genomic exchange between the rarest variants of each gene, suggesting that the resulting combinations confer biological advantages toH. pylori. This phenomenon illustrates an evolutionary scenario in which recombination appears to be associated with ecological success.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Bifidobacterium longum
JDM301
Authors: Wei Yan-Xia , Zhang Zhuo-Yang , Liu Chang , Zhu Yong-Zhang , Zhu Yong-Qiang , Zheng Huajun , Zhao Guo-Ping , Wang Shengyue , Guo Xiao-Kui
Published: June 2010

Bifidobacteria, known as probiotic bacteria, are high-G+C Gram-positive bacteria which naturally inhabit the human gastrointestinal tract and vagina. Recently, we completely sequenced
Bifidobacterium longum
JDM301, which is a widely used Chinese commercial strain with several probiotic properties.
Death and Doctor Hornbookby Robert Burns: a view from medical history
Authors: Nicolson Malcolm
Published: June 2010

Robert Burns's poem,Death and Doctor Hornbook, 1785, tells of the drunken narrator's late night encounter with Death. The Grim Reaper is annoyed that ‘Dr Hornbook’, a local schoolteacher who has taken to selling medications and giving medical advice, is successfully thwarting his efforts to gather victims. The poet fears that the local gravedigger will be unemployed but Death reassures him that this will not be the case since Hornbook kills more than he cures. Previous commentators have regarded the poem as a simple satire on amateur doctoring. However, it is here argued that, if interpreted in the light of the exoteric and inclusive character of 18th century medical knowledge and practice, the poem is revealed to have a much broader reference as well as being more subtle and morally ambiguous. It is a satire on 18th century medicine as a whole.
Initial experience with angioplasty of symptomatic M2 MCA atheromatous lesions
Authors: Hussain Muhammad Shazam , Cheng-Ching Esteban , Bain Mark , Spiotta Alejandro M , Sivapatham Thinesh , Hui Ferdinand , Moskowitz Shaye I , Gupta Rishi
Published: June 2010

Background and purpose

Symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis has been associated with a high rate of recurrent stroke. The safety of treatment of more distal atheromatous lesions with angioplasty has not been systematically reported.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed our institutional database for all patients treated with intracranial angioplasty and stenting from January 2008 to July 2009. A total of 108 patients were treated and five patients were treated with angioplasty for a symptomatic M2 middle cerebral artery stenosis with fluctuating neurological examinations. We report our experience with these patients.

Results

All five patients underwent technically successful treatment with a reduction of the stenosis to <50%. There were no periprocedural complications and all patients had cessation of their clinical fluctuations. Two patients were found to have symptomatic restenosis with one patient suffering a disabling stroke at 5 months and the second patient a transient ischemic attack at 4 months who was subsequently successfully re-treated with angioplasty and stent placement.

Conclusions

Angioplasty of M2 MCA lesions is technically feasible in our cohort of neurologically unstable patients, but the durability of this treatment will require more extensive study.
Symptomatic Wingspan stent stenosis and occlusion: stent-in-stent rescue
Authors: Le Tri M , Gaughen John R , Jensen Mary E , Evans Avery J
Published: June 2010

The use of the Wingspan stent in severe intracranial stenosis is associated with a relatively high in-stent re-stenosis rate. Reported management strategies for re-stenosis have included angioplasty alone or angioplasty with placement of a second Wingspan stent. A case is presented in which thrombosis within a Wingspan stent was treated with a balloon expandable cobalt-chromium stent within the Wingspan stent. Subsequent follow-up imaging has shown persistent patency of the treated vessel, with no subsequent in-stent stenosis.
Deformation of the western margin of the Omineca Belt near Crooked Lake, east-central British Columbia
Authors: Fillipone Jeffrey A. , Ross John V.
Published: June 2010

The western margin of the Omineca Belt near Crooked Lake, British Columbia, consists of metasedimentary rocks (Snowshoe Group) and orthogneisses of the Barkerville terrane, structurally overlain by a mafic volcanic – sedimentary package of rocks belonging to the allochthonous Slide Mountain (Crooked Amphibolite) and Quesnel terranes (Triassic phyllite and Nicola Group). At least two episodes of regional deformational (phases 2 and 3) affected this composite package. Deformation and metamorphism (phase 1) in the Snowshow Group predate the formation of this package and are nowhere evident within the allochthonous terranes.Middle Jurassic metamorphism ranging from chlorite zone through sillimanite zone affected all units. Isograds are folded, together with the junction between the terranes, indicating that the metamorphic assemblages developed prior to folding of this boundary. Granitic orthogneiss (Boss Mountain, Quesnel Lake, and Perseus gneisses), having a minimum age of Late Devonian to Early Pennsylvanian, was intruded into and deformed with the Snowshoe Group during the earliest recognizable phase of deformation in the Barkerville terrane (phase 1). Slide Mountain terrane rocks occupy a narrow zone where large eastward displacement occurred during overthrusting of the Intermontane superterrane upon the western margin of North America in Middle Jurassic time.
Mantle phase transitions and layered convection
Authors: Solheim L. P. , Peltier W. R.
Published: June 2010

Numerical simulations with an anelastic, spherical, axisymmetric mantle convection model have been conducted to address the question of the radial mixing length in the general circulation of the mantle. Continuing debate centers on the question as to whether or not the 670 km seismic discontinuity (which we now understand to exist as a consequence of an endothermic phase change of mantle mineralogy from the spinel phase to a mixture of perovskite and periclase) in combination with the 400 km discontinuity (associated with the exothermic phase change from olivine to spinel) will impose a sufficient barrier to the circulation so as to induce layering. We argue herein that the mantle must currently be converting in a partially layered style but that the degree of layering is highly time dependent. Moreover, in the perhaps not too distant past the propensity to layering was greater, possibly to the extent that soon after planetary formation mantle mixing occurred in two distinct reservoirs. As the planet cooled and the Rayleigh number fell, we suggest that the circulation was transformed from the layered state to the partially layered state that obtains today.
MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS OF THE THERMAL COMPTONIZATION PROCESS IN A TWO-COMPONENT ACCRETION FLOW AROUND A BLACK HOLE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN OUTFLOW
Authors: GHOSH HIMADRI , GARAIN SUDIP K. , CHAKRABARTI SANDIP K. , LAURENT PHILIPPE
Published: June 2010

A black hole accretion may have both the Keplerian and the sub-Keplerian component. In the so-called Chakrabarti–Titarchuk scenario, the Keplerian component supplies low-energy (soft) photons while the sub-Keplerian component supplies hot electrons which exchange their energy with the soft photons through Comptonization or inverse Comptonization processes. In the sub-Keplerian component, a shock is generally produced due to the centrifugal force. The postshock region is known as the CENtrifugal pressure–supported BOundary Layer (CENBOL). In this paper, we compute the effects of the thermal and the bulk motion Comptonization on the soft photons emitted from a Keplerian disk by the CENBOL, the preshock sub-Keplerian disk and the outflowing jet. We study the emerging spectrum when the converging inflow and the diverging outflow (generated from the CENBOL) are simultaneously present. From the strength of the shock, we calculate the percentage of matter being carried away by the outflow and determine how the emerging spectrum depends on the outflow rate. The preshock sub-Keplerian flow is also found to Comptonize the soft photons significantly. The interplay between the up-scattering and down-scattering effects determines the effective shape of the emerging spectrum. By simulating several cases with various inflow parameters, we conclude that whether the preshock flow, or the postshock CENBOL or the emerging jet is dominant in shaping the emerging spectrum depends strongly on the geometry of the flow and the strength of the shock in the sub-Keplerian flow.
Functional anatomy of the murine sinus node: high-resolution optical mapping of ankyrin-B heterozygous mice
Authors: Glukhov Alexey V. , Fedorov Vadim V. , Anderson Mark E. , Mohler Peter J. , Efimov Igor R.
Published: June 2010

The mouse is widely used as a genetic platform to investigate the molecular mechanisms of sinoatrial node (SAN) pacemaking. Recently, it has been shown that isolated SAN cells from the ankyrin-B (AnkB)-deficient mice display severe pacemaking dysfunction similar to individuals harboring ankyrin 2 allele variants. However, these results have been limited to isolated SAN cells only and thus did not evaluate the functional anatomy of the widely distributed atrial pacemaker complex (e.g., the dynamic interaction of primary and subsidiary pacemakers). We studied pacemaker function in an intact mouse atrial preparation, which included the SAN, atrioventricular junction (AVJ), and both atria, excluding most of the septum. Optical mapping with a voltage-sensitive dye and CMOS camera ULTIMA-L was used to map spontaneous pacemaker activity with or without autonomic modulation in wild-type (WT) mice ( n = 7) and in the AnkB heterozygous (AnkB+/−; n = 9) mouse model of human SAN disease. In WT mice, isoproterenol accelerated the SAN rate (for 10 μM: from 325 ± 19 to 510 ± 33 beat/min, P < 0.01) and shifted the leading pacemaker site superiorly by 0.77 ± 0.11 mm within the SAN. ACh decreased the SAN rate (from 333 ± 26 to 96 ± 22 beats/min, P < 0.01) and shifted the leading pacemaker either inferiorly within the SAN or abruptly toward the AVJ. After isoproterenol, AnkB+/−mice exhibited a larger beat-to-beat variability (SD of a cycle length: 13.4 ± 3.6 vs. 2.5 ± 0.8 ms, P < 0.01 vs. WT mice), disorganized shift of the leading pacemaker (2.04 ± 0.37 mm, P < 0.05 vs. WT mice), and competing multiple pacemakers, resulting in beat-to-beat changes of the leading pacemaker location site between the SAN and AVJ regions. Notably, AnkB+/−mice also displayed a reduced sensitivity to ACh (rate slowing by 32 ± 12% vs. 67 ± 4%, P < 0.05, AnkB+/−vs. WT mice, respectively). In conclusion, AnkB dysfunction results in SAN abnormalities in an isolated mouse atria preparation. While AnkB dysfunction dramatically alters single SAN cell function, the mechanisms underlying cardiac automaticity are clearly complex, and phenotypes may be partially compensated by the dynamic interaction of cells within the pacemaker complex. These new findings highlight the importance of the functional anatomy of the entire atrial distributed pacemaker complex, including the SAN and AVJ, and clearly demonstrate the role of AnkB in cardiac automaticity.
Endotoxin impairs cardiac hemodynamics by affecting loading conditions but not by reducing cardiac inotropism
Authors: Jianhui Li , Rosenblatt-Velin Nathalie , Loukili Noureddine , Pacher Pal , Feihl François , Waeber Bernard , Liaudet Lucas
Published: June 2010

Acute myocardial dysfunction is a typical manifestation of septic shock. Experimentally, the administration of endotoxin [lipopolysacharride (LPS)] to laboratory animals is frequently used to study such dysfunction. However, a majority of studies used load-dependent indexes of cardiac function [including ejection fraction (EF) and maximal systolic pressure increment (dP/d tmax)], which do not directly explore cardiac inotropism. Therefore, we evaluated the direct effects of LPS on myocardial contractility, using left ventricular (LV) pressure-volume catheters in mice. Male BALB/c mice received an intraperitoneal injection of E. coli LPS (1, 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg). After 2, 6, or 20 h, cardiac function was analyzed in anesthetized, mechanically ventilated mice. All doses of LPS induced a significant drop in LV stroke volume and a trend toward reduced cardiac output after 6 h. Concomitantly, there was a significant decrease of LV preload (LV end-diastolic volume), with no apparent change in LV afterload (evaluated by effective arterial elastance and systemic vascular resistance). Load-dependent indexes of LV function were markedly reduced at 6 h, including EF, stroke work, and dP/d tmax. In contrast, there was no reduction of load-independent indexes of LV contractility, including end-systolic elastance (ejection phase measure of contractility) and the ratio dP/d tmax/end-diastolic volume (isovolumic phase measure of contractility), the latter showing instead a significant increase after 6 h. All changes were transient, returning to baseline values after 20 h. Therefore, the alterations of cardiac function induced by LPS are entirely due to altered loading conditions, but not to reduced contractility, which may instead be slightly increased.
Dynamic Single-Cell Network Profiles in Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Are Associated with Patient Response to Standard Induction Therapy
Authors: Kornblau Steven M. , Minden Mark D. , Rosen David B. , Putta Santosh , Cohen Aileen , Covey Todd , Spellmeyer David C. , Fantl Wendy J. , Gayko Urte , Cesano Alessandra
Published: June 2010

Purpose: Complete response to induction chemotherapy is observed in ∼60% of patients with newly diagnosed non-M3 acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). However, no methods exist to predict with high accuracy at the individual patient level the response to standard AML induction therapy.

Experimental Design: We applied single-cell network profiling (SCNP) using flow cytometry, a tool that allows a comprehensive functional assessment of intracellular signaling pathways in heterogeneous tissues, to two training cohorts of AML samples (n = 34 and 88) to predict the likelihood of response to induction chemotherapy.

Results: In the first study, univariate analysis identified multiple signaling “nodes” (readouts of modulated intracellular signaling proteins) that correlated with response (i.e., AUCROC ≥ 0.66; P ≤ 0.05) at a level greater than age. After accounting for age, similar findings were observed in the second study. For patients <60 years old, complete response was associated with the presence of intact apoptotic pathways. In patients ≥60 years old, nonresponse was associated with FLT3 ligand–mediated increase in phosphorylated Akt and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Results were independent of cytogenetics, FLT3 mutational status, and diagnosis of secondary AML.

Conclusions: These data emphasize the value of performing quantitative SCNP under modulated conditions as a basis for the development of tests highly predictive for response to induction chemotherapy. SCNP provides information distinct from other known prognostic factors such as age, secondary AML, cytogenetics, and molecular alterations and is potentially combinable with the latter to improve clinical decision making. Independent validation studies are warranted. Clin Cancer Res; 16(14); 3721–33. ©2010 AACR.
Intercohort Gene Expression Co-Analysis Reveals Chemokine Receptors as Prognostic Indicators in Ewing's Sarcoma
Authors: Bennani-Baiti Idriss M. , Cooper Aaron , Lawlor Elizabeth R. , Kauer Maximilian , Ban Jozef , Aryee Dave N.T. , Kovar Heinrich
Published: June 2010

Purpose: We report a novel analytic method, named intercohort co-analysis or Ican, which aids in the discovery of genes with predictive value for the progression or outcome of diseases from small-size cohorts. We tested this premise in Ewing's sarcoma (ES), a highly metastatic cancer of bone and soft tissues that lacks validated molecular metastasis and prognostic indicators.

Experimental Design: To uncover genes significantly expressed in ES patient subsets, we first determined a nonarbitrary gene expression significance cutoff based on expression levels in validated expressing and nonexpressing tissues. We next searched for genes that were consistently significantly expressed in several ES cohort and cell line datasets. Significantly expressed genes were independently validated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR in an additional ES cohort.

Results: Analysis of ES cohorts revealed marked intercohort gene expression variability. After filtering out the intercohort variability, CXCR4 and CXCR7 were found to be consistently associated with specific ES subsets. Pairwise analyses showed CXCR4 to correlate with ES metastases, and CXCR4 and CXCR7 to patient survival, but not with several other clinicopathological variables.

Conclusion: Ican is a powerful novel method to identifying genes consistently associated with particular disease states in cancers for which large cohorts are not available, currently the case of most cancers. We report for the first time that high CXCR4 expression preferentially associates with metastatic ES, and that of CXCR7 with poor patient survival. Clin Cancer Res; 16(14); 3769–78. ©2010 AACR.
The Importance of Genetic Counseling, DNA Diagnostics, and Cardiologic Family Screening in Left Ventricular Noncompaction Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Hoedemaekers Yvonne M. , Caliskan Kadir , Michels Michelle , Frohn-Mulder Ingrid , van der Smagt Jasper J. , Phefferkorn Judith E. , Wessels Marja W. , ten Cate Folkert J. , Sijbrands Eric J.G. , Dooijes Dennis , Majoor-Krakauer Danielle F.
Published: June 2010

Background—

Left ventricular (LV) noncompaction (LVNC) is a distinct cardiomyopathy featuring a thickened bilayered LV wall consisting of a thick endocardial layer with prominent intertrabecular recesses with a thin, compact epicardial layer. Similar to hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy, LVNC is genetically heterogeneous and was recently associated with mutations in sarcomere genes. To contribute to the genetic classification for LVNC, a systematic cardiological family study was performed in a cohort of 58 consecutively diagnosed and molecularly screened patients with isolated LVNC (49 adults and 9 children).

Methods and Results—

Combined molecular testing and cardiological family screening revealed that 67%of LVNC is genetic. Cardiological screening with electrocardiography and echocardiography of 194 relatives from 50 unrelated LVNC probands revealed familial cardiomyopathy in 32 families (64%), including LVNC, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Sixty-three percent of the relatives newly diagnosed with cardiomyopathy were asymptomatic. Of 17 asymptomatic relatives with a mutation, 9 had noncompaction cardiomyopathy. In 8 carriers, nonpenetrance was observed. This may explain that 44% (14 of 32) of familial disease remained undetected by ascertainment of family history before cardiological family screening. The molecular screening of 17 genes identified mutations in 11 genes in 41% (23 of 56) tested probands, 35% (17 of 48) adults and 6 of 8 children. In 18 families, single mutations were transmitted in an autosomal dominant mode. Two adults and 2 children were compound or double heterozygous for 2 different mutations. One adult proband had 3 mutations. In 50% (16 of 32) of familial LVNC, the genetic defect remained inconclusive.

Conclusion—

LVNC is predominantly a genetic cardiomyopathy with variable presentation ranging from asymptomatic to severe. Accordingly, the diagnosis of LVNC requires genetic counseling, DNA diagnostics, and cardiological family screening.
Prevalence, Distribution, and Risk Factor Correlates of High Pericardial and Intrathoracic Fat Depots in the Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Thanassoulis George , Massaro Joseph M. , Hoffmann Udo , Mahabadi Amir A. , Vasan Ramachandran S. , O'Donnell Christopher J. , Fox Caroline S.
Published: June 2010

Background—

Pericardial and intrathoracic fat depots may represent novel risk factors for obesity-related cardiovascular disease. We sought to determine the prevalence, distribution, and risk factor correlates of high pericardial and intrathoracic fat deposits.

Methods and Results—

Participants from the Framingham Heart Study (n=3312; mean age, 52 years; 48% women) underwent multidetector CT imaging in 2002 to 2005; high pericardial and high intrathoracic fat were defined on the basis of the sex-specific 90th percentile for these fat depots in a healthy reference sample. For men and women, the prevalence of high pericardial fat was 29.3% and 26.3%, respectively, and high intrathoracic fat was 31.4% and 35.3%, respectively. Overall, 22.1% of the sample was discordant for pericardial and intrathoracic fat depots: 8.3% had high pericardial but normal intrathoracic fat and 13.8% had high intrathoracic but normal pericardial fat. Higher body mass index, higher waist circumference, and increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome were more prevalent in participants with high intrathoracic fat depots than with high pericardial fat (
P
<0.05 for all comparisons). High abdominal visceral adipose tissue was more frequent in participants with high intrathoracic adipose tissue compared with those with high pericardial fat (
P
<0.001). Intrathoracic fat but not waist circumference was more highly correlated with visceral adipose tissue (
r
=0.76 and 0.78 in men and women, respectively;
P
<0.0001) than with subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) (
r
=0.46 and 0.54 in men and women, respectively;
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

Although prevalence of pericardial fat and intrathoracic fat were comparable at 30%, intrathoracic fat correlated more closely with metabolic risk and visceral fat. Intrathoracic fat may be a potential marker of metabolic risk and visceral fat on thoracic imaging.
Materials on the Bandari Dialect
Authors: Pelevin Mikhail
Published: June 2010

In this paper, a short description of the main phonological and morphological features of Bandari, a dialect spoken in Bandar 'Abbās (Hormozgān province in Iran), is supplemented with new materials recorded by the author, including a Glossary (about 400 items) with parallels from closely related South-Iranian dialects, and texts of three popular songs.
ESR Detection of ROS Generated by TiO2Coated with Fluoridated Apatite
Authors: Sawada Tomofumi , Yoshino F. , Kimoto K. , Takahashi Y. , Shibata T. , Hamada N. , Sawada Tomoji , Toyoda M. , Lee M.-C.
Published: June 2010

Specific materials used in the manufacture of dentures may enhance the removal of micro-organisms. The ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation of acrylic resin containing titanium dioxide (TiO2) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) by photocatalysis that shows antibacterial effects. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that TiO2coated with fluoridated apatite (FAp-TiO2) can generate ROS via photo-catalysis by using electron spin resonance (ESR), and that acrylic resin containing FAp-TiO2can show antifungal properties by measuring the viability of Candida albicans. We demonstrated that hydroxyl radicals (HO•) were generated through excitation of TiO2, TiO2coated with apatite (HAp-TiO2), and FAp-TiO2. The HO•generation through excitation of FAp-TiO2was higher than that of TiO2and HAp-TiO2. Regarding antifungal activity, cell viability on acrylic resin containing FAp-TiO2was lower than that of TiO2and HAp-TiO2. FAp-TiO2showed superior photocatalytic effects, and these characteristics may lead to novel methods for the clinical application of denture-cleaning treatments.
Providing Humanistic Care
Authors: Loignon C. , Allison P. , Landry A. , Richard L. , Brodeur J.-M. , Bedos C.
Published: June 2010

Communication barriers severely reduce the effectiveness of oral health care provision to people living in poverty. Our objective was to identify specific approaches and skills developed by dentists for more effective treatment of people living in poverty and addressing their needs. We conducted qualitative research based on in-depth interviews with eight dentists practicing in disadvantaged communities of Montreal, Canada. Analyses consisted of interview debriefing, transcript coding, and data interpretation. Results revealed that, over years of practice, these dentists had developed a five-faceted socio-humanistic approach that involved: (1) understanding patients’ social context; (2) taking time and showing empathy; (3) avoiding moralistic attitudes; (4) overcoming social distances; and (5) favoring direct contact with patients. This approach is original, and, even though participants found it successful, it should be evaluated in terms of its impact for access to services and patients’ experience of care.
Making Sense Sensibly in Crisis Communication: How Publics’ Crisis Appraisals Influence Their Negative Emotions, Coping Strategy Preferences, and Crisis Response Acceptance
Authors: Yan Jin
Published: June 2010

Despite the importance of affect in persuasion and strategic communication decision making, there is a lack of a systematic and integrated approach to understanding how discrete emotions publics experience in crises and their behavioral tendencies are associated with their cognitive appraisals. A 2 (predictability: high and low) × 2 (controllability: high and low) between-subjects experiment using a random general public sample was designed to examine the variance in publics’ affective responses, their strategies of coping with crises, and their acceptance of different organizational crisis responses, as a function of publics’ appraisal of crisis predictability and controllability. Differential influences of the cognitive appraisals were found on publics’ negative emotional responses (i.e., anger, sadness, and fright) as well as their coping strategy and organizational crisis response preferences.
An exploration into the palliative and end-of-life experiences of carers of people with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Hasson Felicity , Kernohan W George , McLaughlin Marian , Waldron Mary , McLaughlin Dorry , Chambers Helen , Cochrane Barbara
Published: June 2010

Although most people with Parkinson’s disease are cared for in the community, little is known about family members’ lived experiences of palliative or end-of-life care. The aim of this study was to explore former carers’ lived experiences of palliative and end-of-life care. In total, 15 former family caregivers of patients who had died with Parkinson’s disease were interviewed using a semi-structured topic list. Findings indicated that some palliative and end-of-life care needs had not been fully addressed. Lack of communication, knowledge and coordination of services resulted in many people caring for someone with Parkinson’s disease not accessing specialist palliative care services. Participants also reflected upon the physical and psychological impact of caring in the advanced stage of Parkinson’s. A multi-disciplinary team-based approach was advocated by participants. These findings provide important insights into the experience of caregiving to patients with Parkinson’s disease in the home at the end-of-life stage. According to palliative care standards, patients and their carers are the unit of care; in reality, however, this standard is not being met.
The Use of Rasch Analysis in Reducing a Large Condition-Specific Instrument for Preference Valuation
Authors: Young Tracey A. , Yang Yaling , Brazier John E. , Tsuchiya Aki
Published: June 2010

The majority of health-related quality-of-life instruments are not preference-based measures and so cannot be used within cost utility analysis. The Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) is one such instrument. The aim of this study was to develop a health state classification that was amenable to valuation from the AQLQ, this being the 1st stage in developing a condition-specific preference-based measure for asthma patients. Rasch models were applied to samples of responders to the AQLQ with the aim of selecting a number of items for a preference-based utility measure (AQL-5D). Selection of items for the evaluation survey was supported with classical psychometric criteria for item selection (feasibility, internal consistency, floor and ceiling effects, and responsiveness). Rasch analysis proved to be a useful tool in assisting in the initial process of selecting items from an existing health-related quality-of-life instrument in the construction of the AQL-5D. The method is recommended for use alongside classical psychometric testing to aid in the development of preference-based measures.
Applying Roper v. Simmons in Juvenile Transfer and Waiver Proceedings
Authors: Fabian John Matthew
Published: June 2010

In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court held the death penalty unconstitutional as applied to juveniles in Roper v. Simmons. The Court reasoned that juveniles were less criminally culpable than adults because they lack maturity, they are more vulnerable to peer influence, and their character is not as well formed as that of adults. Although Roper addressed the imposition of the ultimate punishment of death within the context of a juvenile’s moral blameworthiness for a crime of murder, this article considers the application of the Court’s reasoning in Roper to the issue of juvenile waiver. Specifically, the author asks the question whether Roper’s ultimate language distinguishing juveniles from adults in capital cases should apply to the conventional practice of their trial and sentencing as adults. Despite the fact that juvenile transfer is a less serious sanction than the death penalty, this inquiry confronts the traditional objective of the juvenile court system, a system of punishment that was founded on rehabilitation rather than retribution. The author questions whether the punitive objectives of deterrence and retribution are satisfied by juvenile waiver and whether the mitigating effect of adolescence negates the trial of youth as adults.
The properties of vinyl ester composites reinforced with different types of woven fabric and hollow phenolic microspheres
Authors: Yusriah L. , Mariatti M. , Abu Bakar A.
Published: June 2010

This study compares the effects of hollow polymeric microspheres (PHMS) on specific mechanical properties and thermal properties of glass, basalt, and carbon woven fabric reinforced vinyl ester composites. The specific flexural and specific impact strengths of the composites were marginally increased with the addition of PHMS; however, it was at the expense of reduced specific flexural modulus. The thermal stability of the neat vinyl ester was improved with the addition of woven glass and carbon, but was consequently reduced with the further inclusion of PHMS. SEM observations identified the presence of the combined failure mechanism of fibers and PHMS. In short, the major reinforcing effect of the woven fiber-reinforced vinyl ester composites is governed by the type of fiber used, while the addition of PHMS enhanced the ductility of the composites.
Bereaved Elders: Transformative Learning in Late Life
Authors: Moon Paul J.
Published: June 2010

This qualitative study sought to understand older adults’ (elders) transformative learning through bereavement in late life. Nine bereaved elders were engaged through in-depth interviews. Data analysis via the constant comparative method indicated deep changes in views of death-related issues as well as ongoing life-related issues. The process of transformation, which was found to be highly fluid and oscillating, included the components of acute distress, reflection, emerging sense of change in perspectives, and new behaviors. The consequences of these findings affirm certain aspects of transformative learning theory, such as the presence of disorienting distress and significant reflections, while contesting some of its foundational tenets such as the import of premise reflection and social discourse. Implications of this study are presented, along with recommendations for further research.
Molecular-Clinical Correlation in a Family With a Novel Heteroplasmic Leigh Syndrome Missense Mutation in the Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase III Gene
Authors: Mkaouar-Rebai Emna , Ellouze Emna , Chamkha Imen , Kammoun Fatma , Triki Chahnez , Fakhfakh Faiza
Published: June 2010

Cytochrome c oxidase is an essential component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain that catalyzes the reduction of molecular oxygen by reduced cytochrome c. In this study, the authors report the second mutation associated with Leigh syndrome in the blood and buccal mucosa of 2 affected members of a Tunisian family. It was a novel heteroplasmic missense mitochondrial mutation at nucleotide 9478 in the gene specifying subunit III of cytochrome c oxidase substituting the valine at position 91 to alanine in a highly conserved amino acid. It was found with a high mutant load in tissues derived from endoderm (buccal mucosa) and mesoderm (blood). However, it was nearly absent in tissue derived from ectoderm (hair follicles). It was absent in 120 healthy controls, and PolyPhen analysis showed that the hydropathy index changed from +1.276 to +0.242, and the number of structures of the 3D protein decreased from 39 to 32.
A model for psychiatric questionnaires with embarrassing items
Authors: Cúri Mariana , Singer Julio M , Andrade Dalton F
Published: June 2010

We propose an item response theory model to analyse psychiatric questionnaires that contain embarrassing items. We use Bayesian methods to estimate its parameters and consider a simulation study to evaluate the performance of the proposed estimators. The results are illustrated with the analysis of data collected to evaluate teenager depression, highlighting the gender difference in the probabilities of ‘crying crisis’, a trait known to embarrass some male populations.
Reflections on the Under-Researched Topic of Grief in Persons With Dementia: A Report From a Symposium on Grief and Dementia
Authors: Gataric Gordana , Kinsel Beth , Currie Brenda Gauby , Lawhorne Larry W.
Published: June 2010

This article describes a symposium about the clinical challenges of providing care to persons with dementia and their families. The plenary session addressed the bereavement process in the general older adult population, neurocognitive processes that alter the grief process in persons with dementia, and therapeutic approaches to support grieving persons in different stages of dementia. Participants from diverse health care disciplines met in small groups to identify (1) current responses to persons with dementia and their families who experience a loss; (2) barriers to providing effective responses; and (3) possible interventions to improve care. Two general types of interventions emerged: practical/agency support and spiritual/affective engagement.
Latino Immigration, Economic Deprivation, and Violence: Regional Differences in the Effect of Linguistic Isolation
Authors: Shihadeh Edward S. , Barranco Raymond E.
Published: June 2010

One of the many contributions of Land, McCall, and Cohen’s landmark study was the confirmation of a long-held view in criminology—that deprivation raises homicide. Yet recent literature finds that although Latino immigrant communities are often poor, paradoxically they have low levels of crime. Unfortunately, this seemingly contradictory evidence is based on studies of long-established, well-organized, traditional immigrant communities where Spanish is a modal form of communication. However, recent Latino migrants opted for new destinations that are unprotected by a shell of common culture and language, making Latinos in these areas more vulnerable to serious violence. In acknowledging these critical differences between old and new Latino communities, we observe four interrelated findings: (a) The widely held view that Latinos generally live in safe places is true only for those in traditional destinations; (b) Latinos in new destinations are murdered at an exceedingly high rate; (c) This elevated risk is linked to English nonfluency among Latinos in new destinations only; and (d) In these areas, linguistic isolation increases homicide not just directly but indirectly as well by first increasing Latino economic deprivation. Thus, once differences in place are considered, there is no “paradox” about Latino immigration and crime. Our results uphold the benchmark assessment of Land, McCall and Cohen, that deprivation is linked to homicide—even in Latino communities.
Recommended Communication-Based Interventions for Individuals With Severe Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Ogletree Billy T. , Bruce Susan M. , Finch Amy , Fahey Ronald , McLean Lee
Published: June 2010

Providing effective interventions for individuals with severe intellectual disabilities (ID) continues to challenge educators, speech-language pathologists, and other allied health professionals.This article reviews recommended intervention practices that have emerged over the past 30 years and illustrates their use through an evidenced-based case example. The article concludes with remarks specific to the case and a charge to those involved with communication interventions for this population.