bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a rituximab variant with potent antitumor activity against rituximab-resistant B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Li Bohua , Zhao Lei , Guo Huaizu , Wang Chong , Zhang Xunming , Wu Lan , Chen Lin , Tong Qing , Qian Weizhu , Wang Hao , Guo Yajun
Published: October 2009

Despite widespread use of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb), rituximab, in treating B-cell lymphomas, its efficacy remains variable and often modest. A better understanding of rituximab-mediated killing mechanisms is essential to develop more effective therapeutic agents. In this study, we modulated the binding property of rituximab by introducing several point mutations in its complementarity-determining regions. The data showed that changing the binding avidity of rituximab in the range from 10−8 to 10−10 M could regulate its antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity but not affect its complement-dependent cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing activity in B-lymphoma cells. Contradictory to previous findings, we found that the complement-dependent cytotoxicity potency of CD20 mAb was independent of the off-rate. Despite still being a type I CD20 mAb, a rituximab triple mutant (H57DE/H102YK/L93NR), which had a similar binding avidity to a double mutant (H57DE/H102YK), was unexpectedly found to have extremely potent apoptosis-inducing activity. Moreover, this triple mutant, which was demonstrated to efficiently initiate both caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosis, exhibited potent in vivo therapeutic efficacy, even in the rituximab-resistant lymphoma model, suggesting that it might be a promising therapeutic agent for B-cell lymphomas.
Evidence of serum immunoglobulin abnormalities up to 9.8 years before diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a prospective study
Authors: Tsai Huei-Ting , Caporaso Neil E. , Kyle Robert A. , Katzmann Jerry A. , Dispenzieri Angela , Hayes Richard B. , Marti Gerald E. , Albitar Maher , Ghia Paolo , Rajkumar S. Vincent , Landgren Ola
Published: October 2009

Immune-related deficiencies are well-known complications of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Although recent data indicate that almost all CLL patients are preceded by a monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis precursor state, patterns of immune defects preceding CLL diagnosis are unclear. We identified 109 persons who developed CLL from the prospective and nationwide Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial with 77 469 participants, with serially collected prediagnostic serum samples. We assayed monoclonal (M)–proteins, κ/λ free light chains (FLCs) in prediagnostic obtained up to 9.8 years before CLL diagnosis. The prevalence of an abnormal FLC ratio, M-protein, and hypogamma-globulinemia before CLL diagnosis was 38% (95% confidence interval, 29%-47%), 13% (7%-21%), and 3% (1%-8%), respectively. M-proteins and abnormal FLC ratios were detected up to 9.8 years before CLL diagnosis in a total of 48 persons (44%). Hypogammaglobulinemia was not present until 3 years before the diagnosis of CLL. Among 37 patients with information on tumor cell immunophenotype, an association between immunophenotype and involved FLC (P = .024, Fisher exact test) was observed. Among 61 persons with a normal FLC ratio and without an M-protein, 17 had elevated κ and/or λ FLC levels, indicating polyclonal B-cell activation in 17 of 109 (16%) patients. These findings support a role for chronic immune stimulation in CLL genesis.
STAR NET 2: a web-based tool for accelerating discovery of gene regulatory networks using microarray co-expression data
Authors: Jupiter Daniel , Chen Hailin , VanBuren Vincent
Published: October 2009

Background

Although expression microarrays have become a standard tool used by biologists, analysis of data produced by microarray experiments may still present challenges. Comparison of data from different platforms, organisms, and labs may involve complicated data processing, and inferring relationships between genes remains difficult.

Results

S

TAR

N

ET

2 is a new web-based tool that allows post hoc visual analysis of correlations that are derived from expression microarray data. S

TAR

N

ET

2 facilitates user discovery of putative gene regulatory networks in a variety of species (human, rat, mouse, chicken, zebrafish, Drosophila, C. elegans, S. cerevisiae, Arabidopsis and rice) by graphing networks of genes that are closely co-expressed across a large heterogeneous set of preselected microarray experiments. For each of the represented organisms, raw microarray data were retrieved from NCBI's Gene Expression Omnibus for a selected Affymetrix platform. All pairwise Pearson correlation coefficients were computed for expression profiles measured on each platform, respectively. These precompiled results were stored in a MySQL database, and supplemented by additional data retrieved from NCBI. A web-based tool allows user-specified queries of the database, centered at a gene of interest. The result of a query includes graphs of correlation networks, graphs of known interactions involving genes and gene products that are present in the correlation networks, and initial statistical analyses. Two analyses may be performed in parallel to compare networks, which is facilitated by the new H

EAT

S

EEKER
module.

Conclusion

S

TAR

N

ET

2 is a useful tool for developing new hypotheses about regulatory relationships between genes and gene products, and has coverage for 10 species. Interpretation of the correlation networks is supported with a database of previously documented interactions, a test for enrichment of Gene Ontology terms, and heat maps of correlation distances that may be used to compare two networks. The list of genes in a S

TAR

N

ET
network may be useful in developing a list of candidate genes to use for the inference of causal networks. The tool is freely available at http://vanburenlab.medicine.tamhsc.edu/starnet2.html, and does not require user registration.
Phylogenetic analysis of modularity in protein interaction networks
Authors: Erten Sinan , Li Xin , Bebek Gurkan , Li Jing , Koyutürk Mehmet
Published: October 2009

Background

In systems biology, comparative analyses of molecular interactions across diverse species indicate that conservation and divergence of networks can be used to understand functional evolution from a systems perspective. A key characteristic of these networks is their modularity, which contributes significantly to their robustness, as well as adaptability. Consequently, analysis of modular network structures from a phylogenetic perspective may be useful in understanding the emergence, conservation, and diversification of functional modularity.

Results

In this paper, we propose a phylogenetic framework for analyzing network modules, with applications that extend well beyond network-based phylogeny reconstruction. Our approach is based on identification of modular network components from each network separately, followed by projection of these modules onto the networks of other species to compare different networks. Subsequently, we use the conservation of various modules in each network to assess the similarity between different networks. Compared to traditional methods that rely on topological comparisons, our approach has key advantages in (i) avoiding intractable graph comparison problems in comparative network analysis, (ii) accounting for noise and missing data through flexible treatment of network conservation, and (iii) providing insights on the evolution of biological systems through investigation of the evolutionary trajectories of network modules. We test our method, MOPHY, on synthetic data generated by simulation of network evolution, as well as existing protein-protein interaction data for seven diverse species. Comprehensive experimental results show that MOPHYis promising in reconstructing evolutionary histories of extant networks based on conservation of modularity, it is highly robust to noise, and outperforms existing methods that quantify network similarity in terms of conservation of network topology.

Conclusion

These results establish modularity and network proximity as useful features in comparative network analysis and motivate detailed studies of the evolutionary histories of network modules.
A Perl procedure for protein identification by Peptide Mass Fingerprinting
Authors: Tiengo Alessandra , Barbarini Nicola , Troiani Sonia , Rusconi Luisa , Magni Paolo
Published: October 2009

Background

One of the topics of major interest in proteomics is protein identification. Protein identification can be achieved by analyzing the mass spectrum of a protein sample through different approaches. One of them, called Peptide Mass Fingerprinting (PMF), combines mass spectrometry (MS) data with searching strategies in a suitable database of known protein to provide a list of candidate proteins ranked by a score. To this aim, several algorithms and software tools have been proposed. However, the scoring methods and mainly the statistical evaluation of the results can be significantly improved.

Results

In this work, a Perl procedure for protein identification by PMF, called MsPI (Mass spectrometry Protein Identification), is presented. The implemented scoring methods were derived from the literature. MsPI implements a strategy to remove the contaminant masses present in the acquired spectra. Moreover, MsPI includes a statistical method to assign to each candidate protein, in addition to the scoring value, a p-value. Results obtained by MsPI on a dataset of 10 protein samples were compared with those achieved using two other software tools, i.e. Piums and Mascot. Piums implements one of the scoring methods available in MsPI, while Mascot is one of the most frequently used software tools in the protein identification field. MsPI scripts are available for downloading on the web site http://aimed11.unipv.it/MsPI.

Conclusion

The performances of MsPI seem to be better than those of Piums and Mascot. In fact, on the considered dataset, MsPI includes in its candidate proteins list, the "true" proteins nine times over ten, whereas Piums includes in its list the "true" proteins only four time over ten. Even if Mascot also correctly includes in the candidates list the "true" proteins nine times over ten, it provides longer candidate lists, therefore increasing the number of false positives when the molecular weight of the proteins in the sample is approximatively known (e.g. by the 1-D/2-D electrophoresis gel). Moreover, being MsPI a Perl tool, it can be easily extended and customized by the final users.
Towards a systems biology approach to mammalian cell cycle: modeling the entrance into S phase of quiescent fibroblasts after serum stimulation
Authors: Alfieri Roberta , Barberis Matteo , Chiaradonna Ferdinando , Gaglio Daniela , Milanesi Luciano , Vanoni Marco , Klipp Edda , Alberghina Lilia
Published: October 2009

Background

The cell cycle is a complex process that allows eukaryotic cells to replicate chromosomal DNA and partition it into two daughter cells. A relevant regulatory step is in the G0/G1 phase, a point called the restriction (R) point where intracellular and extracellular signals are monitored and integrated.

Subcellular localization of cell cycle proteins is increasingly recognized as a major factor that regulates cell cycle transitions. Nevertheless, current mathematical models of the G1/S networks of mammalian cells do not consider this aspect. Hence, there is a need for a computational model that incorporates this regulatory aspect that has a relevant role in cancer, since altered localization of key cell cycle players, notably of inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases, has been reported to occur in neoplastic cells and to be linked to cancer aggressiveness.

Results

The network of the model components involved in the G1 to S transition process was identified through a literature and web-based data mining and the corresponding wiring diagram of the G1 to S transition drawn with Cell Designer notation. The model has been implemented in Mathematica using Ordinary Differential Equations. Time-courses of level and of sub-cellular localization of key cell cycle players in mouse fibroblasts re-entering the cell cycle after serum starvation/re-feeding have been used to constrain network design and parameter determination. The model allows to recapitulate events from growth factor stimulation to the onset of S phase. The R point estimated by simulation is consistent with the R point experimentally determined.

Conclusion

The major element of novelty of our model of the G1 to S transition is the explicit modeling of cytoplasmic/nuclear shuttling of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases, their inhibitor and complexes. Sensitivity analysis of the network performance newly reveals that the biological effect brought about by Cki overexpression is strictly dependent on whether the Cki is promoting nuclear translocation of cyclin/Cdk containing complexes.
Phenotypic and genotypic data integration and exploration through a web-service architecture
Authors: Nuzzo Angelo , Riva Alberto , Bellazzi Riccardo
Published: October 2009

Background

Linking genotypic and phenotypic information is one of the greatest challenges of current genetics research. The definition of an Information Technology infrastructure to support this kind of studies, and in particular studies aimed at the analysis of complex traits, which require the definition of multifaceted phenotypes and the integration genotypic information to discover the most prevalent diseases, is a paradigmatic goal of Biomedical Informatics. This paper describes the use of Information Technology methods and tools to develop a system for the management, inspection and integration of phenotypic and genotypic data.

Results

We present the design and architecture of the Phenotype Miner, a software system able to flexibly manage phenotypic information, and its extended functionalities to retrieve genotype information from external repositories and to relate it to phenotypic data. For this purpose we developed a module to allow customized data upload by the user and a SOAP-based communications layer to retrieve data from existing biomedical knowledge management tools. In this paper we also demonstrate the system functionality by an example application of the system in which we analyze two related genomic datasets.

Conclusion

In this paper we show how a comprehensive, integrated and automated workbench for genotype and phenotype integration can facilitate and improve the hypothesis generation process underlying modern genetic studies.
A scale space approach for unsupervised feature selection in mass spectra classification for ovarian cancer detection
Authors: Ceccarelli Michele , d'Acierno Antonio , Facchiano Angelo
Published: October 2009

Background

Mass spectrometry spectra, widely used in proteomics studies as a screening tool for protein profiling and to detect discriminatory signals, are high dimensional data. A large number of local maxima (a.k.a. peaks) have to be analyzed as part of computational pipelines aimed at the realization of efficient predictive and screening protocols. With this kind of data dimensions and samples size the risk of over-fitting and selection bias is pervasive. Therefore the development of bio-informatics methods based on unsupervised feature extraction can lead to general tools which can be applied to several fields of predictive proteomics.

Results

We propose a method for feature selection and extraction grounded on the theory of multi-scale spaces for high resolution spectra derived from analysis of serum. Then we use support vector machines for classification. In particular we use a database containing 216 samples spectra divided in 115 cancer and 91 control samples. The overall accuracy averaged over a large cross validation study is 98.18. The area under the ROC curve of the best selected model is 0.9962.

Conclusion

We improved previous known results on the problem on the same data, with the advantage that the proposed method has an unsupervised feature selection phase. All the developed code, as MATLAB scripts, can be downloaded from http://medeaserver.isa.cnr.it/dacierno/spectracode.htm
Identification and genotyping of bacteria from paired vaginal and rectal samples from pregnant women indicates similarity between vaginal and rectal microflora
Authors: El Aila Nabil Abdullah , Tency Inge , Claeys Geert , Verstraelen Hans , Saerens Bart , Lopes dos Santos Santiago Guido , De Backer Ellen , Cools Piet , Temmerman Marleen , Verhelst Rita , Vaneechoutte Mario
Published: October 2009

Background

The vaginal microflora is important for maintaining vaginal health and preventing infections of the reproductive tract. The rectum has been suggested as the major source for the colonisation of the vaginal econiche.

Methods

To establish whether the rectum can serve as a possible bacterial reservoir for colonisation of the vaginal econiche, we cultured vaginal and rectal specimens from pregnant women at 35-37 weeks of gestation, identified the isolates to the species level with tRNA intergenic length polymorphism analysis (tDNA-PCR) and genotyped the isolates for those subjects from which the same species was isolated simultaneously vaginally and rectally, by RAPD-analysis.

One vaginal and one rectal swab were collected from a total of each of 132 pregnant women at 35-37 weeks of gestation. Swabs were cultured on Columbia CNA agar and MRS agar. For each subject 4 colonies were selected for each of both sites, i.e. 8 colonies in total.

Results

Among the 844 isolates that could be identified by tDNA-PCR, a total of 63 bacterial species were present, 9 (14%) only vaginally, 26 (41%) only rectally, and 28 (44%) in both vagina and rectum. A total of 121 (91.6%) of 132 vaginal samples and 51 (38.6%) of 132 rectal samples were positive for lactobacilli. L. crispatus was the most frequently isolated Lactobacillus species from the vagina (40% of the subjects were positive), followed by L. jensenii (32%), L. gasseri (30%) and L. iners (11%). L. gasseri was the most frequently isolated Lactobacillus species from the rectum (15%), followed by L. jensenii (12%), L. crispatus (11%) and L. iners (2%).

A total of 47 pregnant women carried the same species vaginally and rectally. This resulted in 50 vaginal/rectal pairs of the same species, for a total of eight different species. For 34 of the 50 species pairs (68%), isolates with the same genotype were present vaginally and rectally and a high level of genotypic diversity within species per subject was also established.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that there is a certain degree of correspondence between the vaginal and rectal microflora, not only with regard to species composition but also with regard to strain identity between vaginal and rectal isolates.

These results support the hypothesis that the rectal microflora serves as a reservoir for colonisation of the vaginal econiche.
Chronic growth faltering amongst a birth cohort of Indian children begins prior to weaning and is highly prevalent at three years of age
Authors: Rehman Andrea M , Gladstone Beryl P , Verghese Valsan P , Muliyil Jayaprakash , Jaffar Shabbar , Kang Gagandeep
Published: October 2009

Background

Poor growth of children in developing countries is a major public health problem associated with mortality, morbidity and developmental delay. We describe growth up to three years of age and investigate factors related to stunting (low height-for-age) at three years of age in a birth cohort from an urban slum.

Methods

452 children born between March 2002 and August 2003 were followed until their third birthday in three neighbouring slums in Vellore, South India. Field workers visited homes to collect details of morbidity twice a week. Height and weight were measured monthly from one month of age in a study-run clinic. For analysis, standardised z-scores were generated using the 2006 WHO child growth standards. Risk factors for stunting at three years of age were analysed in logistic regression models. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the effect of missing values.

Results

At age three years, of 186 boys and 187 girls still under follow-up, 109 (66%, 95% Confidence interval 58-73%) boys and 93 (56%, 95% CI 49-64%) girls were stunted, 14 (8%, 95% CI 4-13%) boys and 12 (7%, 95% CI 3-11%) girls were wasted (low weight-for-height) and 72 (43%, 95% CI 36-51) boys and 66 (39%, 95% CI 31-47%) girls were underweight (low weight-for-age). In total 224/331 (68%) children at three years had at least one growth deficiency (were stunted and/or underweight and/or wasted); even as early as one month of age 186/377 (49%) children had at least one growth deficiency. Factors associated with stunting at three years were birth weight less than 2.5 kg (OR 3.63, 95% CI 1.36-9.70) 'beedi-making' (manual production of cigarettes for a daily wage) in the household (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.05-2.86), maternal height less than 150 cm (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.12-3.62), being stunted, wasted or underweight at six months of age (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.05-2.93) and having at least one older sibling (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.14-3.51).

Conclusion

A high proportion of urban slum dwelling children had poor growth throughout the first three years of life. Interventions are needed urgently during pregnancy, early breastfeeding and weaning in this population.
A geminiviral amplicon (VA) derived from Tomato leaf curl virus (ToLCV) can replicate in a wide variety of plant species and also acts as a VIGS vector
Authors: Pandey Prerna , Choudhury Nirupam R , Mukherjee Sunil K
Published: October 2009

Background

TheTomato leaf curl virus(ToLCV) belongs to the genusbegomoviridaeof the familyGeminiviridae. The 2.7 kb DNA genome of the virus encodes all the information required for viral DNA replication, transcription and transmission across the plant cells. However, all of the genome sequences are not required for viral DNA replication. We attempted to reveal the minimal essential region required for DNA replication and stable maintenance. The phenomenon of Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) has recently been observed with several geminiviruses. We investigated whether the minimal replicating region was also capable of producing siRNAsin plantaand a VIGS vector could be constructed using the same minimal sequences.

Results

We have constructed vectors containing various truncated portions of theTomato leaf curl virus(ToLCV) genome and established that a segment spanning from common region (CR) to AC3 (ORF coding for a replication enhancer) was the minimal portion which could efficiently replicate in a variety of both monocot and dicot plants. A viral amplicon (VA) vector was constructed using this region that produced siRNAs from various sites of the vector, in a temporal manner in plants, and hence can be used as a VIGS vector. The tomato endogene PCNA was silenced using this vector. Introduction of a mutation in the ORF AC2 (a silencing suppressor) increased the silencing efficiency of the newly constructed vector several folds.

Conclusion

Our study reveals that the vector is capable of replicating in diverse plant species and is highly efficient in silencing endogenes likePCNAof the host plant, thus acting as a VIGS vector. We observed that the geminiviral ORF AC2 functioned as a silencing suppressor and a null mutation in this ORF increased the efficiency of silencing several fold. This is the first report of construction of improved VIGS vector by mutation of the resident silencing suppressor gene. The present study opens up the possibility of using such VIGS vectors in silencing the host genes in a broad range of plant hosts.
Radiation-induced Akt activation modulates radioresistance in human glioblastoma cells
Authors: Li Hui-Fang , Kim Jung-Sik , Waldman Todd
Published: October 2009

Background

Ionizing radiation (IR) therapy is a primary treatment for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a common and devastating brain tumor in humans. IR has been shown to induce PI3K-Akt activation in many cell types, and activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway has been correlated with radioresistance.

Methods

Initially, the effects of IR on Akt activation were assessed in multiple human GBM cell lines. Next, to evaluate a potential causative role of IR-induced Akt activation on radiosensitivity, Akt activation was inhibited during IR with several complementary genetic and pharmacological approaches, and radiosensitivity measured using clonogenic survival assays.

Results

Three of the eight cell lines tested demonstrated IR-induced Akt activation. Further studies revealed that IR-induced Akt activation was dependent upon the presence of a serum factor, and could be inhibited by the EGFR inhibitor AG1478. Inhibition of PI3K activation with LY294002, or with inducible wild-type PTEN, inhibition of EGFR, as well as direct inhibition of Akt with two Akt inhibitors during irradiation increased the radiosensitivity of U87MG cells.

Conclusion

These results suggest that Akt may be a central player in a feedback loop whereby activation of Akt induced by IR increases radioresistance of GBM cells. Targeting the Akt signaling pathway may have important therapeutic implications when used in combination with IR in the treatment of a subset of brain tumor patients.
Cellulosic hydrolysate toxicity and tolerance mechanisms in Escherichia coli
Authors: Mills Tirzah Y , Sandoval Nicholas R , Gill Ryan T
Published: October 2009

The sustainable production of biofuels will require the efficient utilization of lignocellulosic biomass. A key barrier involves the creation of growth-inhibitory compounds by chemical pretreatment steps, which ultimately reduce the efficiency of fermentative microbial biocatalysts. The primary toxins include organic acids, furan derivatives, and phenolic compounds. Weak acids enter the cell and dissociate, resulting in a drop in intracellular pH as well as various anion-specific effects on metabolism. Furan derivatives, dehydration products of hexose and pentose sugars, have been shown to hinder fermentative enzyme function. Phenolic compounds, formed from lignin, can disrupt membranes and are hypothesized to interfere with the function of intracellular hydrophobic targets. This review covers mechanisms of toxicity and tolerance for these compounds with a specific focus on the important industrial organism Escherichia coli. Recent efforts to engineer E. coli for improved tolerance to these toxins are also discussed.
Localized Patterns for Global Variants: The Case of Quotative Systems of African American and Latino Speakers
Authors: KOHN MARY ELIZABETH , FRANZ HANNAH ASKIN
Published: October 2009

This study explores quotative system norms within Latino communities and African American communities in two cities in North Carolina, Durham and Hickory, to identify how social and ethnic distribution intersects with regional distribution in such systems. Quotative frames were transcribed from sociolinguistic interviews conducted with 35 Latino and 27 African American participants between the ages of 9 and 21. The quotative verb form and the tense, person, and content of the quotation were analyzed as a basis for examining its distribution. Correlating Latino participants' length of residency in the United States to quotative usage provided insight into the possible effect of second-language acquisition on quotative systems. Quotative be like was found to be grammaticalized as a reporter of direct speech and thought in all communities and was favored in the first person for the Latino speech communities, mirroring prior studies of Anglo communities. Results indicate that Latino and African American quotative systems are aligning with other systems identified in the United States with respect to the types of verbal quotatives used and content constraints, though each group and region varies in the application of previously observed constraints.
T-Glottalization IN AMERICAN ENGLISH
Authors: EDDINGTON DAVID , TAYLOR MICHAEL
Published: October 2009

In word-final prevocalic position (e.g., right ankle), there are various possible phonetic realizations of /t/ in American English: [t], [], []. The present study focuses on the linguistic and social factors associated with the use of the glottal stop. Data were gathered by having participants repeat sentences they were presented auditorily (e.g., She twisted her right ankle). The particular pronunciation of /t/ in the presented sentences was masked with a tone. Logistic regression analysis identified three significant factors: (1) glottal stops were favored by following front vowels; (2) younger female speakers were most likely to use glottal stops, which may indicate a change in progress; and (3) speakers from the Western United States glottalized more than speakers from other parts of the country.
The Expert-Performance Approach as a Framework for Understanding and Enhancing Coaching Performance, Expertise and Learning
Authors: Ford Paul , Coughlan Edward , Williams Mark
Published: October 2009

The expert-performance approach is critically evaluated for its potential to be used as the guiding framework for understanding and enhancing coaching performance, expertise and learning. The three-stage approach involves: i) identifying representative tasks that capture the essence of expertise in the domain; ii) having expert (and possibly novice) performers participate in those tasks, recording the mechanisms that mediate the expert's superior performance; and iii) tracing the acquisition of those skills and mechanisms. The approach enables the assessment of coaches' performance to be measured, identification of their respective strengths and weaknesses, and refinement of training activities to promote effective learning and the development of future generations of expert coaches.
Investigating the Idiosyncratic Learning Paths of Elite Canadian Coaches
Authors: Werthner Penny , Trudel Pierre
Published: October 2009

Researchers have investigated how coaches, from the recreational to the elite level of coaching, learn to coach. Many different learning situations have been identified in the research, yet the question remains: How is it that one coach's learning path emphasizes certain learning situations as key, and yet another coach's learning path emphasizes quite different situations? Fifteen Canadian Olympic coaches were interviewed to better understand the coaches' idiosyncratic learning-path phenomena. The findings provide an example of: (a) how coaches within a specific and similar context, in this case Olympic level sport, can differ dramatically regarding the importance that common learning situations have played in their development, and (b) how previous learning and experiences influence what coaches choose to pay attention to and therefore choose to learn. The coaches' idiosyncratic learning paths are also discussed in terms of coach development.
Coaching Sprinting: Expert Coaches' Perception of Race Phases and Technical Constructs
Authors: Jones Robyn , Bezodis Ian , Thompson Andy
Published: October 2009

The general aim of this study was explore expert coaches' technical knowledge of sprint running. The first of two principal objectives related to discovering whether expert coaches divided a sprint race into distinct phases and, if so, which and how many phases. The second objective was to examine the good technique characteristics associated with each phase. Participants for the study comprised seven expert track and field sprint coaches. Findings indicated that the respondents broke sprinting down into three technical phases, the start, the pick-up/drive and the maintenance phase. Important constructs were associated with each phase, which both supported and conflicted with the limited literature available. The principal finding of this study, however, relates to the current dearth of knowledge about good sprint-running technique, an area which requires considerable further investigation before definitive lines of good practice can be confidently applied.
Synthesis of aryl-substituted polyisobutylenes as precursors for ligands for greener, phase-selectively soluble catalysts
Authors: Bergbreiter David E. , Hobbs Chris , Tian Jianhua , Koizumi Hisao , Su Haw-Lih , Hongfa Chayanant
Published: October 2009

General synthetic approaches to functional derivatives of polyisobutylene (PIB) that contain arene groups that can be used as catalysts or as precursors to catalyst ligands are discussed. The emphasis is on reactions that use commercially available terminally functionalized PIB derivatives as starting materials. Both successful and unsuccessful electrophilic aromatic substitution processes are described, and potential problems of this process and ways to circumvent the problem of depolymerization of the intermediate polyisobutyl cation in substitutions of less reactive arenes are detailed. Examples that lead to polyisobutyl-containing arenes that are known and potentially useful as ligands or ligand precursors for greener homogeneous catalysts that are phase-selectively soluble and recoverable in heptane are emphasized.
Incarcerated Women and Abortion Provision: A Survey of Correctional Health Providers
Authors: Sufrin Carolyn B. , Creinin Mitchell D. , Chang Judy C.
Published: October 2009

CONTEXT: Many women entering jail or prison are pregnant, and correctional facilities are therefore an important venue for providing a range of pregnancy‐related care, including access to abortion services. However, the availability of abortion services to inmates in the United States is unknown.

METHODS: Between October 2006 and March 2007, surveys about abortion provision were mailed to 951 health professionals who provided clinical care in correctional facilities. Descriptive statistics were tabulated, and measures of association were calculated using chi‐square analysis.

RESULTS: Of the 286 respondents who returned analyzable surveys, 68% indicated that inmates at their facility can obtain “elective” abortions. Eighty‐eight percent of this group indicated that their facility provides transportation, but only 54% said that they help arrange appointments. Responses did not differ by providers' individual or institutional characteristics. However, providers from states with a Republican‐dominated legislature or with a Medicaid policy that severely restricted coverage for abortion were more likely to indicate that availability of abortion services was limited than were those whose state had a predominantly Democratic legislature or a Medicaid program that covered all or most medically necessary abortions.

CONCLUSIONS: Although incarceration does not preclude women's need for access to abortion, full access to services is not available in all settings. Improving women's overall health care in correctional settings should include increasing the accessibility of abortion services.
Sexual Insistence and Disliked Sexual Activities In Young Adulthood: Differences by Gender And Relationship Characteristics
Authors: Elizabeth Kaestle Christine
Published: October 2009

CONTEXT: Because sexual negotiations within young adult couples have consequences for sexual and reproductive health, it is important to determine associations between relationship contexts and sexual insistence.

METHODS: Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted on data from 4,469 young adults participating in Wave 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (2001–2002). Analyses examined predictors of respondents' having experienced sexual insistence and having repeatedly engaged in sexual behaviors they disliked in a current relationship of at least three months' duration.

RESULTS: Seven percent of men and 8% of women had had unwanted sex at their partner's insistence. A significantly greater proportion of women than of men (12% vs. 3%) had engaged repeatedly in sexual activities they disliked, primarily fellatio and anal sex. Relationship characteristics were associated with sexual insistence, but gender was not. For example, female respondents who reported unreciprocated love for their partner had higher odds of reporting sexual insistence perpetration than those who reported that they and their partner loved each other (odds ratio, 3.9). Females were more likely than males to report repeated participation in disliked sexual activities (3.7); relationship characteristics were relatively unimportant for this outcome.

CONCLUSIONS: Young adults of both genders may need education on the importance of accepting a partner's sexual desires and being sensitive to both a partner's unwillingness to engage in an activity and the true extent of a partner's dislike of certain activities. They may also need guidance on how to voice their own preferences and dislikes.
The community in music
Authors: Bowman Wayne
Published: October 2009

An understanding of community music requires careful thought about what community means, how it is created and sustained, the kinds of community we wish to create and sustain and why, and how music and education relate to such considerations. Communities are fluid, porous, negotiated
affairs: dynamic patterns of human interaction. To understand communities we need to understand the practices that stitch and weave them together. To ask What community? is also to ask What kind of practice?, What kind of people are deemed capable of engaging in it?, What kinds of attitudes,
beliefs, and actions does it exist to sustain?, and What kinds of attitudes, beliefs, and actions are necessary to sustain and nourish it? Communities are not just places where we engage in musically educational practices: they are also creations of those practices. It is thus imperative that
we consider both the kind of community we presume to serve and the kinds of community that predominate the music(s) we endorse as educational vehicles.
Learning through music festivals
Authors: Karlsen Sidsel
Published: October 2009

This article explores one particular music festival, the Festspel i Pite lvdal, as a source of musical learning. It is grounded in the empirical data of a case study that was gathered through observation, a survey, in-depth interviews, documentation and archival records. The theoretical framework was taken from modernity theory, and the study's epistemological basis was Lave and Wenger's theories of situated learning. The festival was seen as a community of practice, in which the attendees learned through peripheral participation. The findings showed that the audience learned music, about music and via music. When the outcome was compared with theories of musical knowledge, it became evident that it was similar to what people are expected to gain from other informal as well as formal music educational settings. The findings are discussed in relation to music education philosophy and research as well as perspectives found within ethnomusicology.
The Gettin' Higher Choir: Exploring culture, teaching and learning in a community chorus
Authors: Kennedy Mary Copland
Published: October 2009

The purpose of the study was to examine musical teaching and learning in an informal context in order to glean information and strategies that may be helpful to teachers and students in more formal settings. Through an ethnographic approach, the researcher examined the particular culture of the Gettin' Higher Choir (GHC) to gain a deep understanding of the GHC experience and examine the teaching and learning processes of this 300-member organization. Data collection techniques consisted of observation, interviews and the examination of material culture. Analysis was ongoing throughout and following the fieldwork process. Themes which emerged included the following: who comes and why, the ethos of GHC, by-products of membership in the Gettin' Higher Choir, the teaching and learning process, and the outlier view. Implications for music education were suggested.
Lifewide as well as lifelong: broadening primary and secondary school music education's service to students' musical needs
Authors: Jones Patrick M
Published: October 2009

This article advocates the adoption of the concept of lifewide by school music teachers in the United States of America. The author presents limitations of the lifelong paradigm as applied to school music in the United States of America and advocates that music teachers would better
foster lifelong musicking if they addressed the lifewide musical needs of students. The author provides a clarification of the lifewide concept and draws on research studies on amateur and popular musicians to gain insights on the kinds of things school music teachers could be doing to address
both lifewide and lifelong musical needs of students.
Book Review
Authors: Hayes Casey J
Published: October 2009

Chorus and Community, Karen Ahlquist (ed.), (2006), 1st edn., Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 323 pp., ISBN-13: 9780252030376 (hbk.: alk. paper), $30.00 ISBN-10: 0252030370 (hbk.: alk. paper), $30.00 ISBN-13: 9780252072840 (pbk.: alk. paper),
$65.00 ISBN-10: 0252072847 (pbk.: alk. paper), $65.00
Trends in Military Service in Northern Vietnam, 1950––1995: A Sociodemographic Approach
Authors: Teerawichitchainan Bussarawan
Published: October 2009

Prior studies usually "guesstimated" the extent of the Vietnamese population's involvement in the armed forces during the Vietnamese War. Using a sociodemographic approach, this study analyzes innovative and regionally representative data from the Vietnam Longitudinal Survey to examine the prevalence of military experience among successive cohorts of men in the Red River Delta, and to assess how their military experiences varied across the periods of war, peace, and social change. In addition, it also addresses whether social class bias in military selection existed in northern Vietnam with respect to who was called to serve in the military.
Movement-induced heart rate changes in epileptic and non-epileptic seizures
Authors: Oliveira Gisele R. de , Gondim Francisco de A.A. , Hogan Edward R. , Rola Francisco H.
Published: October 2009

Heart rate changes are common in epileptic and non-epileptic seizures. Previous studies have not adequately assessed the contribution of motor activity on these changes nor have evaluated them during prolonged monitoring. We retrospectively evaluated 143 seizures and auras from 76 patients admitted for video EEG monitoring. The events were classified according to the degree of ictal motor activity (severe, moderate and mild/absent) in: severe epileptic (SE, N=17), severe non-epileptic (SNE, N=6), moderate epileptic (ME, N=28), moderate non-epileptic (MNE, N=11), mild epileptic (mE, N=35), mild non-epileptic (mNE, N=33) and mild aura (aura, N=13). Heart rate increased in the ictal period in severe epileptic, severe non-epileptic, moderate epileptic and mild epileptic events (p<0.05). Heart rate returned to baseline levels during the post ictal phase in severe non-epileptic seizures but not in severe epileptic patients. Aura events had a higher baseline heart rate. A cut-off of 20% heart rate increase may distinguish moderate epileptic and mild epileptic events lasting more than 30 seconds. In epileptic seizures with mild/absent motor activity, the magnitude of heart rate increase is proportional to the event duration. Heart rate analysis in seizures with different degrees of movement during the ictal phase can help to distinguish epileptic from non-epileptic events.
MRI findings in the diagnosis and monitoring of rasmussen's encephalitis
Authors: Faria Andréia V. , Reis Fabiano , Dabus Guilherme C. , Zanardi Verônica A. , Guerreiro Marilisa M. , Cendes Fernando
Published: October 2009

Rasmussen's encephalitis is a devastating syndrome of multifocal brain dysfunction and focal seizures. Magnetic resonance (MR) findings, associated with clinical data and electroencephalogram (EEG), may indicate the diagnosis and could be an indicative of prognosis. We studied 5 patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis, assessing clinical history and MR images. All patients had refractory focal seizures with a predominant motor component associated with hemispheric atrophy, that was proportional to severity of disease and neurological deficits in these patients. Gray and white matter abnormal signal on T2 MR images were found in patients who had hemiparesis. It was not related to the duration of the disease but to aggressiveness. MR proton spectroscopy in severe disease showed lactate and choline increase and decreased NAA, reflecting neuronal and axonal loss, gliosis and elevated membrane turnover and recent - crisis (not controlled). MR studies, in addition to help in diagnosis, may be useful for monitoring metabolic changes and progression of disease in Rasmussen's encephalitis.
Hyperglycemia in pediatric head trauma patients: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Melo José Roberto Tude , Reis Rodolfo Casimiro , Lemos-Júnior Laudenor Pereira , Coelho Henrique Miguel Santos , Almeida Carlos Eduardo Romeu de , Oliveira-Filho Jamary
Published: October 2009

OBJECTIVE: To verify the prevalence of acute hyperglycemia in children with head trauma stratified by the Glasgow coma scale (GCS). METHOD: A prospective cross-sectional study carried out with information from medical records of pediatric patients presenting with head injury in the emergency room of a referral emergency hospital during a one year period. We considered the cut-off value of 150 mg/dL to define hyperglycemia. RESULTS: A total of 340 children were included and 60 (17.6%) had admission hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia was present in 9% of mild head trauma cases; 30.4% of those with moderate head trauma and 49% of severe head trauma. We observed that among children with higher blood glucose levels, 85% had abnormal findings on cranial computed tomography scans. CONCLUSION: Hyperglycemia was more prevalent in patients with severe head trauma (GCS <8), regardless if they had or not multiple traumas and in children with abnormal findings on head computed tomography scans.
The effect of functional limitations and fatigue on the quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Nogueira Leandro Alberto Calazans , Nóbrega Felipe Resende , Lopes Kátia Nogueira , Thuler Luiz Claudio Santos , Alvarenga Regina Maria Papais
Published: October 2009

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of functional limitations and fatigue on the quality of life (QoL) in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). A descriptive case series study at Lagoa Hospital - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was carried. The main outcome measurements were demographic variables, QoL (SF-36 v.1), disability (EDSS), motor function of the upper limb (Box & Blocks test), Tone (Modified Ashworth Scale), gait (Hauser ambulatory index) and fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale). Sixty one patients fulfilled the study criteria. The mean age of patients was 39 years and 74% of patients were female. The most of cases presented mild disability (EDSS<3.5). A decrease was found in all domains of QoL. It was found association between physical functioning and the variables of EDSS, fatigue, lower limb tone and gait. Gait, disability, hypertonia of the lower limbs and fatigue negatively affected QoL in people with MS.
Correlation between fatigue and self-esteem in patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Fragoso Yára Dadalti , Silva Érika Oliveira da , Finkelsztejn Alessandro
Published: October 2009

OBJECTIVE: To assess the possible association of fatigue with self-esteem in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. METHOD: Thirty patients were prospectively assessed. None of them presented moderate or severe depression or anxiety and their degree of disability was low (EDSS<3.5). They had been clinically stable for at least three months and had been receiving the same medication for at least six months. Socioeconomic level was assessed. Severity of fatigue and self-esteem were evaluated using specific, validated scales. Patients with moderate to severe anxiety and/or depression were excluded. RESULTS: Low self-esteem correlated with fatigue (p=0.01), but not with any other variables, such as age, gender, EDSS, MS duration, number of relapses, mild depression and/or anxiety. CONCLUSION: Greater severity of fatigue in MS correlates with low self-esteem, thus suggesting that this chronic complaint that affects so many patients can interfere with the way in which they see and value themselves.