bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effector CD8+T Lymphocytes against Liver Stages ofPlasmodium yoeliiDo Not Require Gamma Interferon for Antiparasite Activity
Authors: Chakravarty Sumana , Baldeviano G. Christian , Overstreet Michael G. , Zavala Fidel 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTThe protective immune response against liver stages of the malaria parasite critically requires CD8+T cells. Although the nature of the effector mechanism utilized by these cells to repress parasite development remains unclear, a critical role for gamma interferon (IFN-γ) has been widely assumed based on circumstantial evidence. However, the requirement for CD8+T-cell-mediated IFN-γ production in protective immunity to this pathogen has not been directly tested. In this report, we use an adoptive transfer strategy with circumsporozoite (CS) protein-specific transgenic T cells to examine the role of CD8+T-cell-derived IFN-γ production inPlasmodium yoelii-infected mice. We show that despite a marginal reduction in the expansion of naive IFN-γ-deficient CS-specific transgenic T cells, their antiparasite activity remains intact. Further, adoptively transferred IFN-γ-deficient CD8+T cells were as efficient as their wild-type counterparts in limiting parasite growth in naive mice. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that IFN-γ secretion by CS-specific CD8+T cells is not essential to protect mice against live sporozoite challenge.
Identification of the Origin of Transfer (oriT) and a New Gene Required for Mobilization of the SXT/R391 Family of Integrating Conjugative Elements
Authors: Ceccarelli Daniela , Daccord Aurélie , René Mélissa , Burrus Vincent 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTIntegrating conjugative elements (ICEs) are self-transmissible, mobile elements that are widespread among bacteria. Following their excision from the chromosome, ICEs transfer by conjugation, a process initiated by a single-stranded DNA break at a specific locus called the origin of transfer (oriT). The SXT/R391 family of ICEs includes SXTMO10, R391, and more than 25 related ICEs found in gammaproteobacteria. A previous study mapped theoriTlocus of SXTMO10to a 550-bp intergenic region betweentraDand s043. We suspected that this was not the correctoriTlocus, because the identicaltraD-s043 region in R391 and other SXT/R391 family ICEs was annotated as a gene of an unknown function. Here, we investigated the location and structure of theoriTlocus in the ICEs of the SXT/R391 family and demonstrated thatoriTSXTcorresponds to a 299-bp sequence that contains multiple imperfect direct and inverted repeats and is located in the intergenic region between s003 andrumB′. TheoriTSXTlocus is well conserved among SXT/R391 ICEs, like R391, R997, and pMERPH, and cross-recognition oforiTSXTandoriTR391by R391 and SXTMO10was demonstrated. Furthermore, we identified a previously unannotated gene,mobI, located immediately downstream fromoriTSXT, which proved to be essential for SXTMO10transfer and SXTMO10-mediated chromosomal DNA mobilization. Deletion ofmobIdid not impair the SXTMO10-dependent transfer of the mobilizable plasmid CloDF13, suggesting thatmobIhas no role in the assembly of the SXTMO10mating pair apparatus. Instead,mobIappears to be involved in the recognition oforiTSXT.
Glutathione and Transition-Metal Homeostasis inEscherichia coli
Authors: Helbig Kerstin , Bleuel Corinna , Krauss Gerd J. , Nies Dietrich H. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTGlutathione (GSH) and its derivative phytochelatin are important binding factors in transition-metal homeostasis in many eukaryotes. Here, we demonstrate that GSH is also involved in chromate, Zn(II), Cd(II), and Cu(II) homeostasis and resistance inEscherichia coli. While the loss of the ability to synthesize GSH influenced metal tolerance in wild-type cells only slightly, GSH was important for residual metal resistance in cells without metal efflux systems. In mutant cells without the P-type ATPase ZntA, the additional deletion of the GSH biosynthesis system led to a strong decrease in resistance to Cd(II) and Zn(II). Likewise, in mutant cells without the P-type ATPase CopA, the removal of GSH led to a strong decrease of Cu(II) resistance. The precursor of GSH, γ-glutamylcysteine (γEC), was not able to compensate for a lack of GSH. On the contrary, γEC-containing cells were less copper and cadmium tolerant than cells that contained neither γEC nor GSH. Thus, GSH may play an important role in trace-element metabolism not only in higher organisms but also in bacteria.
ATPase Activity and Oligomeric State of TrwK, the VirB4 Homologue of the Plasmid R388 Type IV Secretion System
Authors: Arechaga Ignacio , Peña Alejandro , Zunzunegui Sandra , del Carmen Fernández-Alonso María , Rivas Germán , de la Cruz Fernando 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACT
Type IV secretion systems (T4SS) mediate the transfer of DNA and protein substrates to target cells. TrwK, encoded by the conjugative plasmid R388, is a member of the VirB4 family, comprising the largest and most conserved proteins of T4SS. VirB4 was suggested to be an ATPase involved in energizing pilus assembly and substrate transport. However, conflicting experimental evidence concerning VirB4 ATP hydrolase activity was reported. Here, we demonstrate that TrwK is able to hydrolyze ATP in vitro in the absence of its potential macromolecular substrates and other T4SS components. The kinetic parameters of its ATPase activity have been characterized. The TrwK oligomerization state was investigated by analytical ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy, and its effects on ATPase activity were analyzed. The results suggest that the hexameric form of TrwK is the catalytically active state, much like the structurally related protein TrwB, the conjugative coupling protein.
Effect of a 5-min cold-water immersion recovery on exercise performance in the heat
Authors: Peiffer J J , Abbiss C R , Watson G , Nosaka K , Laursen P B 
Published: June 2008

BackgroundThis study examined the effect of a 5-min cold-water immersion (14°C) recovery intervention on repeated cycling performance in the heat.Methods10 male cyclists performed two bouts of a 25-min constant-paced (254 (22) W) cycling session followed by a 4-km time trial in hot conditions (35°C, 40% relative humidity). The two bouts were separated by either 15 min of seated recovery in the heat (control) or the same condition with 5-min cold-water immersion (5th—10th minute), using a counterbalanced cross-over design (CP1TT1→ CWI or CON → CP2TT2). Rectal temperature was measured immediately before and after both the constant-paced sessions and 4-km timed trials. Cycling economy and Vo2were measured during the constant-paced sessions, and the average power output and completion times were recorded for each time trial.ResultsCompared with control, rectal temperature was significantly lower (0.5 (0.4)°C) in cold-water immersion before CP2until the end of the second 4-km timed trial. However, the increase in rectal temperature (0.5 (0.2)°C) during CP2was not significantly different between conditions. During the second 4-km timed trial, power output was significantly greater in cold-water immersion (327.9 (55.7) W) compared with control (288.0 (58.8) W), leading to a faster completion time in cold-water immersion (6.1 (0.3) min) compared with control (6.4 (0.5) min). Economy and Vo2were not influenced by the cold-water immersion recovery intervention.Conclusion5-min cold-water immersion recovery significantly lowered rectal temperature and maintained endurance performance during subsequent high-intensity exercise. These data indicate that repeated exercise performance in heat may be improved when a short period of cold-water immersion is applied during the recovery period.
Road-traffic deaths in China, 1985–2005: threat and opportunity
Authors: Hu G , Wen M , Baker T D , Baker S P 
Published: June 2008

Objective:To examine recent trends and geographic variations in road-traffic deaths in China.Design:A longitudinal descriptive analysis of national and provincial data on road-traffic deaths, examining recent trends and geographic variations.Setting:China, 1985–2005.Data sources:TheTransportation and communications yearbook of China(1986–2006) and theNational statistics yearbook of China(1996–2006).Main outcome measures:The percentage change in death rates per 100 000 population was used to examine the trend. Epi Info was used to map the geographic distribution of road-traffic death rates and the increases in rates. Correlation coefficients were calculated between per capita gross regional product, road quality, and the number of motor vehicles in the 31 provinces, to help understand the geographic variations in road-traffic mortality at the provincial level in China.Results:The road-traffic death rate increased by 95%, from 3.9/100 000 persons in 1985 to 7.6/100 000 persons in 2005. High death rates and the greatest increases in death rates occurred in both developed provinces in the southeast and underdeveloped northern and western provinces. Xizang/Tibet, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, with the lowest population density, had the highest death rates per 100 vehicles.Conclusions:China’s government should introduce and support measures to prevent road-traffic injuries. Developed and underdeveloped provinces in China should both be considered when road-traffic policy and interventions are developed.
Vehicle rollover risk and electronic stability control systems
Authors: MacLennan P A , Marshall T , Griffin R , Purcell M , McGwin G , Rue L W 
Published: June 2008

Background:Electronic stability control (ESC) systems were developed to reduce motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) caused by loss of control. Introduced in Europe in 1995 and in the USA in 1996, ESC is designed to improve vehicle lateral stability by electronically detecting and automatically assisting drivers in unfavorable situations.Aim:To examine the relationship between vehicle rollover risk and presence of ESC using a large national database of MVCs.Methods:A retrospective cohort study for the period 1995 through 2006 was carried out using data obtained from the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System. All passenger cars and sport utility vehicles (SUVs)/vans of model year 1996 and later were eligible. Vehicle ESC (unavailable, optional, standard) was determined on the basis of make, model, and model year. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs were calculated to compare rollover risk by vehicle ESC group.Results:For all crashes, vehicles equipped with standard ESC had decreased risk of rollover (RR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.77) compared with vehicles with ESC unavailable. The association was consistent for single-vehicle MVCs (RR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.82); passenger cars had decreased rollover risk (RR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.12), but SUVs/vans had a more dramatically decreased risk (RR = 0.40, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.61).Conclusions:This study supports previous results showing ESC to be effective in reducing the risk of rollover. ESC is more effective in SUVs/vans for rollovers related to single-vehicle MVCs.
School-age children’s safety attitudes, cognitions, knowledge, and injury experiences: how do these relate to their safety practices?
Authors: Morrongiello B A , Cusimano M , Orr E , Barton B , Chipman M , Tyberg J , Kulkarini A , Khanlou N , Masi R , Bekele T 
Published: June 2008

Background:A variety of factors affect the safety and risk practices of school-age children, but rarely have multiple factors been considered simultaneously.Objective:To examine children’s safety attitudes and cognitions more thoroughly and assess how these factors, along with children’s safety knowledge and injury experiences, relate to children’s safety practices.Methods:Over several classroom sessions, boys and girls in two age groups (7–9, 10–12 years) completed a psychometrically sound questionnaire that indexes their behaviors, attitudes, cognitions, knowledge, and injury experiences.Results:Fewer safety practices were reported by older than younger children and boys than girls. Children’s attitudes, cognitions, knowledge, and injury experiences each correlated with safety practices, but only safety attitudes and injury experiences predicted practices in a multivariate model.Conclusion:Exploring the relative influence of numerous factors on safety practices highlights the important role that attitudes play in predicting children’s safety practices. Implications of these results for injury prevention programming are discussed.
Do inadequacies in ICD-10-AM activity coded data lead to underestimates of the population frequency of sports/leisure injuries?
Authors: Finch C F , Boufous S 
Published: June 2008

Aims:To assess the use of the International Classification of Diseases Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM) activity sub-codes for identifying sports/leisure injury hospitalizations and the impact of missing codes on population incidence estimates.Methods:Injury-related hospital separations in New South Wales, Australia, for the period 2003–04 were examined with sports/leisure cases identified by the ICD-10-AM activity codes.Results:Over 30% of all injury hospitalizations had either a missing or unspecified activity code. Among cases with valid activity codes, 13.9% of all injury hospitalizations were associated with sports/leisure. When adjusted for underreporting associated with undefined or missing activity codes, sports/leisure injuries accounted for up to 20% of injury hospitalizations.Conclusion:Defining sports/leisure injury cases on the basis of activity codes is likely to lead to an underestimate of their contribution to the overall injury burden. Improvements need to be made to the completeness of activity coding of hospitalization data.
Validating parents’ self-reports of children’s exposure to potentially toxic substances within the home
Authors: Patel B , Devalia B , Kendrick D , Groom L 
Published: June 2008

Objective:To validate self-reported possession and storage of a range of substances within the home.Participants:30 families with children aged 12–35 months on health visitor caseloads in Nottingham, UK.Methods:Self-reported possession and storage of potentially hazardous substances were validated by observations. Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were calculated for possession, storage, and exposure to substances.Results:Self-reported low exposure to substances had high sensitivities (87–100%) and positive predictive values (75–100%) for all substances, except toilet cleaner (positive predictive value 62%) and high negative predictive values for commonly owned household products. Specificity and negative predictive value could not be estimated reliably for medicines and less commonly owned household products, as few families stored these unsafely.Conclusions:A measurement of exposure that combines self-reported possession and storage may be sufficiently accurate to identify families with safer poison prevention practices.
Effects of financing smoking cessation outpatient services in Taiwan
Authors: Chang F-C , Hu T-W , Lin M , Yu P-T , Chao K-Y 
Published: June 2008

Objective:This study assesses the effects of a 2005 increase in funding for smoking cessation services on provider participation, patient utilisation of smoking cessation services and cessation outcome at a six-month follow-up.Methods:Analyses are based on existing databases and on a follow-up study among smokers participating in the smoking cessation service. The effect of the policy is evaluated by comparing year 2004 (old policy) with year 2005 (new policy). The generalised estimating equations (GEE) method was conducted to examine the effects of increasing funding for smoking cessation services on monthly smoking cessation services provided per physician and yearly consultations received per patient. Logistic regression was used to examine the effects of increasing funding on smoking cessation outcome.Results:The study found the increased reimbursement rates and medication subsidies for smoking cessation to be positively related to the number of physicians enrolling in the programme (1841 in 2004 vs 3466 in 2005), the number of cessation consultations per month per physician (5.1 vs 14.6) and the number of cessation visits per year per patient (2.0 vs 2.5). Male providers and providers belonging to the private sector were found to offer more cessation consultations. The number of subjects receiving this counselling increased from 22 167 in 2004 to 109 508 in 2005. After adjusting for consumer and provider factors the likelihood of successful quitting among those counselled did not change. Overall, smokers who were older, had attempted to quit in the past year, had lower nicotine dependence, had gone to more smoking cessation service visits, had received consultations in the public sector and were seen by physicians delivering fewer consultations were more likely to have quit smoking at the six-month follow-up.Conclusions:Based on increases in physician enrolment and consultations and the increase in number of subjects receiving counselling and number of visits, the policy of increasing provider incentives and medication subsidies appears to have successfully promoted smoking cessation services.
A cluster-randomised controlled trial of a brief training session to facilitate general practitioner referral to smoking cessation treatment
Authors: McRobbie H , Hajek P , Feder G , Eldridge S 
Published: June 2008

Objectives:General practitioners (GPs) are the main source of referrals to specialist smoking cessation services (SSCS), but the referral rates are low. We evaluated effects of a brief GP training session on the number of referrals received by their local SSCS.Methods:A cluster-randomised controlled trial was undertaken across three East London primary care trusts. A total of 91 GPs were randomly allocated to a training session or usual care. Participants in the intervention arm were offered a 40-min training session addressing the rationale and skills for referral of smokers for treatment. Participants in the usual care arm received referral guidance by post. The main outcome measure was the number of referrals recorded by the SSCS over 3 months after the intervention.Results:Over the 3-month baseline period the average number of referrals per GP was 1.0 and 0.6 in the intervention and usual care arms, respectively. During the post-intervention period the mean number of referrals was 6.4 and 1.8 per GP. When adjusting for baseline variables the incidence rate ratio for the referrals from the intervention arm compared to usual care was 4.9 (p<0.001; 95 CI 1.7 to 14.7).Conclusion:A brief training session can significantly increase GP referral to smoking cessation services.Trial registration:National Research Register, Department of Health, UK N0261148824 (available online at:http://www.nrr.nhs.uk/ViewDocument.asp?ID  N0261148824)
DNase I – DNA interaction alters DNA and protein conformations
Authors: N’soukpoé-Kossi C.N. , Diamantoglou S. , Tajmir-Riahi H.A. 
Published: June 2008

Human DNase I is an endonuclease that catalyzes the hydrolysis of double-stranded DNA predominantly by a single-stranded nicking mechanism under physiological conditions in the presence of divalent Mg and Ca cations. It binds to the minor groove and the backbone phosphate group and has no contact with the major groove of the right-handed DNA duplex. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of DNase I – DNA complexation on DNA and protein conformations.We monitored the interaction of DNA with DNase I under physiological conditions in the absence of Mg2+, with a constant DNA concentration (12.5 mmol/L; phosphate) and various protein concentrations (10–250 µmol/L). We used Fourier transfrom infrared, UV-visible, and circular dichroism spectroscopic methods to determine the protein binding mode, binding constant, and effects of polynucleotide–enzyme interactions on both DNA and protein conformations. Structural analyses showed major DNase–PO2binding and minor groove interaction, with an overall binding constant, K, of 5.7 × 105± 0.78 × 105(mol/L)–1. We found that the DNase I – DNA interaction altered protein secondary structure, with a major reduction in α helix and an increase in β sheet and random structures, and that a partial B-to-A DNA conformational change occurred. No DNA digestion was observed upon protein–DNA complexation.
ON THE IMPLICATION OF MULTIVALUED DEPENDENCIES IN PARTIAL DATABASE RELATIONS
Authors: LINK SEBASTIAN 
Published: June 2008

The implication of multivalued dependencies (MVDs) in relational databases has originally and independently been defined in the context of some fixed finite universe by Delobel, Fagin, and Zaniolo. Biskup observed that the original axiomatisation for MVD implication does not reflect the fact that the complementation rule is merely a means to achieve database normalisation. He proposed two alternative ways to overcome this deficiency: i) an axiomatisation that does represent the role of the complementation rule adequately, and ii) a notion of MVD implication in which the underlying universe of attributes is left undetermined together with an axiomatisation of this notion. In this paper we investigate multivalued dependencies with null values (NMVDs) as defined and axiomatised by Lien. We show that Lien's axiomatisation does not adequately reflect the role of the complementation rule, and extend Biskup's findings for MVDs in total database relations to NMVDs in partial database relations. Moreover, a correspondence between (minimal) axiomatisations in fixed universes that do reflect the property of complementation and (minimal) axiomatisations in undetermined universes is shown.
Neo-liberalism and the Working People of Southeast Asia
Authors: Ofreneo Rene 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe ASEAN Economic Community is marked by a range of specific programmes to make economic regionalism a successful reality. Yet, the economic liberalisation programme is a narrow one, without any clear economic development direction outside of its confines. Economic integration is also being driven by select corporate interests. States are not paying sufficient attention to ASEAN's working populations. For ordinary persons to benefit from economic liberalisation and integration, ASEAN states would need to put them at the centre of their development programmes.
What did the Canadian Public Learn From the 2004 Supreme Court Decision on Physical Punishment?
Authors: Durrant Joan , Sigvaldason Nadine , Bednar Lisa 
Published: June 2008

AbstractIn 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the legal justification for physical punishment of children, but limited its protection to minor force applied by non-frustrated parents, with the hand, to children between the ages of 2 and 12. This double message – that physical punishment is justifiable but only under limited conditions – is potentially confusing to the Canadian public. We attempted to answer the question of whether this decision was understood as restricting the use of physical punishment or whether it was understood as giving a "green light" to this practice. We analyzed the first 420 responses to the decision that were posted to the website of a national newspaper in the days immediately following the release of the Court's decision. The postings were coded according to writers' awareness of and agreement with various aspects of the decision, as well as their conceptualizations of physical punishment. The findings demonstrate that the majority of writers understood the ruling as giving parents permission to use corporal punishment. Only 11% referred to the limitations placed on its use. The findings are discussed in terms of the policy implications of the Supreme Court's decision and the public's limited understanding of it.