bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measurement of Glenohumeral Internal Rotation in Asymptomatic Tennis Players and Swimmers
Authors: Rangel Torres Renato , Ellera Gomes João Luiz 
Published: March 2009

Background Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit, often diagnosed in players of overhead sports, has been associated with the development of secondary shoulder lesions. Hypothesis Asymptomatic players of different overhead sports will exhibit variable degrees of glenohumeral internal rotation deficit. Study Design Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods Fifty-four asymptomatic male volunteers (108 shoulders) divided into 3 groups (tennis players, swimmers, control group) underwent measurements of glenohumeral internal and external rotation using clinical examination with scapular stabilization. Measurements of dominant and nondominant shoulders were compared within and between groups. Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) was defined as the difference in internal rotation between the nondominant and dominant shoulders. Results In tennis players, mean GIRD was 23.9° ± 8.4° (P < .001); in swimmers, 12° ± 6.8° (P < .001); and in the control group, 4.9° ± 7.4° (P = .035). Dominant shoulders showed significant difference between all groups, and the difference in internal rotation of the dominant shoulder between the group of tennis players in comparison with the control group (27.6°, P < .001) was greater than the difference in internal rotation of the dominant shoulder found in the group of swimmers compared with the control group (17.9°, P < .001). Between tennis players and swimmers, the difference in internal rotation of the dominant shoulder was 9.7° (P = .002). Conclusion Dominant limbs showed less glenohumeral internal rotation than the nondominant limbs in all groups, with the deficit in the group of tennis players about twice the deficit found for swimmers. Mean difference between limbs in the control group was less than 5°, which is within normal parameters according to most studies. There were statistically significant differences between all groups when dominant shoulders were compared with each other, differences that were not compensated by external rotation gain. Tennis players had the least range of motion, followed by swimmers.
The Reliability, Validity, and Responsiveness of the Lysholm Score and Tegner Activity Scale for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries of the Knee
Authors: Briggs Karen K. , Lysholm Jack , Tegner Yelverton , Rodkey William G. , Kocher Mininder S. , Steadman J. Richard 
Published: March 2009

Background In 1982, the Lysholm score was first published as a physician-administered score in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. The Tegner activity scale was published in 1985. Hypothesis The Lysholm and Tegner scores are valid as patient-administered scores and responsive at early time points after treatment of anterior cruciate ligament tears. Study Design Cohort study (Diagnosis); Level of evidence, 1. Methods All patients were treated for an anterior cruciate ligament tear. For responsiveness, the Lysholm score (n = 1075) and Tegner activity level (n = 505) were measured preoperatively and 6, 9, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. For test-retest (n = 50), scores were measured at 2 years postoperatively and again within 4 weeks by questionnaire. For criterion validity (n = 170), patients completed the Short Form-12 and the International Knee Documentation Committee score in addition to Lysholm and Tegner instruments. For all other analyses, preoperative Lysholm score (n = 1783) or Tegner activity levels (n = 687) were collected. Results There was acceptable test-retest reliability for both the Lysholm (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.9) and Tegner (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.8) scores. The minimum detectable change for Lysholm was 8.9 and for Tegner was 1. The Lysholm demonstrated acceptable internal consistency. The Lysholm correlated with the International Knee Documentation Committee (r = .8) and the Short Form-12 (r = .4), and Tegner correlated with the Short Form-12 (r = .2). Both scores had acceptable floor and ceiling effects and all hypotheses were significant. The Lysholm and Tegner were responsive to change at each of the time points. Conclusion After 25 years of changes in treatment of anterior cruciate ligament injuries, the Lysholm knee score and the Tegner activity scale demonstrated acceptable psychometric parameters as patient-administered scores and showed acceptable responsiveness to be used in early return to function after anterior cruciate ligament treatment.
Biomechanical Comparison of Single-Tunnel—Double-Bundle and Single-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions
Authors: Gadikota Hemanth R. , Seon Jong Keun , Kozanek Michal , Oh Luke S. , Gill Thomas J. , Montgomery Kenneth D. , Li Guoan 
Published: March 2009

Background Anatomic double-bundle reconstruction has been thought to better simulate the anterior cruciate ligament anatomy. It is, however, a technically challenging procedure, associated with longer operation time and higher cost. Hypothesis Double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a single femoral and tibial tunnel can closely reproduce intact knee kinematics. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Eight fresh-frozen human cadaveric knee specimens were tested using a robotic testing system to investigate the kinematic response of the knee joint under an anterior tibial load (130 N), simulated quadriceps load (400 N), and combined torques (5 N·m valgus and 5 N·m internal tibial torques) at 0°, 15°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion. Each knee was tested sequentially under 4 conditions: (1) anterior cruciate ligament intact, (2) anterior cruciate ligament deficient, (3) single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using quadrupled hamstring tendon, and (4) single-tunnel—double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the same tunnels and quadrupled hamstring tendon graft as in the single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Results Single-tunnel—double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction more closely restored the intact knee kinematics than single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at low flexion angles (≤30°) under the anterior tibial load and simulated muscle load (P < .05). However, single-tunnel—double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction overconstrained the knee joint at high flexion angles (≥60°) under the anterior tibial load and at 0° and 30° of flexion under combined torques. Conclusion This double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a single tunnel can better restore anterior tibial translations to the intact level compared with single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at low flexion angles, but it overconstrained the knee joint at high flexion angles. Clinical Relevance This technique could be an alternative for both single-bundle and double-tunnel—double-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions to reproduce intact knee kinematics and native anterior cruciate ligament anatomy.
Design of Clinical Trials of Analgesic Drugs
Authors: Huskisson E.C. 
Published: March 2009

Analgesia is a popular subject for clinical research for several reasons. First, there are many patients who experience pain and therefore there is no shortage of clinical material. Secondly, there are many methods of pain relief to study, including a large number of drugs. Finally, most drugs act quickly, usually within 30-60 min, and have a relatively short action of 4-6 h, so that other treatments can be compared when the pain returns. Clinical trials of analgesic drugs need three important ingredients: a model, an experimental design and a method of measurement.
Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and cardiovascular disease: insights from prospective clinical trials
Authors: Böger Rainer H 
Published: March 2009

Evidence has accumulated that asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase. ADMA inhibits vascular NO production at concentrations found in pathophysiological conditions; it also causes local vasoconstriction when infused intra-arterially. ADMA is increased in the plasma of humans with hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, hypertension, chronic renal failure, chronic heart failure, and other clinical conditions. Increased ADMA levels are associated with reduced NO synthesis as assessed by impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation or reduced NO metabolite levels. In several prospective and cross-sectional studies, ADMA has evolved as a marker of cardio vascular risk. Moreover, prospective clinical studies have suggested that it may play a role as a novel cardiovascular risk factor. Zoccali and coworkers were the first to show that elevated ADMA is associated with a three-fold increased risk of future severe cardiovascular events and mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Valkonen and coworkers demonstrated in a nested case-control study that elevated ADMA was associated with a four-fold increased risk for acute coronary events in clinically healthy, nonsmoking men. In patients with stable angina pectoris, pre- interventional ADMA indicates the risk of developing restenosis or severe clinical events after coronary intervention. Furthermore, in humans with no underlying cardiovascular disease who are undergoing intensive care unit treatment, ADMA is a marker of the mortality risk. A number of additional prospective clinical trials are currently under way in diverse patient populations, among them individuals with congestive heart failure, cardiac transplantation patients, and patients with pulmonary hypertension. In summary, an increasing number of prospective clinical trials have shown that the association between elevated ADMA levels and major cardiovascular events and total mortality is robust and extends to diverse patient populations. However, we need to define more clearly in the future who will profit from ADMA determination, in order to use this novel risk marker as a more specific diagnostic tool.
ADMA and oxidative stress may relate to the progression of renal disease: rationale and design of the VIVALDI study
Authors: Böger Rainer H , Schwedhelm Edzard , Maas Renke , Quispe-Bravo Sabine , Skamira Cord 
Published: March 2009

The renin angiotensin system has been shown to be involved in the patho genesis of vascular and renal sequelae of diabetes mellitus. In type 2 diabetes mel litus, angiotensin receptor blockers have been shown to exert clinical benefit by reducing the progression of diabetic nephropathy. They also improve endothelium- mediated vascular function. The latter effect is partly due to the reduction of angiotensin II-associated oxidative stress. Moreover, small clinical studies have shown that treatment with angiotensin receptor blockers also reduces the circulating levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase. In the VIVALDI trial, the ability of the angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan to reduce the progression of diabetic nephropathy (associated with proteinuria) in com parison with valsartan in more than 800 patients with type 2 diabetes during 1 year of treatment is being studied. In order to gain more detailed insight into the poten tial pathomechanisms associated with this effect, further end-points have been defined. Among these are the circulating levels of ADMA and the urinary excretion rate of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF 2α). The former is an endogenous inhibitor of NO-mediated vascular function(s) and a prospectively determined marker of major cardiovascular events and mortality; the latter is a lipid peroxidation product resulting from the nonenzymatic peroxidation of arachidonic acid, which exerts detrimental vascular effects similar to those of thromboxane A2. Urinary 8-iso-PGF 2α has been shown in clinical studies to be an independent marker of cardiovascular disease. Highlighting the effects of telmisartan on ADMA and 8-iso-PGF levels in such a large cohort of diabetic patients will enhance our understanding of the roles of dys functional NO metabolism and redox mechanisms in the pathogenesis of end-organ damage and its prevention by pharmacotherapy with angiotensin receptor blockers.
The characterization of DNA methylation-mediated regulation of bovine placental lactogen and bovine prolactin-related protein-1 genes
Authors: Nakaya Yuki , Kizaki Keiichiro , Takahashi Toru , Patel Osman V , Hashizume Kazuiyoshi 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
Bovine trophoblast binucleate cells (BNC) express a plethora of molecules including bovine placental lactogen (bPL, gene name is bCSH1) and bovine prolactin-related protein-1 (bPRP1). BCSH1 and bPRP1 are members of the growth hormone (GH)/prolactin (PRL) gene family, which are expressed simultaneously in BNC and are central to placentation and the progression of pregnancy in cattle. However, there is a paucity of information on the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of both the bCSH1 and bPRP1 genes. Recent studies, however, have demonstrated that the expression of a number of genes is controlled by the methylation status of their promoter region. In the present study, we examined the cell-type-specific epigenetic alterations of the 5'-flanking region of the bCSH1 and bPRP1 genes to gain an insight into their regulatory mechanisms.

Results
Analysis of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment demonstrated that bCSH1 expression is moderately induced in fibroblast cultures but enhanced in BT-1 cells. Sodium bisulfite based sequencing revealed that bCSH1 is hypomethylated in the cotyledonary tissue but not in the fetal skin, and this pattern was not altered with the progression of pregnancy. On the other hand, the methylation status of bPRP1 was similar between the cotyledon and fetal skin. The bPRP1 gene was exclusively hypermethylated in a bovine trophoblast cell-derived BT-1 cell-line. While the activity of bCSH1 was similar in both BT-1 and bovine fibroblast cells, that of bPRP1 was specific to BT-1. Treatment with a demethylating agent and luciferase assays provided in vitro evidence of the positive regulation of bCSH1 but not bPRP1.

Conclusion
This is the first report to identify the differential regulatory mechanisms of the bCSH1 and bPRP1 genes and indicates that bCSH1 might potentially be the only transcript that is subject to DNA methyltransferase regulation. The data indicates the possibility of novel kinetics of induction of the synchronously expressed BNC-specific bCSH1 and bPRP1 transcripts, which may aid the understanding of the intricate regulation and specific role(s) of these important molecules in bovine placentogenesis and the progression of pregnancy.
Inflammation enhances myeloid-derived suppressor cell cross-talk by signaling through Toll-like receptor 4
Authors: Bunt Stephanie K , Clements Virginia K , Hanson Erica M , Sinha Pratima , Ostrand-Rosenberg Suzanne 
Published: March 2009

AbstractMyeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are potent inhibitors of anti-tumor immunity that facilitate tumor progression by blocking the activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and by promoting a type 2 immune response through their production of IL-10 and down-regulation of macrophage production of IL-12. MDSC accumulate in many cancer patients and are a significant impediment to active cancer immunotherapies. Chronic inflammation has been shown recently to enhance the accumulation of MDSC and to increase their suppression of T cells. These findings led us to hypothesize that inflammation contributes to tumor progression through the induction of MDSC, which create a favorable environment for tumor growth. As chronic inflammation also drives type 2 immune responses, which favor tumor growth, we asked if inflammation mediates this effect through MDSC. We find that IL-1β-induced inflammation increased IL-10 production by MDSC and induces MDSC, which are more effective at down-regulating macrophage production of IL-12 as compared with MDSC isolated from less-inflammatory tumor microenvironments, thereby skewing tumor immunity toward a type 2 response. Inflammation heightens MDSC phenotype by signaling through the TLR4 pathway and involves up-regulation of CD14. Although this pathway is well-recognized in other myeloid cells, it has not been implicated previously in MDSC function. These studies demonstrate that MDSC are an intermediary through which inflammation promotes type 2 immune responses, and they identify the TLR4 pathway in MDSC as a potential target for down-regulating immune suppression and promoting anti-tumor immunity.
O-glycosylation pattern of CD24 from mouse brain
Authors: Bleckmann Christina , Geyer Hildegard , Lieberoth Annika , Splittstoesser Frauke , Liu Yan , Feizi Ten , Schachner Melitta , Kleene Ralf , Reinhold Vernon , Geyer Rudolf 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
The cell adhesion molecule CD24 is a highly glycosylated glycoprotein that plays important roles in the central nervous system, the immune system and in tumor biology. Since CD24 comprises only a short protein core of approximately 30 amino acids and low conservation among species, it has been proposed that the functions of CD24 are mediated by its glycosylation pattern. Our present study provides evidence that interaction of CD24 with the cell adhesion molecule L1 is mediated by O-linked glycans carrying α2,3-linked sialic acid. Furthermore, de-N-glycosylated CD24 was shown to promote or inhibit neurite outgrowth of cerebellar neurons or dorsal root ganglion neurons, respectively, to the same extent as untreated CD24. Therefore, this study is focused on the structural elucidation of the chemically released, permethylated CD24 O-glycans by electrospray ionization ion trap mass spectrometry. Our analyses revealed the occurrence of a diverse mixture of mucin-type and O-mannosyl glycans carrying, in part, functionally relevant epitopes, such as 3-linked sialic acid, disialyl motifs, LeX, sialyl-LeX or HNK-1 units. Hence, our data provide the basis for further studies on the contribution of carbohydrate determinants to CD24-mediated biological activities.
Computerization and Networking of Materials Databases: Fourth Volume
Authors: Sturrock CP , Begley EF 
Published: March 2009

Description
Compiles information from the world's leading experts on how best to meet the needs of designers, consumers and marketers of materials data.
18 comprehensive, peer-reviewed papers from an international body of materials data professionals are divided into the following key areas:
Concurrent Engineering, Organization and Process of Materials Data -- Topics include the benefits of fitting materials property data to models; integrating test methodology, material database and material deselection strategies; and successful examples of integrating materials data into the design process.
Database and Expert System Applications: Specific Materials -- The unique properties of different alloys and a database of same are explored; as well as composite material property modeling for analysis and design; and new expert system development efforts.
Strategic Use of Existing Materials Data -- Subjects include successful materials data packaging and delivery systems; multiple uses of and object-oriented database system; and materials database use in computerized life assessment.
Materials Data Applications of Emerging Information Technologies -- The technology of artificial neural networks; actual case studies of seven methods of material data analysis and property prediction; and six major information technologies are examined.
New Equipment for Evaluation of Distribution and Sedimentation of Pesticide Formulations in Spray Tank Application
Authors: Ettmueller J , Frank R , Groener H , Raedle M 
Published: March 2009

Most agricultural products are designed to be applied as uniform dispersions in aqueous spray solutions. The quality of this dispersed system is highly important for successful biological control.
For the evaluation of the dispersion stage, a new test-system was developed. It is based on a fiber optic photometric sensor system. It allows one to characterise and describe the dynamics of a dispersion of a product in a spray tank, settling over time, redispersion properties, and thus the differentiation of products. Examples for performance and evaluation of typical agrochemical products are presented.
A Review of Pesticide Formulations for Chemigation
Authors: Young JR , Dowler CC , Chandler LD , Chalfant RB , Sumner HR , Johnson AW 
Published: March 2009

Pesticides applied in irrigation water (chemigation) may require modified formulations for effective and safe application. Currently available insecticide formulations produce variable insect control when applied through chemigation systems. Pest control is greatly influenced by the chemical properties, e.g. solubility in water and organic solvent. When emulsified formulations or technical pesticide are added to a nonemulsified oil, significantly better control of foliar-feeding insects is obtained compared to emulsified formulations applied with conventional-ground applications. Chemigation of technical-oil formulations of insecticides may allow for reduced active ingredient for effective insect control.
Currently available herbicide formulations produce varied weed control when applied through chemigation, depending on application to soil or foliage, the volume of irrigation water, and the chemical properties of the compound. Water-soluble herbicides applied postemergence produce the most varied results, while water-insoluble and emulsified concentrates produce the most consistent weed control. Herbicides applied preemergence through chemigation are equal to, or more effective than, conventional applications. Addition of a petroleum or vegetable oil carrier to a formulated or technical herbicide generally improves its performance when applied through chemigation. An increase in the volume of irrigation water used to apply the chemical also decreases the weed control.
Nematicides, applied through chemigation, give excellent nematode control whenever soil moisture and water rates are controlled to prevent leaching below the bioactive zone. The addition of a nematicide to a nonemulsified oil generally improves nematode control and helps modify the effect of excess moisture.
Fungicides, as currently formulated, give good disease control when applied through chemigation with minimal volume of water. The addition of a nonemulsified oil improves the performance to both flowable and oil-soluble fungicides.