bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Incident and recurrent back injuries among union carpenters
Authors: Lipscomb H J , Cameron W , Silverstein B 
Published: July 2008

Aims:To describe incident and recurrent work-related back injuries among union carpenters, describe the hazard function for each and associated risk factors, and explore predictors of subsequent musculoskeletal back injury based on different definitions of the initial injury.Methods:This study identified a dynamic cohort of 18 768 carpenters who worked in the State of Washington 1989–2003, their hours worked each month, and their work-related back injuries and medical claims for treatment including ICD-9 codes. Using Poisson regression we calculated rates and rate ratios (RRs) of incident and recurrent injury adjusting for age, gender, union tenure and type of carpentry work. Predictors of subsequent musculoskeletal back injury were explored based on different definitions of the incident injury, as were time periods of greatest risk following return to work.Results:Recurrent back injuries occurred at a rate 80% higher than initial injuries. Survival curves were significantly different for incident and recurrent injuries, but patterns of relative risk were similar. Individuals with greatest union tenure were at lowest risk, likely reflecting a healthy worker effect or lower physical exposures with seniority. Individuals with long periods of work disability with their first injury were at particularly high risk of subsequent musculoskeletal injury compared with those with no prior history (RR 2.3; 95% CI 2.0 to 2.7), as were individuals with degenerative diagnoses (RR 2.0; 95% CI 1.5 to 2.6). Risk for second injury peaked between 1000 and 1500 h after return to work and then gradually declined.Conclusions:Carpenters with long periods of work disability following back injury warrant accommodation and perhaps better rehabilitation efforts to avoid re-injury. Challenges to workplace accommodation and limited ability to clearly define readiness to return to work following injury demonstrate the need for primary prevention of back injuries through attention to engineering solutions among carpenters involved in strenuous work.
The Poll Tax in Sasanian Babylonia the Talmudic Evidence
Authors: Goodblatt David M. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractThe BT evidence on the poll tax in Babylonia dates on the whole to the fourth century. It therefore provides evidence for a period in which we lack detailed information on Sasanian taxation. The evidence consisted of nineteen pericopae comprising legal discussions, anecdotes, and Biblical exegesis. The details on the tax were generally mentioned only in passing. In several cases, we could not be sure of the precise meaning or implication of the passages or of crucial terms appearing in them. Consequently, the information we derived from these sources did not yield a coherent picture, and our conclusions were often tentative. But since we have almost no other evidence for this period, whatever we can learn is of value. I shall summarize here the results of my investigation.
Den Internationale Domstols Otteogtyvende Aar
Authors: Hudson Manley O 
Published: July 2008

AbstractI Lobet af 1949 - Domstolens 28de Virkeaar - er der ydet vaegtige Bidrag til Rettens Praksis, dels gennem 2 Domsafgerelser i Korfu Kanal Sagen, dels gennem et Responsum om Erstatning for Skade, lidt i De Forenede Nationers Tjeneste.
The Bretton Woods Agreement Article Viii, Sec. 2 (b)
Authors: Madsen-Mygdal N.P. 
Published: July 2008

AbstractAs to Article VIII, sec 2 (b), (1) of the Bretton Woods Agreement (see Appendix (11) for text) it is comparatively easy to ascertain the negative, what the Article does not say: The Article does not say that any contract or performance which is contrary to any rule of the monetary restrictive system of any member shall be unenforceable Most certainly, nothing like this has been said in express words, and it would also have been very strange to incorporate such words in an Agreement which aims at establishing monetary freedom However, there are some learned writers on modern Monetary Law who try to interpret the actual Article VIII in such a way that it amounts to more or less such a result 1) These writers base their arguments on what they imagine was the intention, viz to give the whole system of modern restrictive systems a certain effectiveness through international cooperation Now, even if such an intention could be shown I submit that it cannot be taken into account, as it has not been expressed in words This must be particularly so in an Inteinational Agreement of this nature where supposedly every word has been weighed carefully Furthermore, there is no evidence of such an intention As to the positive contents of the words I submit that they represent a clear and definite, but rather narrow technical concept
The hematopoietic stem cell compartment of JAK2V617F-positive myeloproliferative disorders is a reflection of disease heterogeneity
Authors: James Chloe , Mazurier Frederic , Dupont Sabrina , Chaligne Ronan , Lamrissi-Garcia Isabelle , Tulliez Micheline , Lippert Eric , Mahon François-Xavier , Pasquet Jean-Max , Etienne Gabriel , Delhommeau François , Giraudier Stephane , Vainchenker William , de Verneuil Hubert 
Published: July 2008

AbstractThe JAK2V617F somatic point mutation has been described in patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs). Despite this progress, it remains unknown how a single JAK2 mutation causes 3 different MPD phenotypes, polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia, and primitive myelofibrosis (PMF). Using an in vivo xenotransplantation assay in nonobese diabetic-severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice, we tested whether disease heterogeneity was associated with quantitative or qualitative differences in the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) compartment. We show that the HSC compartment of PV and PMF patients contains JAK2V617F-positive long-term, multipotent, and self-renewing cells. However, the proportion of JAK2V617F and JAK2 wild-type SCID repopulating cells was dramatically different in these diseases, without major modifications of the self-renewal and proliferation capacities for JAK2V617F SCID repopulating cells. These experiments provide new insights into the pathogenesis of JAK2V617F MPD and demonstrate that a JAK2 inhibitor needs to target the HSC compartment for optimal disease control in classical MPD.
Transcriptional profiling of VEGF-A and VEGF-C target genes in lymphatic endothelium reveals endothelial-specific molecule-1 as a novel mediator of lymphangiogenesis
Authors: Shin Jay W. , Huggenberger Reto , Detmar Michael 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Lymphatic vessel growth and activation, mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)–C and/or VEGF-A, have important roles in metastasis and in chronic inflammation. We aimed to comprehensively identify downstream molecular targets induced by VEGF-A or VEGF-C in lymphatic endothelium by analyzing the time-series transcriptional profile of treated human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). We identified a number of genes, many not previously known to be involved in lymphangiogenesis, that were characterized either as early response genes, transiently induced genes, or progressively induced genes. Endothelial-specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) was one of the genes that were most potently induced by both VEGF-A and VEGF-C. Whereas ESM-1 induction by VEGF-A was mainly dependent on activation of VEGFR-2, VEGF-C–mediated induction depended on the activity of both VEGFR-2 and VEGFR-3. Incubation of LECs with ESM-1 increased the stimulatory effects of both VEGF-A and VEGF-C on LEC proliferation and migration, whereas ESM-1 alone had no effect. Importantly, VEGF-A (or VEGF-C) induction of LEC proliferation and migration were significantly inhibited by siRNA-mediated silencing of ESM-1 in vitro and in vivo. These studies reveal ESM-1 as a novel mediator of lymphangiogenesis and as a potential target for the inhibition of pathologic lymphatic vessel activation.
Altered gene expression changes in Arabidopsis leaf tissues and protoplasts in response to Plum pox virus infection
Authors: Babu Mohan , Griffiths Jonathan S , Huang Tyng-Shyan , Wang Aiming 
Published: July 2008

AbstractBackgroundVirus infection induces the activation and suppression of global gene expression in the host. Profiling gene expression changes in the host may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms that underlie host physiological and phenotypic responses to virus infection. In this study, theArabidopsisAffymetrix ATH1 array was used to assess global gene expression changes inArabidopsis thalianaplants infected withPlum pox virus(PPV). To identify early genes in response to PPV infection, anArabidopsissynchronized single-cell transformation system was developed.Arabidopsisprotoplasts were transfected with a PPV infectious clone and global gene expression changes in the transfected protoplasts were profiled.ResultsMicroarray analysis of PPV-infectedArabidopsisleaf tissues identified 2013 and 1457 genes that were significantly (Q≤ 0.05) up- (≥ 2.5 fold) and downregulated (≤ -2.5 fold), respectively. Genes associated with soluble sugar, starch and amino acid, intracellular membrane/membrane-bound organelles, chloroplast, and protein fate were upregulated, while genes related to development/storage proteins, protein synthesis and translation, and cell wall-associated components were downregulated. These gene expression changes were associated with PPV infection and symptom development. Further transcriptional profiling of protoplasts transfected with a PPV infectious clone revealed the upregulation of defence and cellular signalling genes as early as 6 hours post transfection. A cross sequence comparison analysis of genes differentially regulated by PPV-infectedArabidopsisleaves against uniEST sequences derived from PPV-infected leaves ofPrunus persica, a natural host of PPV, identified orthologs related to defence, metabolism and protein synthesis. The cross comparison of genes differentially regulated by PPV infection and by the infections of other positive sense RNA viruses revealed a common set of 416 genes. These identified genes, particularly the early responsive genes, may be critical in virus infection.ConclusionGene expression changes in PPV-infectedArabidopsisare the molecular basis of stress and defence-like responses, PPV pathogenesis and symptom development. The differentially regulated genes, particularly the early responsive genes, and a common set of genes regulated by infections of PPV and other positive sense RNA viruses identified in this study are candidates suitable for further functional characterization to shed lights on molecular virus-host interactions.
Immunity related genes in dipterans share common enrichment of AT-rich motifs in their 5' regulatory regions that are potentially involved in nucleosome formation
Authors: Hernandez-Romano Jesus , Carlos-Rivera Francisco J , Salgado Heladia , Lamadrid-Figueroa Hector , Valverde-Garduño Veronica , Rodriguez Mario H , Martinez-Barnetche Jesus 
Published: July 2008

Abstract

Background
Understanding the transcriptional regulation mechanisms in response to environmental challenges is of fundamental importance in biology. Transcription factors associated to response elements and the chromatin structure had proven to play important roles in gene expression regulation. We have analyzed promoter regions of dipteran genes induced in response to immune challenge, in search for particular sequence patterns involved in their transcriptional regulation.

Results
5' upstream regions of D. melanogaster and A. gambiae immunity-induced genes and their corresponding orthologous genes in 11 non-melanogaster drosophilid species and Ae. aegypti share enrichment in AT-rich short motifs. AT-rich motifs are associated with nucleosome formation as predicted by two different algorithms. In A. gambiae and D. melanogaster, many immunity genes 5' upstream sequences also showed NFκB response elements, located within 500 bp from the transcription start site. In A. gambiae, the frequency of ATAA motif near the NFκB response elements was increased, suggesting a functional link between nucleosome formation/remodelling and NFκB regulation of transcription.

Conclusion
AT-rich motif enrichment in 5' upstream sequences in A. gambiae, Ae. aegypti and the Drosophila genus immunity genes suggests a particular pattern of nucleosome formation/chromatin organization. The co-occurrence of such motifs with the NFκB response elements suggests that these sequence signatures may be functionally involved in transcriptional activation during dipteran immune response. AT-rich motif enrichment in regulatory regions in this group of co-regulated genes could represent an evolutionary constrained signature in dipterans and perhaps other distantly species.
Natriuretic peptides modify Pseudomonas fluorescens cytotoxicity by regulating cyclic nucleotides and modifying LPS structure
Authors: Veron Wilfried , Orange Nicole , Feuilloley Marc GJ , Lesouhaitier Olivier 
Published: July 2008

Abstract

Background
Nervous tissues express various communication molecules including natriuretic peptides, i.e. Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and C-type Natriuretic Peptide (CNP). These molecules share structural similarities with cyclic antibacterial peptides. CNP and to a lesser extent BNP can modify the cytotoxicity of the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The psychrotrophic environmental species Pseudomonas fluorescens also binds to and kills neurons and glial cells, cell types that both produce natriuretic peptides. In the present study, we investigated the sensitivity of Pseudomonas fluorescens to natriuretic peptides and evaluated the distribution and variability of putative natriuretic peptide-dependent sensor systems in the Pseudomonas genus.

Results
Neither BNP nor CNP modified P. fluorescens MF37 growth or cultivability. However, pre-treatment of P. fluorescens MF37 with BNP or CNP provoked a decrease of the apoptotic effect of the bacterium on glial cells and an increase of its necrotic activity. By homology with eukaryotes, where natriuretic peptides act through receptors coupled to cyclases, we observed that cell-permeable stable analogues of cyclic AMP (dbcAMP) and cyclic GMP (8BcGMP) mimicked the effect of BNP and CNP on bacteria. Intra-bacterial concentrations of cAMP and cGMP were measured to study the involvement of bacterial cyclases in the regulation of P. fluorescens cytotoxicity by BNP or CNP. BNP provoked an increase (+49%) of the cAMP concentration in P. fluorescens, and CNP increased the intra-bacterial concentrations of cGMP (+136%). The effect of BNP and CNP on the virulence of P. fluorescens was independent of the potential of the bacteria to bind to glial cells. Conversely, LPS extracted from MF37 pre-treated with dbcAMP showed a higher necrotic activity than the LPS from untreated or 8BcGMP-pre-treated bacteria. Capillary electrophoresis analysis suggests that these different effects of the LPS may be due, at least in part, to variations in the structure of the macromolecule.

Conclusion
These observations support the hypothesis that P. fluorescens responds to natriuretic peptides through a putative sensor system coupled to a cyclase that could interfere with LPS synthesis and thereby modify the overall virulence of the micro-organism.
Antimalarial drug use in general populations of tropical Africa
Authors: Gardella Florence , Assi Serge , Simon Fabrice , Bogreau Hervé , Eggelte Teunis , Ba Fatou , Foumane Vincent , Henry Marie-Claire , Kientega Pélagie Traore , Basco Léonardo , Trape Jean-François , Lalou Richard , Martelloni Maryse , Desbordes Marc , Baragatti Meïli , Briolant Sébastien , Almeras Lionel , Pradines Bruno , Fusai Thierry , Rogier Christophe 
Published: July 2008

Abstract

Background
The burden of Plasmodium falciparum malaria has worsened because of the emergence of chloroquine resistance. Antimalarial drug use and drug pressure are critical factors contributing to the selection and spread of resistance. The present study explores the geographical, socio-economic and behavioural factors associated with the use of antimalarial drugs in Africa.

Methods
The presence of chloroquine (CQ), pyrimethamine (PYR) and other antimalarial drugs has been evaluated by immuno-capture and high-performance liquid chromatography in the urine samples of 3,052 children (2–9 y), randomly drawn in 2003 from the general populations at 30 sites in Senegal (10), Burkina-Faso (10) and Cameroon (10). Questionnaires have been administered to the parents of sampled children and to a random sample of households in each site. The presence of CQ in urine was analysed as dependent variable according to individual and site characteristics using a random – effect logistic regression model to take into account the interdependency of observations made within the same site.

Results
According to the sites, the prevalence rates of CQ and PYR ranged from 9% to 91% and from 0% to 21%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the presence of CQ in urine was significantly associated with a history of fever during the three days preceding urine sampling (OR = 1.22, p = 0.043), socio-economic level of the population of the sites (OR = 2.74, p = 0.029), age (2–5 y = reference level; 6–9 y OR = 0.76, p = 0.002), prevalence of anti-circumsporozoite protein (CSP) antibodies (low prevalence: reference level; intermediate level OR = 2.47, p = 0.023), proportion of inhabitants who lived in another site one year before (OR = 2.53, p = 0.003), and duration to reach the nearest tarmacked road (duration less than one hour = reference level, duration equal to or more than one hour OR = 0.49, p = 0.019).

Conclusion
Antimalarial drug pressure varied considerably from one site to another. It was significantly higher in areas with intermediate malaria transmission level and in the most accessible sites. Thus, P. falciparum strains arriving in cross-road sites or in areas with intermediate malaria transmission are exposed to higher drug pressure, which could favour the selection and the spread of drug resistance.
Old and new cluster designs in emergency field surveys: in search of a one-fits-all solution
Authors: Bilukha Oleg O 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Introduction
Cluster surveys are frequently used to measure key nutrition and health indicators in humanitarian emergencies. The survey design of 30 clusters of 7 children (30 × 7) was initially proposed by the World Health Organization for measuring vaccination coverage, and later a design of 30 clusters of 30 children (30 × 30) was introduced to measure acute malnutrition in emergency settings. Recently, designs of 33 clusters of 6 children (33 × 6) and 67 clusters of 3 children (67 × 3) have been proposed as alternatives that enable measurement of several key indicators with sufficient precision, while offering substantial savings in time. This paper explores expected effects of using 67 × 3, 33 × 6, or 30 × 7 designs instead of a "standard" 30 × 30 design on precision and accuracy of estimates, and on time required to complete the survey.

Analysis
The 67 × 3, 33 × 6, and 30 × 7 designs are expected to be more statistically efficient for measuring outcomes having high design effects (e.g., vaccination coverage, vitamin A distribution coverage, or access to safe water sources), and less efficient for measuring outcomes with more within-cluster variability, such as global acute malnutrition or anemia. Because of small sample sizes, these designs may not provide sufficient levels of precision to measure crude mortality rates. Given the small number (3 to 7) of survey subjects per cluster, it may be hard to select representative samples of subjects within clusters.
The smaller sample size in these designs will likely result in substantial time savings. The magnitude of the savings will depend on several factors, including the average travel time between clusters. The 67 × 3 design will provide the least time savings. The 33 × 6 and 30 × 7 designs perform similarly to each other, both in terms of statistical efficiency and in terms of time required to complete the survey.

Conclusion
Cluster designs discussed in this paper may offer substantial time and cost savings compared to the traditional 30 × 30 design, and may provide acceptable levels of precision when measuring outcomes that have high intracluster homogeneity. Further investigation is required to determine whether these designs can consistently provide accurate point estimates for key outcomes of interest. Organizations conducting cluster surveys in emergency settings need to build their technical capacity in survey design to be able to calculate context-specific sample sizes individually for each planned survey.
Aberrant right subclavian artery and calcified aneurysm of kommerell's diverticulum: an alternative approach
Authors: Alvarez Jose Rubio J , Quiroga Sierra JL , Nazar Adrio B , Comendador Martinez JM , Carro Garcia J 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
We report a 72 year-old man with dysphagia and dizziness. Aortography and Computed tomographic scans revealed the aberrant right subclavian artery arising from a calcified aneurysm of the Kommerell's diverticulum and bilateral carotid artery disease with atherosclerotic narrowing. Surgical relief was accomplished by excluding the aneurysm from circulation through the aortic arch and a 10 mm graft was interposed between the aberrant artery and the ascending aorta.
Large scale variation in Enterococcus faecalis illustrated by the genome analysis of strain OG1RF
Authors: Bourgogne Agathe , Garsin Danielle A , Qin Xiang , Singh Kavindra V , Sillanpaa Jouko , Yerrapragada Shailaja , Ding Yan , Dugan-Rocha Shannon , Buhay Christian , Shen Hua , Chen Guan , Williams Gabrielle , Muzny Donna , Maadani Arash , Fox Kristina A , Gioia Jason , Chen Lei , Shang Yue , Arias Cesar A , Nallapareddy Sreedhar R , Zhao Meng , Prakash Vittal P , Chowdhury Shahreen , Jiang Huaiyang , Gibbs Richard A , Murray Barbara E , Highlander Sarah K , Weinstock George M 
Published: July 2008

Abstract
Background
Enterococcus faecalis has emerged as a major hospital pathogen. To explore its diversity, we sequenced E. faecalis strain OG1RF, which is commonly used for molecular manipulation and virulence studies.

Results
The 2,739,625 base pair chromosome of OG1RF was found to contain approximately 232 kilobases unique to this strain compared to V583, the only publicly available sequenced strain. Almost no mobile genetic elements were found in OG1RF. The 64 areas of divergence were classified into three categories. First, OG1RF carries 39 unique regions, including 2 CRISPR loci and a new WxL locus. Second, we found nine replacements where a sequence specific to V583 was substituted by a sequence specific to OG1RF. For example, the iol operon of OG1RF replaces a possible prophage and the vanB transposon in V583. Finally, we found 16 regions that were present in V583 but missing from OG1RF, including the proposed pathogenicity island, several probable prophages, and the cpsCDEFGHIJK capsular polysaccharide operon. OG1RF was more rapidly but less frequently lethal than V583 in the mouse peritonitis model and considerably outcompeted V583 in a murine model of urinary tract infections.

Conclusion
E. faecalis OG1RF carries a number of unique loci compared to V583, but the almost complete lack of mobile genetic elements demonstrates that this is not a defining feature of the species. Additionally, OG1RF's effects in experimental models suggest that mediators of virulence may be diverse between different E. faecalis strains and that virulence is not dependent on the presence of mobile genetic elements.