bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TheBacillus subtilisLate Competence OperoncomEIs Transcriptionally Regulated byyutBand under Post-Transcription Initiation Control bycomN(yrzD)
Authors: Ogura Mitsuo , Tanaka Teruo 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTTheBacillus subtilisgenome has been sequenced, and disruptants with disruptions in genes that were not characterized previously were systematically generated. We screened these gene disruptants for decreased transformation frequency and identified two genes,yrzDandyutB, whose disruption resulted in severely reduced transformation frequency and modestly reduced transformation frequency, respectively. In the regulation of competence development, various signals affect the expression ofcomK, which encodes a master regulator of genetic competence that drives late competence gene transcription. Epistatic analyses of both theyrzDandyutBgenes revealed no significant differences in the expression ofcomK. Further analysis of the expression of late competence genes in theyrzDdisruptant revealed thatyrzDis specifically required for regulation of thecomEoperon, which is one of the late competence operons, and thus was renamedcomN. An analysis of variouscomE-lacZfusions revealed that the targetciselement forcomNaction is in the large (approximately 1-kb) 5′ untranslated region ofcomE, while the activity of thecomEpromoter was not affected by disruption ofcomN. These results suggested that there is post-transcription initiation control ofcomEbycomN. A sequential deletion analysis of this region revealed the 35-bp region required forcomNaction. TheyutBgene encodes a putative lipoic acid synthetase and yet is specifically required for transcription ofcomE, based on the results oflacZfusion analyses. Therefore,yutBandcomNregulatecomEat the transcription and post-transcription initiation levels, respectively. These results demonstrate that acomE-specific regulatory mechanism is involved in development of genetic competence.
Analysis of Secretin-Induced Stress inPseudomonas aeruginosaSuggests Prevention Rather than Response and Identifies a Novel Protein Involved in Secretin Function
Authors: Seo Jin , Brencic Anja , Darwin Andrew J. 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTSecretins are bacterial outer membrane proteins that are important for protein export. However, they can also mislocalize and cause stress to the bacterial cell, which is dealt with by the well-conserved phage shock protein (Psp) system in a highly specific manner. Nevertheless, some bacteria have secretins but no Psp system. A notable example isPseudomonas aeruginosa, a prolific protein secretor with the potential to produce seven different secretins. We were interested in investigating howP. aeruginosamight deal with the potential for secretin-induced stress without a Psp system. Microarray analysis revealed the absence of any transcriptional response to XcpQ secretin overproduction. However, transposon insertions in eitherrpoN,truB, PA4068, PA4069, or PA0943 renderedP. aeruginosahypersensitive to XcpQ production. The PA0943 gene was studied further and found to encode a soluble periplasmic protein important for XcpQ localization to the outer membrane. Consistent with this, a PA0943 null mutation reduced the levels of type 2 secretion-dependent proteins in the culture supernatant. Therefore, this work has identified a novel protein required for normal secretin function inP. aeruginosa. Taken together, all of our data suggest thatP. aeruginosalacks a functional equivalent of the Psp stress response system. Rather, null mutations in genes such as PA0943 may cause increased secretin-induced stress to whichP. aeruginosacannot respond. Providing the PA0943 mutant with the ability to respond, in the form of critical Psp proteins from another species, alleviated its secretin sensitivity.
A systematic review of four injection therapies for lateral epicondylosis: prolotherapy, polidocanol, whole blood and platelet-rich plasma
Authors: Rabago D , Best T M , Zgierska A E , Zeisig E , Ryan M , Crane D 
Published: November 2008

Objective:To appraise existing evidence for prolotherapy, polidocanol, autologous whole blood and platelet-rich plasma injection therapies for lateral epicondylosis (LE).Design:Systematic review.Data sources:Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Allied and Complementary Medicine. Search strategy: names and descriptors of the therapies and LE.Study Selection:All human studies assessing the four therapies for LE.Main results:Results of five prospective case series and four controlled trials (three prolotherapy, two polidocanol, three autologous whole blood and one platelet-rich plasma) suggest each of the four therapies is effective for LE. In follow-up periods ranging from 9 to 108 weeks, studies reported sustained, statistically significant (p<0.05) improvement in visual analogue scale primary outcome pain score measures and disease-specific questionnaires; relative effect sizes ranged from 51% to 94%; Cohen’s d ranged from 0.68 to 6.68. Secondary outcomes also improved, including biomechanical elbow function assessment (polidocanol and prolotherapy), presence of abnormalities and increased vascularity on ultrasound (autologous whole blood and polidocanol). Subjects reported satisfaction with therapies on single-item assessments. All studies were limited by small sample size.Conclusions:There is strong pilot-level evidence supporting the use of prolotherapy, polidocanol, autologous whole blood and platelet-rich plasma injections in the treatment of LE. Rigorous studies of sufficient sample size, assessing these injection therapies using validated clinical, radiological and biomechanical measures, and tissue injury/healing-responsive biomarkers, are needed to determine long-term effectiveness and safety, and whether these techniques can play a definitive role in the management of LE and other tendinopathies.
Prevalence of low back pain and concurrent psychological distress over a 16-year period: Table 1
Authors: Leijon O , Mulder M 
Published: November 2008

Objectives:To investigate time trends of low back pain (LBP) and concurrent psychological distress in the general population.Methods:Every 4 years between 1990 and 2006, a self-administered questionnaire including the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and a question on LBP were sent to a random sample of the population in the county of Stockholm (response rate 61–69%). All individuals aged 21–64 years in the five samples (n = 1976–26 611) were included in the study.Results:Among women, the prevalence of self-reported LBP rose rather moderately during the 16-year period, from 12.5% to 16.4% (prevalence rate ratio (PRR) 1.31; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.55). The prevalence did not change at all among men (PRR 1.02; 95% CI 0.85 to 1.23). In contrast, the prevalence of LBP with concurrent psychological distress rose more substantially, from 2.6% to 5.9% among women (PRR 2.23; 95% CI 1.53 to 3.24) and from 1.9% to 3.5% among men (PRR 1.82; 95% CI 1.14 to 2.90). The prevalence of both LBP and LBP with concurrent psychological distress seemed to fluctuate somewhat over the period.Conclusions:Between 1990 and 2006, the focus of discussion of the high societal costs for sickness absence and disability pensions gradually shifted from musculoskeletal disorders to psychological well-being. As a result, the general population’s awareness and perception of pain and psychological distress may have changed and, in turn, affected individuals’ willingness to report these symptoms. Further research is necessary to investigate the impact of cultural changes on subjective symptom reporting.
Effectiveness of a feedback signal in a computer mouse on upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms: a randomised controlled trial with an 8-month follow-up
Authors: Meijer E M , Sluiter J K , Frings-Dresen M H W 
Published: November 2008

Objectives:To study the effectiveness of using a computer mouse with a feedback signal for upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms in office workers.Methods:A randomised controlled trial with 8 months of follow-up was carried out. The intervention consisted of a computer mouse with a feedback signal. In total, 354 subjects were allocated to the intervention group or the control group. Measurements were performed with electronic questionnaires at baseline, after 4 months and after 8 months. Outcome variables were the prevalence and incidence of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and disability in the upper extremities. The intervention process was evaluated by software registration.Results:The use of the mouse with a feedback signal resulted in a significant decrease in duration of mouse usage over time. No differences were found in the number of mouse usage rest breaks. No differences were found in the prevalence (p = 0.29) or incidence (p = 0.832) of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms between the groups 8 months after baseline. The prevalence decreased from 49% at baseline to 44% after 8 months in the control group, while it remained at 36% in the intervention group. The incidence was 21% in the control group and 22% in the intervention group. Among the population with upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms at baseline, the risk of experiencing symptoms after 8 months did not differ between the groups (p = 0.49). Minor disability was found in both groups. In the intervention group, a lower level of physical disability over time was reported than in the control group (p = 0.02).Conclusions:A feedback signal computer mouse does not affect the prevalence and incidence of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms, but it does lower disability scores. Given the high prevalence, studying preventive interventions for upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms is of high importance.Trial registration number:ISRCTN13222474.
Normalisation of immune cell imbalance after pharmacological treatments of patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder
Authors: Marazziti D , Mungai F , Masala I , Baroni S , Vivarelli L , Ambrogi F , Catena Dell’Osso M , Consoli G , Massimetti G , Dell’Osso L 
Published: November 2008

Abstract Recent data have shown the presence of immunological alterations in adult patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The objective of this study was to examine the possible effects of 12 months of treatment with different serotonergic drugs, such as clomipramine and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) on peripheral immunological cells of 18 OCD patients. Both the absolute number and percent of CD4+, CD8+, CD3+, CD19+ and CD56+ cells were measured in peripheral blood before and after treatment by means of a Facstar Flow Sorter apparatus. At baseline, all patients showed a significant increase of CD8+ and decrease of CD4+ lymphocytes when compared with a similar group of healthy control subjects; after the treatment, CD8+ and CD4+ cells, respectively, decreased and increased significantly, and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio increased, when compared with baseline values, in parallel with the clinical improvement. These data suggest that the alterations of immune cells reported in patients with OCD at baseline may be reverted by treatment with SRIs and should be considered a state-dependent marker, perhaps related to a condition of stress.
Social anxiety in a multiple sclerosis clinic population
Authors: Poder K , Ghatavi K , Fisk JD , Campbell TL , Kisely S , Sarty I , Stadnyk K , Bhan V 
Published: November 2008

Background Little is known about social anxiety in MS. Objective We estimated the prevalence of social anxiety symptoms and their association with demographic and clinical features in a clinic-attending sample of patients with MS. Methods Patients attending the Dalhousie MS Research Unit for regularly scheduled visits completed the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Health Utilities Index (HUI). Neurological disability was determined by ratings on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Results A total of 251 patients completed self-report scales of anxiety and depression symptoms. In all, 245 (98%) provided sufficient data for analysis. In all, 30.6% ( n = 75) had clinically significant social anxiety symptoms as defined by a SPIN threshold score of 19. Half of those with social anxiety had general anxiety (HADSA ≥ 11) and a quarter had depression (HADSD ≥ 11). Severity of social anxiety symptoms was associated with reduced health-related quality of life and not related to neurological disability. Conclusions Social anxiety symptoms are common in persons with MS, contribute to overall morbidity, but are unrelated to the overall severity of neurologic disability. Greater awareness and routine systematic inquiry of social anxiety symptoms is an important component of comprehensive care for persons with MS.
Head injury is not a risk factor for multiple sclerosis: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Pfleger CCH , Koch-Henriksen N , Stenager E , Flachs EM , Johansen C 
Published: November 2008

Background The idea of physical trauma being involved in the causation of multiple sclerosis (MS) had been discussed since the earliest description of the illness. Despite the ongoing debate, the proposed association between physical and especially head trauma and MS failed to be proved or to be refuted conclusively. Objective To determine whether head trauma is associated with an increased risk of developing MS. Method A cohort of 150,868 subjects, 95,111 men, and 55,757 women registered in the National Danish Patient Registry with hospital admission for cerebral concussion, contusion, or skull fracture between 1977 and 1992, aged under 55, was selected. This trauma cohort was linked with the Danish MS Registry and followed up to the end of 1999 to retrieve subjects who had onset of MS after the year of the head trauma. We calculated the expected number of subjects, who, under a null-hypothesis, would subsequently develop MS, by using population age-, year-, and sex-specific MS-incidence densities from the Danish MS Registry. Results For men and women combined, the observed to expected number of MS cases (possible cases included) with onset after the head injury was 182/193.6 (standardized incidence ratio [SIR], 0.94; 95% CI, 0.81–1.09) and for possible MS excluded, 171/164.7 (SIR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.89–1.21). In an analysis of a sub-cohort of 16,425 subjects with severe trauma (contusion, traumatic cerebral hemorrhage, and base or skull fracture), the observed to expected numbers, including possible MS, were 15/15.3 (SIR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.55–1.62) and with possible MS excluded, 13/12.9 (SIR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.53–1.73). As for the total group and for any of the subgroups and for men and women separately, none of the SIRs differed statistically significantly from unity. Neither were there any trends, which could be missed by type II errors. Conclusion Head injury of any severity does not affect the risk of acquiring MS later in life.
Treatment with azathioprine and cyclic methylprednisolone has little or no effect on bioactivity in anti-interferon beta antibody-positive patients with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Ravnborg M , Bendtzen K , Christensen O , Jensen PEH , Hesse D , Tovey MG , Sørensen PS 
Published: November 2008

Background It is unknown whether immunosuppression of patients who have developed interferon-β (IFN-β) neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) hastens disappearance of NAbs in the blood. Objective We wanted to test whether immunosuppression with cyclic methylprednisolone (MP) in combination with azathioprine (AZA) for 6 months accelerates recovery of IFN-β bioactivity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) with abolished in-vivo myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) mRNA response to IFN-β. Methods We included 13 patients with MS with NAbs and a low IFN-β bioavailability detected by the MxA-mRNA response in a descriptive, non-randomized trial. Another 14 NAb-positive patients with a low MxA-mRNA response served as controls. The primary outcome was the fraction of patients who regained an MxA-mRNA response to IFN-β. NAbs were measured by means of a clinically validated cytopathic effect assay and a new reporter gene assay. The in-vivo MxA-mRNA response was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results A total of 11 patients in the treatment group completed the trial. In all, two of these 11 patients regained an in-vivo MxA-mRNA response as compared to one of 14 patients in the control group. Conclusion Treatment with AZA and cyclic MP for 6 months has little or no effect on IFN-β bioactivity in NAb-positive patients with MS.
Ipsilateral ectopic pregnancy occurring in the stump of a previous ectopic site: a case report
Authors: Faleyimu Bode-Law , Igberase Gabriel O , Momoh Mojeed O 
Published: November 2008

Abstract

Background
Ectopic pregnancy continues to be a significant cause of maternal morbidity, mortality and reproductive failure in Nigeria. Ipsilateral ectopic pregnancy occurs rarely and may be difficult to diagnose in low resource settings where there are no diagnostic tools. Few cases have been reported in the literature but none in our region.

Case presentation
We present an unusual case of a 22 year old female undergraduate, from the Urhobo tribe in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria who had a recurrent left ectopic pregnancy at the stump of a previous cornual resection done five years earlier. She had a left salpingo-oophorectomy done and did well postoperatively.

Conclusion
Ectopic pregnancy could pose a diagnostic dilemma where diagnostic facilities are not available. Every woman with a previous ectopic pregnancy would be at high risk for recurrence and that would be the condition to be ruled out if a pregnant woman presented at early gestation with abdominal pain.
Role of initial protein phosphorylation events and localized release-activated calcium influx in B cell antigen receptor signaling
Authors: Lyubchenko Taras , Nielsen J Paul , Miller Sara M , Liubchenko Ganna A , Holers V Michael 
Published: November 2008

AbstractAn increase in intracellular calcium concentration is one of the major initial steps in B cell activation following antigen receptor (BCR) ligation. We show herein that in C57BL/6 murine B lymphocytes and in model cell lines, BCR-mediated calcium ion (Ca2+) influx occurs via highly selective Ca2+ release-activated channels, and stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) plays an important role in this pathway. We also demonstrate the temporal relation between Ca2+-dependent signaling events and formation of the immune synapse. Our data indicate that cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels in areas adjacent to the immune synapse differ from those in the rest of the cytoplasm. Finally, a comparison of phosphorylation patterns of BCR-triggered signaling proteins in the presence or absence of Ca2+ revealed the unanticipated finding that initial BCR-triggered, Ca2+-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation events involve predominantly Ca2+ released from intracellular stores and that influx-derived Ca2+ is not essential. This suggests a different role for this phase of Ca2+ influx.
DCIR is endocytosed into human dendritic cells and inhibits TLR8-mediated cytokine production
Authors: Meyer-Wentrup Friederike , Cambi Alessandra , Joosten Ben , Looman Maaike W , de Vries I Jolanda M , Figdor Carl G , Adema Gosse J 
Published: November 2008

AbstractC-type lectin receptors (CLRs) expressed on APCs play a pivotal role in the immune system as pattern-recognition and antigen-uptake receptors. In addition, they may signal directly, leading to cytokine production and immune modulation. To this end, some CLRs, like dectin-1 and dendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR), contain intracellular ITIMs or ITAMs. In this study, we explored expression and function of the ITIM-containing CLR DCIR on professional APCs. DCIR is expressed on immature and mature monocyte-derived DCs (moDC) but also on monocytes, macrophages, B cells, and freshly isolated myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs. We show that endogenous DCIR is internalized efficiently into human moDC after triggering with DCIR-specific mAb. DCIR internalization is clathrin-dependent and leads to its localization in the endo-/lysosomal compartment, including lysosome-associated membrane protein-1+ lysosomes. DCIR triggering affected neither TLR4- nor TLR8-mediated CD80 and CD86 up-regulation. Interestingly, it did inhibit TLR8-mediated IL-12 and TNF-α production significantly, and TLR2-, TLR3-, or TLR4-induced cytokine production was not affected. Collectively, the data presented characterize DCIR as an APC receptor that is endocytosed efficiently in a clathrin-dependent manner and negatively affects TLR8-mediated cytokine production. These data provide further support to the concept of CLR/TLR cross-talk in modulating immune responses.
Reason and reaction: The utility of a dual‐focus, dual‐processing perspective on promotion and prevention of adolescent health risk behaviour
Authors: Gibbons Frederick X. , Houlihan Amy E. , Gerrard Meg 
Published: November 2008

Purpose A brief overview of theories of health behaviour that are based on the expectancy‐value perspective is presented. This approach maintains that health behaviours are the result of a deliberative decision‐making process that involves consideration of behavioural options along with anticipated outcomes associated with those options. It is argued that this perspective is effective at explaining and predicting many types of health behaviour, including health‐promoting actions (e.g. UV protection, condom use, smoking cessation), but less effective at predicting risky health behaviours, such as unprotected, casual sex, drunk driving or binge drinking. These are behaviours that are less reasoned or premeditated – especially among adolescents. An argument is made for incorporating elements of dual‐processing theories in an effort to improve the ‘utility’ of these models. Specifically, it is suggested that adolescent health behaviour involves both analytic and heuristic processing. Both types of processing are incorporated in the prototype‐willingness (prototype) model, which is described in some detail.Methods Studies of health behaviour based on the expectancy‐value perspective (e.g. theory of reasoned action) are reviewed, along with studies based on the prototype model.Results These two sets of studies together suggest that the dual‐processing perspective, in general, and the prototype model, in particular, add to the predictive validity of expectancy‐value models for predicting adolescent health behaviour.Conclusion Research and interventions that incorporate elements of dual‐processing and elements of expectancy‐value are more effective at explaining and changing adolescent health behaviour than are those based on expectancy‐value theories alone.