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| | 1. |
2009 Jun 4 |
ACE (I/D) polymorphism and response to treatment in coronary artery disease: a comprehensive database and meta-analysis involving study quality evaluation
Kitsios, Zintzaras
BMC Med Genet 2009 Jun 4;10:50. published online before print
Abstract
The role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in modifying the response to treatment modalities in coronary artery disease is controversial.
[Pubmed: 19497121]
| | 2. |
2009 Jun 11 |
LOST to follow-up Information in Trials (LOST-IT): a protocol on the potential impact
Akl, Briel, You, Lamontagne, Gangji, Cukierman-Yaffe, Alshurafa, Sun, Nerenberg, Johnston, Vera, Mills, Bassler, Salazar, Bhatnagar, Busse, Khalid, Walter, Cook, Schünemann, Altman, Guyatt
Trials 2009 Jun 11;10:40. published online before print
Abstract
Incomplete ascertainment of outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is likely to bias final study results if reasons for unavailability of patient data are associated with the outcome of interest. The primary objective of this study is to assess the potential impact of loss to follow-up on the estimates of treatment effect. The secondary objectives are to describe, for published RCTs, (1) the reporting of loss to follow-up information, (2) the analytic methods used for handling loss to follow-up information, and (3) the extent of reported loss to follow-up.
[Pubmed: 19519891]
| | 3. |
2009 Jun 25 |
Arthroscopic treatment of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation with double flip button.
Murena L, Vulcano E, Ratti C, Cecconello L, Rolla PR, Surace MF
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2009 Jun 25; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The ideal treatment for acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation is still controversial, both in terms of indications and surgical technique. The clinical and radiographic outcomes of 16 patients affected by acute AC joint dislocation (type III-V) and arthroscopically treated with a coracoclavicular double flip button are presented. Despite the excellent clinical results both in terms of Constant score (mean 97 points) and patient satisfaction, at a mean follow-up of 31 months the radiographs showed partial loss of reduction due to distal migration of the flip button within the upper third of the clavicle in one-fourth of the cases. The technique presented here proved to be safe and minimally invasive while delivering good aesthetic results and allowing for the treatment of associated lesions. Furthermore, the technique could benefit from more advanced retention devices, which ought to reduce or avoid migration of the flip buttons.
[Pubmed: 19554311]
| | 4. |
2009 Jul 20 |
A population-based survey on tanning bed use in Germany
Börner, Schütz, Wiedemann
BMC Dermatol 2009 Jul 20;9:6. published online before print
Abstract
The suntanning industry has grown up over the last decade in Europe, mainly because tanned skin is considered socially desirable and attractive. Because of the potential negative impact of artificial tanning on public health, this study was to investigate tanning bed use behaviour, UV related risk perception and beliefs about tanning in the German population.
[Pubmed: 19619281]
| | 5. |
2009 Sep |
Long-term performance and microbial community analysis of a full-scale synthesis gas fed reactor treating sulfate- and zinc-rich wastewater
van Houten, van Doesburg, Dijkman, Copini, Smidt, Stams
Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2009 Sep;84(3):555-563.
Abstract
The performance of a full-scale (500 m3) sulfidogenic synthesis gas fed gas-lift reactor treating metal- and sulfate-rich wastewater was investigated over a period of 128 weeks. After startup, the reactor had a high methanogenic activity of 46 Nm3·h−1. Lowering the carbon dioxide feed rate during the first 6 weeks gradually lowered the methane production rate. Between weeks 8 and 93, less than 1% of the hydrogen supplied was used for methanogenesis. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments showed that the archaeal community decreased in diversity but did not disappear completely. After the carbon dioxide feed rate increased in week 88, the methane production rate also increased, confirming that methane production was carbon dioxide limited. Even though lowering the carbon dioxide feed appeared to affect part of the sulfate-reducing community, it did not prevent achieving the desired rates of sulfate reduction. The average sulfate conversion rate was 181 kg∙h−1 for the first 92 weeks. After 92 weeks, the sulfate input rate was increased and from week 94 to 128, the average weekly sulfate conversion rate was 295 kg·h−1 (SD ± 87). Even higher sulfate conversion rates of up to 400 kg·h−1 could be sustained for weeks 120–128. The long-term performance and stability together with the ability to control methanogenesis demonstrates that synthesis gas fed reactor can be used successfully at full scale to treat metal and sulfate-rich wastewater.
[Pubmed: 19543724]
| | 6. |
2009 Aug 23 |
Isolation and characterization of a new CO-utilizing strain, Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus subsp. carboxydovorans, isolated from a geothermal spring in Turkey.
Balk M, Heilig HG, van Eekert MH, Stams AJ, Rijpstra IC, Sinninghe-Damsté JS, de Vos WM, Kengen SW
Extremophiles. 2009 Aug 23; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
A novel anaerobic, thermophilic, Gram-positive, spore-forming, and sugar-fermenting bacterium (strain TLO) was isolated from a geothermal spring in Ayaş, Turkey. The cells were straight to curved rods, 0.4-0.6 mum in diameter and 3.5-10 mum in length. Spores were terminal and round. The temperature range for growth was 40-80 degrees C, with an optimum at 70 degrees C. The pH optimum was between 6.3 and 6.8. Strain TLO has the capability to ferment a wide variety of mono-, di-, and polysaccharides and proteinaceous substrates, producing mainly lactate, next to acetate, ethanol, alanine, H(2), and CO(2). Remarkably, the bacterium was able to grow in an atmosphere of up to 25% of CO as sole electron donor. CO oxidation was coupled to H(2) and CO(2) formation. The G + C content of the genomic DNA was 35.1 mol%. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and the DNA-DNA hybridization data, this bacterium is most closely related to Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus and Thermoanaerobacter siderophilus (99% similarity for both). However, strain TLO differs from Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus in important aspects, such as CO-utilization and lipid composition. These differences led us to propose that strain TLO represents a subspecies of Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus, and we therefore name it Thermoanaerobacter thermohydrosulfuricus subsp. carboxydovorans.
[Pubmed: 19701714]
| | 7. |
2009 Oct |
An Allelic Mutant Series of ATM3 Reveals Its Key Role in the Biogenesis of Cytosolic Iron-Sulfur Proteins in Arabidopsis1[C][W][OA]
Bernard, Cheng, Zhao, Balk
Plant Physiol 2009 Oct;151(2):590-602.
Abstract
The ATP-binding cassette transporters of mitochondria (ATMs) are highly conserved proteins, but their function in plants is poorly defined. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) has three ATM genes, namely ATM1, ATM2, and ATM3. Using a collection of insertional mutants, we show that only ATM3 has an important function for plant growth. Additional atm3 alleles were identified among sirtinol-resistant lines, correlating with decreased activities of aldehyde oxidases, cytosolic enzymes that convert sirtinol into an auxin analog, and depend on iron-sulfur (Fe-S) and molybdenum cofactor (Moco) as prosthetic groups. In the sirtinol-resistant atm3-3 allele, the highly conserved arginine-612 is replaced by a lysine residue, the negative effect of which could be mimicked in the yeast Atm1p ortholog. Arabidopsis atm3 mutants displayed defects in root growth, chlorophyll content, and seedling establishment. Analyses of selected metal enzymes showed that the activity of cytosolic aconitase (Fe-S) was strongly decreased across the range of atm3 alleles, whereas mitochondrial and plastid Fe-S enzymes were unaffected. Nitrate reductase activity (Moco, heme) was decreased by 50% in the strong atm3 alleles, but catalase activity (heme) was similar to that of the wild type. Strikingly, in contrast to mutants in the yeast and mammalian orthologs, Arabidopsis atm3 mutants did not display a dramatic iron homeostasis defect and did not accumulate iron in mitochondria. Our data suggest that Arabidopsis ATM3 may transport (1) at least two distinct compounds or (2) a single compound required for both Fe-S and Moco assembly machineries in the cytosol, but not iron.
[Pubmed: 19710232]
| | 8. |
2009 Sep 3 |
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) hemoglobin genes: multiplicity and polymorphism
Borza, Stone, Gamperl, Bowman
BMC Genet 2009 Sep 3;10:51. published online before print
Abstract
Hemoglobin (Hb) polymorphism, assessed by protein gel electrophoresis, has been used almost exclusively to characterize the genetic structure of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) populations and to establish correlations with phenotypic traits such as Hb oxygen binding capacity, temperature tolerance and growth characteristics. The genetic system used to explain the results of gel electrophoresis entails the presence of one polymorphic locus with two major alleles (HbI-1; HbI-2). However, vertebrates have more than one gene encoding Hbs and recent studies have reported that more than one Hb gene is present in Atlantic cod. These observations prompted us to re-evaluate the number of Hb genes expressed in Atlantic cod, and to perform an in depth search for polymorphisms that might produce relevant phenotypes for breeding programs.
[Pubmed: 19728884]
| | 9. |
2009 Oct 29 |
Dual Localized AtHscB Involved in Iron Sulfur Protein Biogenesis in Arabidopsis
Xu, Lin, Latijnhouwers, Møller
PLoS One 2009 Oct 29;4(10). published online before print
Abstract
Iron-sulfur clusters are ubiquitous structures which act as prosthetic groups for numerous proteins involved in several fundamental biological processes including respiration and photosynthesis. Although simple in structure both the assembly and insertion of clusters into apoproteins requires complex biochemical pathways involving a diverse set of proteins. In yeast, the J-type chaperone Jac1 plays a key role in the biogenesis of iron sulfur clusters in mitochondria.
[Pubmed: 19865480]
| | 10. |
2009 Jul 13 |
Wild birds of declining European species are dying from a thiamine deficiency syndrome.
Balk L, Hägerroth PA, Akerman G, Hanson M, Tjärnlund U, Hansson T, Hallgrimsson GT, Zebühr Y, Broman D, Mörner T, Sundberg H
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2009 Jul 21;106(29):12001-6. Epub 2009 Jul 13.
Abstract
Wild birds of several species are dying in large numbers from an idiopathic paralytic disease in the Baltic Sea area. Here, we demonstrate strong relationships between this disease, breeding failure, and thiamine (vitamin B(1)) deficiency in eggs, pulli, and full-grown individuals. Thiamine is essential for vertebrates, and its diphosphorylated form functions as a cofactor for several life sustaining enzymes, whereas the triphosphorylated form is necessary for the functioning of neuronal membranes. Paralyzed individuals were remedied by thiamine treatment. Moreover, thiamine deficiency and detrimental effects on thiamine-dependent enzymes were demonstrated in the yolk, liver, and brain. We propose that the mortality and breeding failure are part of a thiamine deficiency syndrome, which may have contributed significantly to declines in many bird populations during the last decades.
[Pubmed: 19597145]
| | 11. |
2009 Nov 4 |
Italian cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Oxford shoulder score.
Murena L, Vulcano E, D'Angelo F, Monti M, Cherubino P
J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2009 Nov 4; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) is an English-language questionnaire specifically designed to evaluate patients affected by shoulder pain. Although this scoring system has been translated into other languages, an Italian version of it is still not available. The aim of the present study was to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Italian version of the OSS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 140 patients with shoulder pain caused by degenerative or inflammatory state or disorder of the shoulder. Patients completed the following questionnaires: Italian OSS, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Rating Scale, Constant-Murley shoulder assessment, and the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 Health Survey (MOS SF-36). Internal consistency was tested using Cronbach coefficient alpha. Reproducibility was assessed by asking 110 patients to complete another OSS 48 hours after the first. Correlation between the total results of both tests was determined by the Pearson correlation coefficient. Validity was assessed by calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient between the OSS and the UCLA, Constant-Murley, and SF-36 assessments. RESULTS: Cronbach alpha was 0.95. The Pearson correlation coefficient was r=0.97. With respect to validity, there was a significant correlation between the Italian OSS and the individual scores of UCLA, Constant-Murley, and SF-36. DISCUSSION: Psychometric properties of the Italian OSS compared well with those reported for the English OSS. As demonstrated by the high values of Cronbach alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients, in accordance with the English version of the OSS, the Italian version proved to be a reliable, valid, and reproducible measure of shoulder pain perception in Italian-speaking patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1; Test of previously developed criteria, diagnostic test study.
[Pubmed: 19896392]
| | 12. |
2009 Aug 07 |
Surgical treatment of an aseptic fistulized acromioclavicular joint cyst: a case report and review of the literature
Murena, D’angelo, Falvo, Vulcano
Cases J 2009 Aug 07;2. published online before print
Abstract
An acromioclavicular joint cyst is an uncommonly reported condition, which seems to result from a massive rotator cuff tear and degenerative osteoarthritis of the acromioclavicular joint. We present the case of an 81-year-old man affected by an acromioclavicular joint cyst, associated to a massive rotator cuff tear, proximal migration of the humeral head and osteoarthritis of the gleno-humeral joint. The mass was 7 × 2.5 cm in size and the overlying skin presented a fistula that drained clear synovial-like fluid. Plain X-ray examination of the left shoulder showed proximal migration of the humeral head migration and osteoarthritis of the gleno-humeral joint, and further MRI evaluation confirmed the clinical diagnosis of a complete rotator cuff tear and observed a large subcutaneous cyst in communication with the degenerative acromioclavicular joint. The patient underwent surgical excision of the cyst and lateral resection of the clavicle to prevent disease recurrence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an acromioclavicular joint cyst complicated by an aseptic fistula resulting from multiple aspirations.
[Pubmed: 19918423]
| | 13. |
2009 Jul 23 |
Bilateral iliopsoas intramuscular bleeding following anticoagulant therapy with heparin: a case report
Murena, Vulcano, Salvato, Marano, D’Angelo, Cherubino
Cases J 2009 Jul 23;2. published online before print
Abstract
Iliopsoas haematoma is an uncommon complication that may arise during anticoagulant therapy, especially with heparin and warfarin. Besides determining patient distress secondary to femoral nerve compression, this event may progress to life-threatening complications and require expensive treatments. We describe the case of a 70-year-old healthy man complaining of severe bilateral groin, lumbar and thigh pain, and paralytic ileus after therapy with heparin. The angio-computed tomography scan observed bilateral iliopsoas haematomas. In view of the clinical and radiological scenarios, we ordered a diagnostic and therapeutic angiography of the bleeding vessels by trans-catheter arterial embolization of the fourth right lumbar artery trunk. The treatment proved to be beneficial from a clinical, radiological and laboratory point of view. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of bilateral iliopsoas haematoma occurring in a male treated with therapeutic levels of heparin alone.
[Pubmed: 19830000]
| | 14. |
2009 Nov 23 |
Cystatin C Is Downregulated in Prostate Cancer and Modulates Invasion of Prostate Cancer Cells via MAPK/Erk and Androgen Receptor Pathways
Wegiel, Jiborn, Abrahamson, Helczynski, Otterbein, Persson, Bjartell
PLoS One 2009 Nov 23;4(11). published online before print
Abstract
Cystatin C is believed to prevent tumor progression by inhibiting the activities of a family of lysosomal cysteine proteases. However, little is known about the precise mechanism of cystatin C function in prostate cancer. In the present study, we examined the expression of cystatin C and its association with matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2) and androgen receptor (AR) in a tissue microarray comparing benign and malignant specimens from 448 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer. Cystatin C expression was significantly lower in cancer specimens than in benign tissues (p<0.001) and there was a statistically significant inverse correlation between expression of cystatin C and MMP2 (rs2 = −0.056, p = 0.05). There was a clear trend that patients with decreased level of cystatin C had lower overall survival. Targeted inhibition of cystatin C using specific siRNA resulted in an increased invasiveness of PC3 cells, whereas induction of cystatin C overexpression greatly reduced invasion rate of PC3 in vitro. The effect of cystatin C on modulating the PC3 cell invasion was provoked by Erk2 inhibitor that specifically inhibited MAPK/Erk2 activity. This suggests that cystatin C may mediate tumor cell invasion by modulating the activity of MAPK/Erk cascades. Consistent with our immunohistochemical findings that patients with low expression of cystatin C and high expression of androgen receptor (AR) tend to have worse overall survival than patients with high expression of cystatin C and high AR expression, induced overexpression of AR in PC3 cells expressing cystatin C siRNA greatly enhanced the invasiveness of PC3 cells. This suggests that there may be a crosstalk between cystatin C and AR-mediated pathways. Our study uncovers a novel role for cystatin C and its associated cellular pathways in prostate cancer invasion and metastasis.
[Pubmed: 19956729]
| | 15. |
2009 Oct |
Culture, cultural factors and psychiatric diagnosis: review and projections
ALARCÓN
World Psychiatry 2009 Oct;8(3):131-139.
Abstract
This paper aims to provide conceptual justifications for the inclusion of culture and cultural factors in psychiatric diagnosis, and logistic suggestions as to the content and use of this approach. A discussion of the scope and limitations of current diagnostic practice, criticisms from different quarters, and the role and relevance of culture in the diagnostic encounter, precede the examination of advantages and disadvantages of the approach. The cultural content of psychiatric diagnosis should include the main, well-recognized cultural variables, adequate family data, explanatory models, and strengths and weaknesses of every individual patient. The practical aspects include the acceptance of “cultural discordances” as a component of an updated definition of mental disorder, and the use of a refurbished cultural formulation. Clinical “telescoping” strategies to obtain relevant cultural data during the diagnostic interview, and areas of future research (including field trials on the cultural formulation and on “culture bound syndromes”), are outlined.
[Pubmed: 19812742]
| | 16. |
2009 Nov 18 |
Description of the novel perchlorate-reducing bacteria Dechlorobacter hydrogenophilus gen. nov., sp. nov. and Propionivibrio militaris, sp. nov.
Thrash JC, Pollock J, Torok T, Coates JD
Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2009 Nov 18; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
Novel dissimilatory perchlorate-reducing bacteria (DPRB) were isolated from enrichments conducted under conditions different from those of all previously described DPRB. Strain LT-1(T) was enriched using medium buffered at pH 6.6 with 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES) and had only 95% 16S rRNA gene identity with its closest relative, Azonexus caeni. Strain MP(T) was enriched in the cathodic chamber of a perchlorate-reducing bioelectrical reactor (BER) and together with an additional strain, CR (99% 16S rRNA gene identity), had 97% 16S rRNA gene identity with Propionivibrio limicola. The use of perchlorate and other electron acceptors distinguished strains MP(T) and CR from P. limicola physiologically. Strain LT-1(T) had differences in electron donor utilization and optimum growth temperatures from A. caeni. Strains LT-1(T) and MP(T) are the first DPRB to be described in the Betaproteobacteria outside of the Dechloromonas and Azospira genera. On the basis of phylogenetic and physiological features, strain LT-1(T) represents a novel genus in the Rhodocyclaceae; strain MP(T) represents a novel species within the genus Propionivibrio. The names Dechlorobacter hydrogenophilus gen. nov., sp. nov and Propionivibrio militaris sp. nov. are proposed.
[Pubmed: 19921177]
| | 17. |
2009 Aug 5 |
Defining the relationship between Plasmodium falciparum parasite rate and clinical disease: statistical models for disease burden estimation
Patil, Okiro, Gething, Guerra, Sharma, Snow, Hay
Malar J 2009 Aug 5;8:186. published online before print
Abstract
Clinical malaria has proven an elusive burden to enumerate. Many cases go undetected by routine disease recording systems. Epidemiologists have, therefore, frequently defaulted to actively measuring malaria in population cohorts through time. Measuring the clinical incidence of malaria longitudinally is labour-intensive and impossible to undertake universally. There is a need, therefore, to define a relationship between clinical incidence and the easier and more commonly measured index of infection prevalence: the "parasite rate". This relationship can help provide an informed basis to define malaria burdens in areas where health statistics are inadequate.
[Pubmed: 19656373]
| | 18. |
2009 Dec 29 |
Support for a tax increase to provide unrestricted access to an Alzheimer's disease medication: a survey of the general public in Canada
Oremus, Tarride, Clayton, Raina
BMC Health Serv Res 2009 Dec 29;9:246. published online before print
Abstract
Public drug insurance plans provide limited reimbursement for Alzheimer's disease (AD) medications in many jurisdictions, including Canada and the United Kingdom. This study was conducted to assess Canadians' level of support for an increase in annual personal income taxes to fund a public program of unrestricted access to AD medications.
[Pubmed: 20040110]
| | 19. |
2010 Jan 20 |
Genetic relationships among seven sections of genus Arachis studied by using SSR markers.
Koppolu R, Upadhyaya HD, Dwivedi SL, Hoisington DA, Varshney RK
BMC Plant Biol. 2010 Jan 20;10(1):15. Epub 2010 Jan 20.
Abstract
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The genus Arachis, originated in South America, is divided into nine taxonomical sections comprising of 80 species. Most of the Arachis species are diploids (2n = 2x = 20) and the tetraploid species (2n = 2x = 40) are found in sections Arachis, Extranervosae and Rhizomatosae. Diploid species have great potential to be used as resistance sources for agronomic traits like pests and diseases, drought related traits and different life cycle spans. Understanding of genetic relationships among wild species and between wild and cultivated species will be useful for enhanced utilization of wild species in improving cultivated germplasm. The present study was undertaken to evaluate genetic relationships among species (96 accessions) belonging to seven sections of Arachis by using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers developed from Arachis hypogaea genomic library and gene sequences from related genera of Arachis. RESULTS: The average transferability rate of 101 SSR markers tested to section Arachis and six other sections was 81% and 59% respectively. Five markers (IPAHM 164, IPAHM 165, IPAHM 407a, IPAHM 409, and IPAHM 659) showed 100% transferability. Cluster analysis of allelic data from a subset of 32 SSR markers on 85 wild and 11 cultivated accessions grouped accessions according to their genome composition, sections and species to which they belong. A total of 109 species specific alleles were detected in different wild species, Arachis pusilla exhibited largest number of species specific alleles (15). Based on genetic distance analysis, the A-genome accession ICG 8200 (A. duranensis) and the B-genome accession ICG 8206 (A. ipaensis) were found most closely related to A. hypogaea. CONCLUSION: A set of cross species and cross section transferable SSR markers has been identified that will be useful for genetic studies of wild species of Arachis, including comparative genome mapping, germplasm analysis, population genetic structure and phylogenetic inferences among species. The present study provides strong support based on both genomic and genic markers, probably for the first time, on relationships of A. monticola and A. hypogaea as well as on the most probable donor of A and B-genomes of cultivated groundnut.
[Pubmed: 20089171]
| | 20. |
2009 Dec 29 |
Selection of reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR studies in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks and determination of the expression profile of Bm86
Nijhof, Balk, Postigo, Jongejan
BMC Mol Biol 2009 Dec 29;10:112. published online before print
Abstract
For accurate and reliable gene expression analysis, normalization of gene expression data against reference genes is essential. In most studies on ticks where (semi-)quantitative RT-PCR is employed, normalization occurs with a single reference gene, usually β-actin, without validation of its presumed expression stability. The first goal of this study was to evaluate the expression stability of commonly used reference genes in Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ticks. To demonstrate the usefulness of these results, an unresolved issue in tick vaccine development was examined. Commercial vaccines against R. microplus were developed based on the recombinant antigen Bm86, but despite a high degree of sequence homology, these vaccines are not effective against R. appendiculatus. In fact, Bm86-based vaccines give better protection against some tick species with lower Bm86 sequence homology. One possible explanation is the variation in Bm86 expression levels between R. microplus and R. appendiculatus. The most stable reference genes were therefore used for normalization of the Bm86 expression profile in all life stages of both species to examine whether antigen abundance plays a role in Bm86 vaccine susceptibility.
[Pubmed: 20040102]
| | 21. |
2009 Oct 27 |
Sulfasalazine induces apoptosis of HBx-expressing cells in an NF-kappaB-independent manner.
Lee YM, Kang M, Hwang JM, Lee S, Cho H, Kim YS
Virus Genes. 2010 Feb;40(1):37-43. Epub 2009 Oct 27.
Abstract
The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a causative agent of acute chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocarcinoma. The Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) has pleiotypic functions in the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis. It has been suggested that the anti-inflammatory drug sulfasalazine, which is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, inhibits nuclear factor NF-kappaB and induces cell death in HBx-expressing liver cells. In this study, we demonstrate that sulfasalazine induces cell death via apoptosis in HBx-expressing liver cells, as evidenced by characteristic changes in nuclear morphology, cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), caspase-3 and caspase-9, and activation of caspase-3. We also demonstrate that inhibition of NF-kappaB by siRNA fails to induce apoptosis of HBx-expressing liver cells, indicating that sulfasalazine modulates apoptosis of HBx-expressing cells in an NF-kappaB-independent manner.
[Pubmed: 19859796]
| | 22. |
2010 Jan 14 |
Distress, anxiety, depression, and emotional well-being in African-American men with prostate cancer.
Nelson CJ, Balk EM, Roth AJ
Psychooncology. 2010 Jan 14; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
Objective: African-American men have an incidence rate of prostate cancer 60% higher than Caucasian men. Over one-quarter of men with prostate cancer experience significant distress, yet psychosocial research has rarely focused on African-American men. This study presents novel data on emotional well-being, distress, anxiety, and depression in African-American men with prostate cancer.Methods: This archival research combined two databases (N=385 and N=367) comprised of 55 African-American men with prostate cancer. Quality of life was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, distress was measured with the Distress Thermometer, and anxiety and depression were measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. African-American and Caucasian men were matched on age, education, and stage of disease, and compared on emotional well-being, distress, anxiety, and depression.Results: The mean age of the 55 African-American was 63 years old. In non-matched comparison, African-American men had elevated levels of distress, anxiety, and depression similar to Caucasian men. African-American men reported high levels of clinically significant distress (>31%) and anxiety (>23%). However, after matching the African-American and Caucasian men, African-American men reported higher mean scores on emotional well-being (p<0.05) and a lower percentage of African-American men displayed clinically significant depressive symptoms (p<0.05) compared with Caucasian men.Conclusions: After matching the sample, African-American men seem to display a sense of resilience, demonstrating greater emotional well-being and a lower incidence of clinically significant depressive symptoms, compared with Caucasian men. This is consistent with cross-cultural research outside of prostate cancer. Continued research is needed to further elucidate the concept of resiliency in African-American men with prostate cancer. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
[Pubmed: 20077499]
| | 23. |
2010 Jan 11 |
Prevention of a systematic underestimation of antioxidant activity in competition assays. The impact of unspecific reactions of the reactive species.
Beljaars CP, Balk JM, Bast A, Haenen GR
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2010 Jan 11; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
In antioxidant competition assays, an antioxidant (A) and a detector compound (D) compete for a reactive species (R). In the evaluation of these assays, it is tacitly assumed that all of R is captured by either D or A. Due to the - by definition - high reactivity of R, unspecific reactions of R are likely to occur and neglecting these reactions will result in a systematic underestimation of antioxidant activity. It was shown that in the standard hydroxyl radical scavenging assay this was indeed the case; the inaccurate mathematical evaluation resulted in an underestimation of antioxidant activity of 25% in this competition assay. The systematic underestimation of antioxidant activity can be prevented by using an adjusted Stern-Volmer equation that takes into account that only part of R is captured by D or A.
[Pubmed: 20067762]
| | 24. |
2010 Jan 6 |
Prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy or removal of remaining ovary at the time of hysterectomy in the United States, 1979-2004.
Lowder JL, Oliphant SS, Ghetti C, Burrows LJ, Meyn LA, Balk J
Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Jan 6; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe national rates and trends of prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy or remaining oophorectomy (BO/RO) at hysterectomy in women without specific gynecologic disease. STUDY DESIGN: Data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey were analyzed for 1979-2004. Hysterectomies were divided into 2 groups: (1) hysterectomy with BO/RO and (2) hysterectomy alone (>/=1 ovary remaining). Age-adjusted rates (AARs) were calculated with 2000 US census data. RESULTS: Approximately 3,686,000 hysterectomies with BO/RO were performed from 1979-2004. AARs of hysterectomy with BO/RO decreased during this period; the AARs in women >/=50 years old increased. The number of hysterectomies alone was 5,461,100, and AARs of hysterectomy alone decreased significantly from 2.9 per 1000 women in from 1979-1981 to 1.1 per 1000 women in 2001 (P < .001). The proportion of women who underwent hysterectomy with BO/RO increased from 29% in 1979 to 45% in 2004. CONCLUSION: Although AARs of prophylactic BO/RO decreased from 1979-2004, the actual proportion of BO/RO at hysterectomy increased.
[Pubmed: 20060093]
| | 25. |
2009 Nov 30 |
Direct CD1d-mediated stimulation of APC IL-12 production and protective immune response to virus infection in vivo.
Yue SC, Nowak M, Shaulov-Kask A, Wang R, Yue D, Balk SP, Exley MA
J. Immunol. 2010 Jan 1;184(1):268-76. Epub 2009 Nov 30.
Abstract
CD1d-restricted NKT cells rapidly stimulate innate and adaptive immunity through production of Th1 and/or Th2 cytokines and induction of CD1d(+) APC maturation. However, therapeutic exploitation of NKT cells has been hampered by their paucity and defects in human disease. NKT cell-APC interactions can be modeled by direct stimulation of human APCs through CD1d in vitro. We have now found that direct ligation with multiple CD1d mAbs also stimulated bioactive IL-12 release from CD1d(+) but not CD1d knockout murine splenocytes in vitro. Moreover, all of the CD1d mAbs tested also induced IL-12 as well as both IFN-gamma and IFN-alpha in vivo from CD1d(+) but not CD1d-deficient recipients. Unlike IFN-gamma, CD1d-induced IFN-alpha was at least partially dependent on invariant NKT cells. Optimal resistance to infection with picornavirus encephalomyocarditis virus is known to require CD1d-dependent APC IL-12-induced IFN-gamma as well as IFN-alpha. CD1d ligation in vivo enhanced systemic IL-12, IFN-gamma, and IFN-alpha and was protective against infection by encephalomyocarditis virus, suggesting an alternative interpretation for previous results involving CD1d "blocking" in other systems. Such protective responses, including elevations in Th1 cytokines, were also seen with CD1d F(ab')(2)s in vivo, whereas an IgM mAb (with presumably minimal tissue penetration) was comparably effective at protection in vivo as well as cytokine induction both in vivo and in vitro. Although presumably acting immediately "downstream," CD1d mAbs were protective later during infection than the invariant NKT cell agonist alpha-galactosylceramide. These data indicate that NKT cells can be bypassed with CD1d-mediated induction of robust Th1 immunity, which may have therapeutic potential both directly and as an adjuvant.
[Pubmed: 19949077]
| | 26. |
2009 Dec 28 |
The A2aR adenosine receptor controls cytokine production in iNKT cells.
Nowak M, Lynch L, Yue S, Ohta A, Sitkovsky M, Balk SP, Exley MA
Eur J Immunol. 2009 Dec 28; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The purine nucleoside adenosine is an important anti-inflammatory molecule, inhibiting a variety of immune cells by adenosine receptor-mediated mechanisms. Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells recognize glycolipids presented on CD1d molecules and produce vigorous amounts of cytokines upon activation, hence regulating immune reactions. The mechanisms polarizing their cytokine pattern are elusive. Previous studies demonstrated that adenosine can suppress IFN-gamma production by iNKT cells.We describe the expression of all four known adenosine receptors A1R, A2aR, A2bR, and A3R, on mouse iNKT cells. We show that IL-4 production in primary mouse iNKT cells and a human iNKT line is efficiently inhibited by A2aR blockade with an inverse relation to IL-4. These data are supported by A2aR-deficient mice, which exhibit largely decreased levels of IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-beta concomitantly with an increase of IFN-gamma upon alpha-GalCer administration in vivo. While A2aR inhibits other lymphocyte populations, A2aR is required for the secretion of IL-4 and IL-10 by iNKT cells. These data suggest adenosine:A2aR-mediated mechanisms can control the cytokine secretion pattern of iNKT cells.
[Pubmed: 20039304]
| | 27. |
2009 Oct 19 |
Mitochondrial DNA damage initiates a cell cycle arrest by a Chk2-associated mechanism in mammalian cells.
Koczor CA, Shokolenko IN, Boyd AK, Balk SP, Wilson GL, Ledoux SP
J. Biol. Chem. 2009 Dec 25;284(52):36191-201. Epub 2009 Oct 19.
Abstract
Previous work from our laboratory has focused on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) repair and cellular viability. However, other events occur prior to the initiation of apoptosis in cells. Because of the importance of mtDNA in ATP production and of ATP in fuel cell cycle progression, we asked whether mtDNA damage was an upstream signal leading to cell cycle arrest. Using quantitative alkaline Southern blot technology, we found that exposure to menadione produced detectable mtDNA damage in HeLa cells that correlated with an S phase cell cycle arrest. To determine whether mtDNA damage was causatively linked to the observed cell cycle arrest, experiments were performed utilizing a MTS-hOGG1-Tat fusion protein to target the hOGG1 repair enzyme to mitochondria and enhance mtDNA repair. The results revealed that the transduction of MTS-hOGG1-Tat into HeLa cells alleviated the cell cycle block following an oxidative insult. Furthermore, mechanistic studies showed that Chk2 phosphorylation was enhanced following menadione exposure. Treatment of the HeLa cells with the hOGG1 fusion protein prior to menadione exposure resulted in an increase in the rate of Chk2 dephosphorylation. These results strongly support a direct link between mtDNA damage and cell cycle arrest.
[Pubmed: 19840931]
| | 28. |
2009 Dec 2 |
Nonlinear relationship between emotional valence and brain activity: Evidence of separate negative and positive valence dimensions.
Viinikainen M, Jääskeläinen IP, Alexandrov Y, Balk MH, Autti T, Sams M
Hum Brain Mapp. 2009 Dec 2; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
Emotion plays a significant role in goal-directed behavior, yet its neural basis is yet poorly understood. In several psychological models the cardinal dimensions that characterize the emotion space are considered to be valence and arousal. Here 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to reveal brain areas that show valence- and arousal-dependent blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal responses. Seventeen healthy adults viewed pictures from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) for brief 100 ms periods in a block design paradigm. In many brain regions BOLD signals correlated significantly positively with valence ratings of unpleasant pictures. Interestingly, partly in the same regions but also in several other regions BOLD signals correlated negatively with valence ratings of pleasant pictures. Therefore, there were several areas where the correlation across all pictures was of inverted U-shape. Such correlations were found bilaterally in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) extending to anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and insula. Self-rated arousal of those pictures which were evaluated to be unpleasant correlated with BOLD signal in the ACC, whereas for pleasant pictures arousal correlated positively with the BOLD signal strength in the right substantia innominata. We interpret our results to suggest a major division of brain mechanisms underlying affective behavior to those evaluating stimuli to be pleasant or unpleasant. This is consistent with the basic division of behavior to approach and withdrawal, where differentiation of hostile and hospitable stimuli is crucial. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
[Pubmed: 19957266]
| | 29. |
2009 Nov 03 |
Phase II study of androgen synthesis inhibition with ketoconazole, hydrocortisone, and dutasteride in asymptomatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Taplin ME, Regan MM, Ko YJ, Bubley GJ, Duggan SE, Werner L, Beer TM, Ryan CW, Mathew P, Tu SM, Denmeade SR, Oh WK, Sartor O, Mantzoros CS, Rittmaster R, Kantoff PW, Balk SP
Clin. Cancer Res. 2009 Nov 15;15(22):7099-105. Epub 2009 Nov 03.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Increasing evidence indicates that enhanced intratumoral androgen synthesis contributes to prostate cancer progression after androgen deprivation therapy. This phase II study was designed to assess responses to blocking multiple steps in androgen synthesis with inhibitors of CYP17A1 (ketoconazole) and type I and II 5alpha-reductases (dutasteride) in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Fifty-seven men with CRPC were continued on gonadal suppression and treated with ketoconazole (400 mg thrice daily), hydrocortisone (30 mg/AM, 10 mg/PM), and dutasteride (0.5 mg/d). RESULTS: Prostate-specific antigen response rate (> or =50% decline) was 56% (32 of 57; 95% confidence interval, 42.4-69.3%); the median duration of response was 20 months. In patients with measurable disease, 6 of 20 (30%) responded by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Median duration of treatment was 8 months; 9 patients remained on therapy with treatment durations censored at 18 to 32 months. Median time to progression was 14.5 months. Grade 3 toxicities occurred in 32% with only one reported grade 4 (thrombosis) toxicity. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate declined by 89%, androstenedione by 56%, and testosterone by 66%, and dihydrotestosterone declined to below detectable levels compared with baseline levels with testicular suppression alone. Median baseline levels and declines in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone were not statistically different in the responders versus nonresponders, and hormone levels were not significantly increased from nadir levels at relapse. CONCLUSION: The response proportion to ketoconazole, hydrocortisone, and dutasteride was at least comparable with previous studies of ketoconazole alone, whereas time to progression was substantially longer. Combination therapies targeting multiple steps in androgen synthesis warrant further investigation.
[Pubmed: 19887483]
| | 30. |
2009 Nov |
KDIGO clinical practice guideline for the care of kidney transplant recipients.
Am. J. Transplant. 2009 Nov;9 Suppl 3:S1-155.
Abstract
The 2009 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) clinical practice guideline on the monitoring, management, and treatment of kidney transplant recipients is intended to assist the practitioner caring for adults and children after kidney transplantation. The guideline development process followed an evidence-based approach, and management recommendations are based on systematic reviews of relevant treatment trials. Critical appraisal of the quality of the evidence and the strength of recommendations followed the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The guideline makes recommendations for immunosuppression, graft monitoring, as well as prevention and treatment of infection, cardiovascular disease, malignancy, and other complications that are common in kidney transplant recipients, including hematological and bone disorders. Limitations of the evidence, especially on the lack of definitive clinical outcome trials, are discussed and suggestions are provided for future research.
[Pubmed: 19845597]
| | 31. |
2009 Sep 14 |
Human ind1, an iron-sulfur cluster assembly factor for respiratory complex I.
Sheftel AD, Stehling O, Pierik AJ, Netz DJ, Kerscher S, Elsässer HP, Wittig I, Balk J, Brandt U, Lill R
Mol. Cell. Biol. 2009 Nov;29(22):6059-73. Epub 2009 Sep 14.
Abstract
Respiratory complex I (NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) is a large mitochondrial inner membrane enzyme consisting of 45 subunits and 8 iron-sulfur (Fe/S) clusters. While complex I dysfunction is the most common reason for mitochondrial diseases, the assembly of complex I and its Fe/S cofactors remains elusive. Here, we identify the human mitochondrial P-loop NTPase, designated huInd1, that is critically required for the assembly of complex I. huInd1 can bind an Fe/S cluster via a conserved CXXC motif in a labile fashion. Knockdown of huInd1 in HeLa cells by RNA interference technology led to strong decreases in complex I protein and activity levels, remodeling of respiratory supercomplexes, and alteration of mitochondrial morphology. In addition, huInd1 depletion resulted in massive decreases in several subunits (NDUFS1, NDUFV1, NDUFS3, and NDUFA13) of the peripheral arm of complex I, with the concomitant appearance of a 450-kDa subcomplex representing part of the membrane arm. By a novel radiolabeling technique, the amount of iron associated with complex I was also shown to reflect the dependence of this enzyme on huInd1 for assembly. Together, these data identify huInd1 as a new assembly factor for human respiratory complex I with a possible role in the delivery of one or more Fe/S clusters to complex I subunits.
[Pubmed: 19752196]
| | 32. |
2009 Aug 03 |
Detection of TMPRSS2-ERG fusion gene expression in prostate cancer specimens by a novel assay using branched DNA.
Lu B, Maqsodi B, Yang W, McMaster GK, Perner S, Regan M, Bubley GJ, Balk SP, Rubin M, Sanda MG
Urology. 2009 Nov;74(5):1156-61. Epub 2009 Aug 03.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To develop a novel assay that uses branched DNA technology to measure TMPRSS2-ERG fusion, as genetic rearrangement of TMPRSS2 regulatory sequences and coding sequences of the ERG gene has been detected in nearly half of prostate cancers, but quantitative assays to detect such TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion have been limited to real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques that rely on reverse transcriptase-based amplification. METHODS: Branched DNA probes were designed to detect TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in prostate cancer cell lines. Nonquantitative nested reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to ascertain TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion status in prostate tissues. RESULTS: The branched DNA assay detected TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion from less than 200 pg of prostate cancer RNA, whereas more than 600 pg of RNA was required for fusion gene detection by one step real-time RT-PCR. In evaluation of clinical prostatectomy specimens, the branched DNA assay showed a concordant detectable fusion signal in all 9 clinical samples that had fusion detected by nested RT-PCR or FISH. Moreover, branched DNA detected gene fusion in 2 of 16 prostate cancer tissue specimens that was not detected by FISH or nested RT-PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate a branched DNA assay that is effective for detection of TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in prostate cancer clinical specimens, thus providing an alternative method to ascertain TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion in human prostate cancer tissue.
[Pubmed: 19647299]
| | 33. |
2009 Oct 21 |
KDIGO clinical practice guideline for the care of kidney transplant recipients: a summary.
Kasiske BL, Zeier MG, Chapman JR, Craig JC, Ekberg H, Garvey CA, Green MD, Jha V, Josephson MA, Kiberd BA, Kreis HA, McDonald RA, Newmann JM, Obrador GT, Vincenti FG, Cheung M, Earley A, Raman G, Abariga S, Wagner M, Balk EM
Kidney Int. 2009 Oct 21; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The 2009 Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) clinical practice guideline on the monitoring, management, and treatment of kidney transplant recipients is intended to assist the practitioner caring for adults and children after kidney transplantation. The guideline development process followed an evidence-based approach, and management recommendations are based on systematic reviews of relevant treatment trials. Critical appraisal of the quality of the evidence and the strength of recommendations followed the Grades of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The guideline makes recommendations for immunosuppression and graft monitoring, as well as prevention and treatment of infection, cardiovascular disease, malignancy, and other complications that are common in kidney transplant recipients, including hematological and bone disorders. Limitations of the evidence, especially the lack of definitive clinical outcome trials, are discussed and suggestions are provided for future research. This summary includes a brief description of methodology and the complete guideline recommendations but does not include the rationale and references for each recommendation, which are published elsewhere.Kidney International advance online publication, 21 October 2009; doi:10.1038/ki.2009.377.
[Pubmed: 19847156]
| | 34. |
2009 Sep |
Omega-3 fatty acids regulate gene expression levels differently in subjects carrying the PPARα L162V polymorphism
Rudkowska, Garenc, Couture, Vohl
Genes Nutr 2009 Sep;4(3):199-205.
Abstract
Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) are natural ligands of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα), a nuclear receptor that modulates expression levels of genes involved in lipid metabolism. The L162V polymorphism of the PPARα gene is associated with a deteriorated metabolic profile. We postulate that subjects carrying the PPARα-V162 allele exhibit differences in the expression of PPARα and its target genes after incubation with omega-3 FAs compared with L162 homozygotes. Peripheral blood monocytes from six men carrying the PPARα-V162 allele paired for age and for body mass index with six L162 homozygotes were differentiated into macrophages and activated with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), or mixtures of EPA:DHA. Data demonstrates that gene expression levels of PPARα and apolipoprotein AI (APOA1) were significantly lower for carriers of the PPARα-V162 allele compared to L162 homozygotes after the addition of DHA and a mixture of EPA:DHA. Additionally, lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene expression displayed a tendency to be lower in the PPARα L162V polymorphism subgroup after the addition of a mixture of EPA:DHA. Consequently, individuals carrying the PPARα-V162 allele may demonstrate inferior improvements in their lipid profile due to alterations in gene expression rates in response to omega-3 FA supplementation.
[Pubmed: 19585164]
| | 35. |
2009 Jun 30 |
Motivational states activate distinct hippocampal representations to guide goal-directed behaviors
Kennedy, Shapiro
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009 Jun 30;106(26):10805-10810.
Abstract
Adaptive behaviors are guided by motivation and memory. Motivational states specify goals, and memory can inform motivated behavior by providing detailed records of past experiences when goals were obtained. These 2 fundamental processes interact to guide animals to biologically relevant targets, but the neuronal mechanisms that integrate them remain unknown. To investigate these mechanisms, we recorded unit activity from the same population of hippocampal neurons as rats performed identical tasks while either food or water deprived. We compared the influence of motivational state (hunger and thirst), memory demand, and spatial behavior in 2 tasks: hippocampus-dependent contextual memory retrieval and hippocampus-independent random foraging. We found that: (i) hippocampal coding was most strongly influenced by motivational state during contextual memory retrieval, when motivational cues were required to select among remembered, goal-directed actions in the same places; (ii) the same neuronal populations were relatively unaffected by motivational state during random foraging, when hunger and thirst were incidental to behavior, and signals derived from deprivation states thus informed, but did not determine, hippocampal coding; and (iii) “prospective coding” in the contextual retrieval task was not influenced by allocentric spatial trajectory, but rather by the animal's deprivation state and the associated, non-spatial target, suggesting that hippocampal coding includes a wide range of predictive associations. The results show that beyond coding spatiotemporal context, hippocampal representations encode the relationships between internal states, the external environment, and action to provide a mechanism by which motivation and memory are coordinated to guide behavior.
[Pubmed: 19528659]
| | 36. |
2009 Jun 8 |
Factors Associated with Results and Conclusions of Trials of Thiazolidinediones
Rattinger, Bero
PLoS ONE 2009 Jun 8;4(6). published online before print
Abstract
When a sponsor funds a study of two competing drugs in a head-to-head comparison, the results and conclusions are likely to favor the sponsor’s drug. Thiazolidinediones, oral medications used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, are one of the most costly choices of oral anti-diabetic medications, yet they do not demonstrate clinically relevant differences in achieving lower glycosylated hemoglobin levels compared to other oral antidiabetic drugs. Our aim is to examine associations between research funding source, study design characteristics aimed at reducing bias, and other factors with the results and conclusions of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of thiazolidinediones compared to other oral hypoglycemic agents.
[Pubmed: 19503811]
| | 37. |
2009 Nov 18 |
Prediction of Appropriate Defibrillator Therapy in Heart Failure Patients Treated With Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy.
Soliman OI, Theuns DA, van Dalen BM, Vletter WB, Nemes A, Jordaens LJ, Balk AH, Ten Cate FJ, Geleijnse ML
Am J Cardiol. 2010 Jan 1;105(1):105-111. Epub 2009 Nov 18.
Abstract
The necessity of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation in patients with systolic heart failure (HF) who undergo cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) may be questioned. The aim of this study was to identify patients at low risk for sustained ventricular arrhythmia. One hundred sixty-nine consecutive patients with HF (mean age 60 +/- 12 years, 125 men, 73% in New York Heart Association class III) referred for CRT and prophylactic, primary prevention ICD implantation underwent baseline clinical and echocardiographic assessment and regular device follow-up. The primary study end point was appropriate ICD therapy. During a mean follow-up period of 654 +/- 394 days, 35 patients (21%) had sustained ventricular arrhythmias requiring appropriate ICD therapy. Of the 3 patients who experienced sudden cardiac death, 2 had been treated with appropriate ICD therapy before sudden cardiac death. In a multivariate model, only history of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (p = 0.001), a severely (<20%) decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (p = 0.001), and digitalis therapy (p = 0.08) independently predicted appropriate ICD therapy. Patients with 0 (n = 46), 1 (n = 36), 2 (n = 73), and 3 (n = 14) risk factors for appropriate ICD therapy had a 7%, 14%, 27%, and 64% and 0%, 6%, 10%, and 43% incidence of appropriate ICD therapy for ventricular arrhythmias and for rapid ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, respectively. In conclusion, apart from commonsense considerations (age and significant co-morbidities), ICD addition seems ineffective in CRT patients without nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, digoxin therapy, and severely reduced left ventricular systolic function.
[Pubmed: 20102900]
| | 38. |
2010 Jan 29 |
Impact of herbivore identity on algal succession and coral growth on a Caribbean reef.
Burkepile DE, Hay ME
PLoS ONE. 2010;5(1):e8963. Epub 2010 Jan 29.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Herbivory is an important top-down force on coral reefs that regulates macroalgal abundance, mediates competitive interactions between macroalgae and corals, and provides resilience following disturbances such as hurricanes and coral bleaching. However, reductions in herbivore diversity and abundance via disease or over-fishing may harm corals directly and may indirectly increase coral susceptibility to other disturbances. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In two experiments over two years, we enclosed equivalent densities and masses of either single-species or mixed-species of herbivorous fishes in replicate, 4 m(2) cages at a depth of 17 m on a reef in the Florida Keys, USA to evaluate the effects of herbivore identity and species richness on colonization and development of macroalgal communities and the cascading effects of algae on coral growth. In Year 1, we used the redband parrotfish (Sparisoma aurofrenatum) and the ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus); in Year 2, we used the redband parrotfish and the princess parrotfish (Scarus taeniopterus). On new substrates, rapid grazing by ocean surgeonfish and princess parrotfish kept communities in an early successional stage dominated by short, filamentous algae and crustose coralline algae that did not suppress coral growth. In contrast, feeding by redband parrotfish allowed an accumulation of tall filaments and later successional macroalgae that suppressed coral growth. These patterns contrast with patterns from established communities not undergoing primary succession; on established substrates redband parrotfish significantly reduced upright macroalgal cover while ocean surgeonfish and princess parrotfish allowed significant increases in late successional macroalgae. SIGNIFICANCE: This study further highlights the importance of biodiversity in affecting ecosystem function in that different species of herbivorous fishes had very different impacts on reef communities depending on the developmental stage of the community. The species-specific effects of herbivorous fishes suggest that a species-rich herbivore fauna can be critical in providing the resilience that reefs need for recovery from common disturbances such as coral bleaching and storm damage.
[Pubmed: 20126450]
| | 39. |
2010 Feb 17 |
A Novel Role for Arabidopsis Mitochondrial ABC Transporter ATM3 in Molybdenum Cofactor Biosynthesis.
Teschner J, Lachmann N, Schulze J, Geisler M, Selbach K, Santamaria-Araujo J, Balk J, Mendel RR, Bittner F
Plant Cell. 2010 Feb 17; [Epub ahead of print]
Abstract
The molybdenum cofactor (Moco) is a prosthetic group required by a number of enzymes, such as nitrate reductase, sulfite oxidase, xanthine dehydrogenase, and aldehyde oxidase. Its biosynthesis in eukaryotes can be divided into four steps, of which the last three are proposed to occur in the cytosol. Here, we report that the mitochondrial ABC transporter ATM3, previously implicated in the maturation of extramitochondrial iron-sulfur proteins, has a crucial role also in Moco biosynthesis. In ATM3 insertion mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana, the activities of nitrate reductase and sulfite oxidase were decreased to 50%, whereas the activities of xanthine dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase, whose activities also depend on iron-sulfur clusters, were virtually undetectable. Moreover, atm3 mutants accumulated cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate, the first intermediate of Moco biosynthesis, but showed decreased amounts of Moco. Specific antibodies against the Moco biosynthesis proteins CNX2 and CNX3 showed that the first step of Moco biosynthesis is localized in the mitochondrial matrix. Together with the observation that cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate accumulated in purified mitochondria, particularly in atm3 mutants, our data suggest that mitochondria and the ABC transporter ATM3 have a novel role in the biosynthesis of Moco.
[Pubmed: 20164445]
| | 40. |
2010 Feb 12 |
Concomitant Aortic Dissection Resulting in Left Main Coronary Transection.
Chen JP, Balk MA
Clin Cardiol. 2010 Feb 12; [Epub ahead of print]
[Pubmed: 20155859]
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