Critical Analysis of Retrospective Study Designs: Cohort and Case Series.

Retrospective studies represent an often used research methodology in the podiatric scientific literature, with cohort studies and case series being two of the most prevalent designs. Choosing a retrospective method is often dependent on multiple factors, two of the most important being details of the research question to be explored and the sample size that can be acquired. When analyzing literature, a reader must understand how retrospective studies work to critically examine the methods, results, and discussions to determine if the conclusion is reasonable and might be applied to clinical practice.

Comparison of Different Trap Designs for Capture of Noctuid Moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) With Pheromone and Floral Odor Attractants.

Six trap designs were assessed for capturing noctuid moths in field trials in the United Kingdom and Argentina. The traps were baited with either a sex pheromone for Autographa gamma in the UK trials and Helicoverpa gelotopoeon (Dyar) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Argentina, or a floral odor blend. In the UK trials the Universal Trap and a funnel sleeve trap were compared; in Argentina the funnel sleeve trap, a homemade bucket trap, and (L.

Genome Sequence of Acetomicrobium hydrogeniformans OS1.

, an obligate anaerobe of the phylum , was isolated from oil production water. It has the unusual ability to produce almost 4 molecules H/molecule glucose. The draft genome of OS1 (DSM 22491) is 2,123,925 bp, with 2,068 coding sequences and 60 RNA genes.

Patient-reported quality of life during definitive and postprostatectomy image-guided radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: The importance of patient-reported outcomes is well-recognized. Long-term patient-reported symptoms have been described for individuals who completed radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer. However, the trajectory of symptom development during the course of treatment has not been well-described in patients receiving modern, image-guided RT.

High quality draft genome sequence of Meganema perideroedes str. Gr1(T) and a proposal for its reclassification to the family Meganemaceae fam. nov.

Meganema perideroedes Gr1(T) is a filamentous bacterium isolated from an activated sludge wastewater treatment plant where it is implicated in poor sludge settleability (bulking). M. perideroedes is the sole described species of the genus Meganema and of the proposed novel family "Meganemaceae".

Draft genome sequence of Halomonas lutea strain YIM 91125(T) (DSM 23508(T)) isolated from the alkaline Lake Ebinur in Northwest China.

Species of the genus Halomonas are halophilic and their flexible adaption to changes of salinity and temperature brings considerable potential biotechnology applications, such as degradation of organic pollutants and enzyme production. The type strain Halomonas lutea YIM 91125(T) was isolated from a hypersaline lake in China. The genome of strain YIM 91125(T) becomes the twelfth species sequenced in Halomonas, and the thirteenth species sequenced in Halomonadaceae.

The Genomes OnLine Database (GOLD) v.5: a metadata management system based on a four level (meta)genome project classification.

The Genomes OnLine Database (GOLD; http://www.genomesonline.org) is a comprehensive online resource to catalog and monitor genetic studies worldwide.

The complete genome sequence of Clostridium indolis DSM 755(T.).

Clostridium indolis DSM 755(T) is a bacterium commonly found in soils and the feces of birds and mammals. Despite its prevalence, little is known about the ecology or physiology of this species. However, close relatives, C.

High quality draft genome sequence of the slightly halophilic bacterium Halomonas zhanjiangensis type strain JSM 078169(T) (DSM 21076(T)) from a sea urchin in southern China.

Halomonas zhanjiangensis Chen et al. 2009 is a member of the genus Halomonas, family Halomonadaceae, class Gammaproteobacteria. Representatives of the genus Halomonas are a group of halophilic bacteria often isolated from salty environments.

Genome sequence of the acid-tolerant Burkholderia sp. strain WSM2230 from Karijini National Park, Australia.

Burkholderia sp. strain WSM2230 is an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming acid-tolerant rod isolated from acidic soil collected in 2001 from Karijini National Park, Western Australia, using Kennedia coccinea (Coral Vine) as a host. WSM2230 was initially effective in nitrogen-fixation with K.

HLA-G1 increases the radiosensitivity of human tumoral cells.

Different molecules regulate the response of tumoral tissues to ionizing radiation. The objective of this work was to determine if HLA-G1 expression modulates the radiosensitivity of human tumoral cell lines. To this end, human melanoma M8 and human erythroleukemia K562 cell lines, with their correspondent HLA-G1 negative and positive variants, were gamma irradiated and the survival frequency was determined by clonogenic assay.

Genome sequence of the dark pink pigmented Listia bainesii microsymbiont Methylobacterium sp. WSM2598.

Strains of a pink-pigmented Methylobacterium sp. are effective nitrogen- (N2) fixing microsymbionts of species of the African crotalarioid genus Listia. Strain WSM2598 is an aerobic, motile, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod isolated in 2002 from a Listia bainesii root nodule collected at Estcourt Research Station in South Africa.

Genome sequence of the Lotus corniculatus microsymbiont Mesorhizobium loti strain R88B.

Mesorhizobium loti strain R88B was isolated in 1993 in the Rocklands range in Otago, New Zealand from a Lotus corniculatus root nodule. R88B is an aerobic, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming rod. This report reveals the genome of M.

Optimization of a Trap for Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and Trials to Determine the Effectiveness of Mass Trapping.

Management of the South American tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta Meyrick, with insecticides has led to the widespread development of insect resistance. Mass trapping using traps baited with the female-produced sex pheromone is an attractive alternative for the management of this pest. The current study evaluated several commercial trap designs for capture of T.

Whole-genome analysis of a daptomycin-susceptible enterococcus faecium strain and its daptomycin-resistant variant arising during therapy.

Development of daptomycin (DAP) resistance in Enterococcus faecalis has recently been associated with mutations in genes encoding proteins with two main functions: (i) control of the cell envelope stress response to antibiotics and antimicrobial peptides (LiaFSR system) and (ii) cell membrane phospholipid metabolism (glycerophosphoryl diester phosphodiesterase and cardiolipin synthase [cls]). However, the genetic bases for DAP resistance in Enterococcus faecium are unclear. We performed whole-genome comparative analysis of a clinical strain pair, DAP-susceptible E.

Genetic basis for in vivo daptomycin resistance in enterococci.

Background: Daptomycin is a lipopeptide with bactericidal activity that acts on the cell membrane of enterococci and is often used off-label to treat patients infected with vancomycin-resistant enterococci. However, the emergence of resistance to daptomycin during therapy threatens its usefulness.

Methods: We performed whole-genome sequencing and characterization of the cell envelope of a clinical pair of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis isolates from the blood of a patient with fatal bacteremia; one isolate (S613) was from blood drawn before treatment and the other isolate (R712) was from blood drawn after treatment with daptomycin.

Pediatric clinical trials in Latin America and Guyana: present views of local practitioners and ways to embrace the future.

Background: Global pediatric research has recently received increased attention by health professionals, and research and government institutions. Since the approval of the FDA Pediatric Exclusivity Provision and the EU Paediatric Regulation, pharmaceutical companies have begun to look to developing/transitional countries for international pediatric research collaboration as a way of facilitating the recruitment of patients to clinical trials. Among countries identified as being 'developing/transitional' some were in the North, Central, and South American regions.

ADH1B*3 and response to alcohol in African-Americans.

Background: Variations in the alleles for the alcohol-metabolizing enzymes have been shown to influence risk for alcohol dependence. One variant, ADH1B*3, is observed almost exclusively in populations of African ancestry and has been shown to be associated with reduced rates of alcohol dependence. We conducted an alcohol challenge study to test whether ADH1B*3 is associated with differences in subjective and physiological response to alcohol.

Addictions biology: haplotype-based analysis for 130 candidate genes on a single array.

Aims: To develop a panel of markers able to extract full haplotype information for candidate genes in alcoholism, other addictions and disorders of mood and anxiety.

Methods: A total of 130 genes were haplotype tagged and genotyped in 7 case/control populations and 51 reference populations using Illumina GoldenGate SNP genotyping technology, determining haplotype coverage. We also constructed and determined the efficacy of a panel of 186 ancestry informative markers.

Association of dopamine, serotonin, and nicotinic gene polymorphisms with methylphenidate response in ADHD.

Gene polymorphisms of the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the dopamine transporter (DAT1), Dopamine receptor exon 3 D4 variable number tandem repeat (DRD4VNTR), nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 4 subunit (CHRNA4) and serotonin transporter promoter (SLC6A4-5HTTLPR) are under consideration as potential risk factors for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A post-hoc attempt was made to investigate the association between the allelic variations of these candidate genes and retrospective parental report of response to methylphenidate in an ADHD-enriched, population-based twin sample. Subjects (N = 243) were selected from the twin sample based on parent report that the child had been treated with methylphenidate for ADHD symptoms.

Relationship of 5-HTTLPR genotypes and depression risk in the presence of trauma in a female twin sample.

Several studies have implicated an insertion/deletion polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4; 5-HTT) in the development of mood disorders. In the present study of a sample of 247 young adult female twins from Missouri, we examine whether this polymorphism interacts with the effect of adverse life events to increase risk for developing depression. We found a significant interaction between the number of high-activity L(A) alleles and exposure to trauma (OR = 1.

Prenatal smoking exposure and dopaminergic genotypes interact to cause a severe ADHD subtype.

Background: In utero exposure to smoking and alcohol are common risk factors that have been associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in human beings and animal models. Furthermore, molecular studies have focused on the association between ADHD and DNA polymorphisms in dopamine pathway-related genes. We examined the joint effects of genetic and prenatal substance exposures on DSM-IV and population-defined subtypes of ADHD.

Renal oxidative vulnerability due to changes in mitochondrial-glutathione and energy homeostasis in a rat model of calcium oxalate urolithiasis.

Calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystals are the commonest component of kidney stones. Oxalate and COM crystals in renal cells are thought to contribute to pathology via prooxidant events. Using an in vivo rat model of crystalluria induced by hyperoxaluria plus hypercalciuria [ethylene glycol (EG) plus 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (DHC)], we measured glutathione and energy homeostasis of kidney mitochondria.

Nitric oxide synthase distribution and expression with ischemic preconditioning of the rat liver.

This study was undertaken to identify nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms responsible for the generation of cytoprotective NO during liver ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 45 min lobar ischemia followed by 2 h reperfusion. L-arginine or Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) was administered to stimulate or block NO synthesis.