Biomechanical Comparison of a First- and a Second-Generation All-Soft Suture Glenoid Anchor.

Background: All-soft tissue suture anchors provide advantages of decreased removal of bone and decreased glenoid volume occupied compared with traditional tap or screw-in suture anchors. Previous published data have led to biomechanical concerns with the use of first-generation all-soft suture anchors.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the load to 2-mm displacement and ultimate load to failure of a second-generation all-soft suture anchor, compared with a first-generation anchor and a traditional PEEK (polyether ether ketone) anchor.

Nanosecond Dynamics of InfluenzaA/M2TM and an Amantadine Resistant Mutant Probed by Time-Dependent Red Shifts of a Native Tryptophan.

Proteins involved in functions such as electron transfer or ion transport must be capable of stabilizing transient charged species on time scales ranging from picoseconds to microseconds. We study the influenza A M2 proton channel, containing a tryptophan residue that serves as an essential part of the proton conduction pathway. We induce a transition dipole in tryptophan by photoexcitation, and then probe the dielectric stabilization of its excited state.

A bidirectional system for the dynamic small molecule control of intracellular fusion proteins.

Small molecule control of intracellular protein levels allows temporal and dose-dependent regulation of protein function. Recently, we developed a method to degrade proteins fused to a mutant dehalogenase (HaloTag2) using small molecule hydrophobic tags (HyTs). Here, we introduce a complementary method to stabilize the same HaloTag2 fusion proteins, resulting in a unified system allowing bidirectional control of cellular protein levels in a temporal and dose-dependent manner.

Prediction and design of outer membrane protein-protein interactions.

Protein-protein interactions (PPI) play central roles in biological processes, motivating us to understand the structural basis underlying affinity and specificity. In this chapter, we focus on biochemical and computational design strategies of assessing and detecting PPIs of β-barrel outer membrane proteins (OMPs). A few case studies are presented highlighting biochemical techniques used to dissect the energetics of oligomerization and determine amino acids forming the key interactions of the PPI sites.

Regulation of insulin receptor substrate-1 by mTORC2 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2).

mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) responds to the presence of nutrients, energy and growth factors to link cellular metabolism, growth and proliferation. The rapamycin-sensitive mTORC (mTOR complex) 1 activates the translational regulator S6K (S6 kinase), leading to increased protein synthesis in the presence of nutrients. On the other hand, the rapamycin-insensitive mTORC2 responds to the presence of growth factors such as insulin by phosphorylating Akt to promote its maturation and allosteric activation.

Ozone and ozone byproducts in the cabins of commercial aircraft.

The aircraft cabin represents a unique indoor environment due to its high surface-to-volume ratio, high occupant density, and the potential for high ozone concentrations at cruising altitudes. Ozone was continuously measured and air was sampled on sorbent traps, targeting carbonyl compounds, on 52 transcontinental U.S.

Individual differences in the cortisol responses of neglected and comparison children.

Neglected children's acute hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) reactivity in response to a laboratory visit was contrasted with that of a comparison group. The authors examined initial salivary cortisol response upon entering the laboratory and its trajectory following a set of tasks designed to elicit negative self-evaluation in 64 children (30 with a history of neglect and 34 demographically matched comparison children). Neglected, but not comparison, children showed higher initial cortisol responses.

Prognosis for Survival of Young Women with Breast Cancer by Quantitative p53 Immunohistochemistry.

p53 protein detected immunohistochemically has not been accepted as a biomarker for breast cancer patients because of disparate reports of the relationship between the amount of p53 protein detected and patient survival. The purpose of this study was to determine experimental conditions and methods of data analysis for which p53 stain intensity could be prognostic for survival of young breast cancer patients. A tissue microarray of specimens from 93 patients was stained with anti-p53 antibody, and stain intensity measured with a computer-aided image analysis system.

Talin1 regulates integrin turnover to promote embryonic epithelial morphogenesis.

Talin is a cytoskeletal protein that binds to integrin β cytoplasmic tails and regulates integrin activation. Talin1 ablation in mice disrupts gastrulation and causes embryonic lethality. However, the role of talin in mammalian epithelial morphogenesis is poorly understood.

BMI1 is recruited to DNA breaks and contributes to DNA damage-induced H2A ubiquitination and repair.

DNA damage activates signaling pathways that lead to modification of local chromatin and recruitment of DNA repair proteins. Multiple DNA repair proteins having ubiquitin ligase activity are recruited to sites of DNA damage, where they ubiquitinate histones and other substrates. This DNA damage-induced histone ubiquitination is thought to play a critical role in mediating the DNA damage response.

BRCA1, PARP, and 53BP1: conditional synthetic lethality and synthetic viability.

BRCA1 plays a critical role in the regulation of homologous recombination (HR)-mediated DNA double-strand break repair. BRCA1-deficient cancers have evolved to tolerate loss of BRCA1 function. This renders them vulnerable to agents, such as PARP inhibitors, that are conditionally 'synthetic lethal' with their underlying repair defect.

Spatial memory using active allothetic place avoidance in adult rats after isoflurane anesthesia: a potential model for postoperative cognitive dysfunction.

Background: We described a paradigm of active allothetic place avoidance (AAPA) as a measure of spatial memory in adult rats. We hypothesized that, pending successful AAPA training, treatment with isoflurane would trigger spatial memory deficits.

Methods: Fifteen of 20 adult rats were successfully trained and randomly allocated to control and isoflurane treatment groups.

Designing artificial enzymes by intuition and computation.

The rational design of artificial enzymes, either by applying physico-chemical intuition of protein structure and function or with the aid of computational methods, is a promising area of research with the potential to tremendously impact medicine, industrial chemistry and energy production. Designed proteins also provide a powerful platform for dissecting enzyme mechanisms of natural systems. Artificial enzymes have come a long way from simple α-helical peptide catalysts to proteins that facilitate multistep chemical reactions designed by state-of-the-art computational methods.

International medical graduates in child and adolescent psychiatry: adaptation, training, and contributions.

This article reviews, consolidates, and enhances current knowledge about the issues and problems child and adolescent psychiatry international medical graduates face. Their training, work force issues, and establishment and advancement of professional identity are presented. Acculturation and immigration dynamics include facing prejudice and discrimination, social mirroring, and difficulties with language.

Burden of childhood-onset arthritis.

Juvenile arthritis comprises a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases causing erosive arthritis in children, often progressing to disability. These children experience functional impairment due to joint and back pain, heel pain, swelling of joints and morning stiffness, contractures, pain, and anterior uveitis leading to blindness. As children who have juvenile arthritis reach adulthood, they face possible continuing disease activity, medication-associated morbidity, and life-long disability and risk for emotional and social dysfunction.

Pilot evaluation of a prototype critical care blood glucose monitor in normal volunteers.

Background: Availability of a highly accurate in-hospital automated blood glucose (BG) monitor could facilitate implementation of intensive insulin therapy protocols through effective titration of insulin therapy, improved BG control, and avoidance of hypoglycemia. We evaluated a functional prototype BG monitor designed to perform frequent automated blood sampling for glucose monitoring.

Methods: Sixteen healthy adult volunteer subjects had intravenous catheter insertions in a forearm or hand vein and were studied for 8 hours.

How neglect and punitiveness influence emotion knowledge.

To explore whether punitive parenting styles contribute to early-acquired emotion knowledge deficits observable in neglected children, we observed 42 preschool children's emotion knowledge, expression recognition time, and IQ. The children's mothers completed the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics Scales to assess the recent use of three types of discipline strategies (nonviolent, physically punitive, and psychological aggression), as well as neglectful parenting. Fifteen of the children were identified as neglected by Child Protective Services (CPS) reports; 27 children had no record of CPS involvement and served as the comparison group.

Triple-negative breast cancers and the human mammary epithelial cell hierarchy.

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are a diverse set of aggressive breast cancers that lack expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, and lack HER2 amplification. Gene expression profiling has revealed distinct subsets of TNBCs, each characterized by unique patterns of gene expression and genomic changes. Comparative analysis of gene expression profiles also suggests that the different subclasses of TNBCs may arise from specific sets of mammary progenitor cell populations.

Sampling scheme for pyrethroids on multiple surfaces on commercial aircrafts.

A wipe sampler for the collection of permethrin from soft and hard surfaces has been developed for use in aircraft. "Disinsection" or application of pesticides, predominantly pyrethrods, inside commercial aircraft is routinely required by some countries and is done on an as-needed basis by airlines resulting in potential pesticide dermal and inhalation exposures to the crew and passengers. A wipe method using filter paper and water was evaluated for both soft and hard aircraft surfaces.

Do clinicians use the American College of Radiology Appropriateness criteria in the management of their patients?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the American College of Radiology (ACR) appropriateness criteria by referring physicians during decision making about imaging in the management of their patients.

Conclusion: There is a low utilization of the ACR appropriateness criteria by clinicians when ordering imaging studies for their patients. The ACR has invested a great deal of resources in these criteria and should therefore be aware of information regarding utilization.

Double knockout Nme1/Nme2 mouse model suggests a critical role for NDP kinases in erythroid development.

Nm23/NDP kinases A and B encoded by the Nme1/Nme2 genes are multifunctional enzymes responsible for the majority of NDP kinase activity in mammals. This review summarizes recent studies on their physiological roles using a mouse model in which both Nme1 and Nme2 genes have been deleted. The double knockout mice are stunted in growth and die perinatally.

Targeted deletion of Nm23/nucleoside diphosphate kinase A and B reveals their requirement for definitive erythropoiesis in the mouse embryo.

The ubiquitously expressed nucleoside diphosphate kinases (Nm23/NDPK/Awd) are a large family of multifunctional enzymes implicated in nucleic acid metabolism and in normal and abnormal development. Here, we describe the generation and characterization of NDPK A- and B-deficient (Nme1(-/-)/Nme2(-/-)) mice in which >95% of the enzyme activity is eliminated. These mice are undersized, die perinatally, and exhibit a spectrum of hematological phenotypes including severe anemia, impaired maturation of erythrocytes, and abnormal hematopoiesis in the liver and bone marrow.

Poststreptococcal reactive arthritis in children: a retrospective study.

The duration of treatment and appropriate guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis for children with poststreptococcal reactive arthritis (PSRA) have not been determined. The authors performed a retrospective chart review of 40 children with PSRA and examined their clinical features at initial evaluation and at 6, 12, and 24 months. At baseline, 18% (n = 7) had a finding noted on the echocardiogram.