Internet-based emotion regulation training aimed at reducing violent revictimization and depressive symptoms in victimized depressed patients: Results of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Depressed patients who have become victim of violence are prone to revictimization. However, no evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing revictimization in this group exist. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of an internet-based emotion regulation training (iERT) added to TAU in reducing revictimization, emotion dysregulation, and depressive symptoms in recently victimized, depressed patients compared to TAU alone. Adult outpatients (N = 153) with a depressive disorder who had experienced threat, physical assault, or sexual assault within the previous three years were randomly allocated to TAU+iERT (n = 74) or TAU (n = 79). TAU involved psychotherapy (mainly cognitive behavioral therapy [77.8 %]). iERT comprised six guided online sessions focused on the acquisition of adaptive emotion regulation skills. The primary outcome measure was the number of revictimization incidents at 12 months after baseline, measured with the Safety Monitor. Analyses were performed according to the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: Both groups showed a large decrease in victimization incidents. Mixed-model negative binomial regression analyses showed that TAU+iERT was not effective in reducing revictimization compared to TAU (IRR = 0.97; 95%CI = 0.64,1.46; p = .886). Linear mixed-model analyses demonstrated that TAU+iERT yielded a larger reduction of emotion dysregulation (B = -7.217; p = .046; Cohens d = 0.33), but not depressive symptoms (B = -1.041; p = .607) than TAU. LIMITATIONS: The study was underpowered to detect small treatment effects. Additionally, uptake of iERT was quite low. CONCLUSIONS: Although TAU+iERT resulted in a larger decrease of emotion dysregulation than TAU alone, it was not effective in reducing revictimization and depressive symptoms. Patients' revictimization risk substantially decreased during psychotherapy.

Violent victimization and revictimization in patients with depressive disorders: context characteristics, disclosure rates, and gender differences.

BACKGROUND: Depressed patients are prone to violent victimization, and patients who were victimized once are at increased risk to fall victim to violence again. However, knowledge on the context of victimization in depressed patients is lacking, and research identifying targets for prevention is urgently needed. METHODS: This cross-sectional study explored context characteristics, disclosure rates and gender differences regarding violent victimization in 153 recently victimized depressed patients. Additionally, 12-month prevalence rates of repeat threat, physical assault, and sexual assault were examined, and gender differences were investigated using t-tests, Chi-square tests, and Fisher's exact tests. Furthermore, logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with repeat victimization. RESULTS: Overall, depressed men were most often victimized by a stranger in public, and women by their partner or ex-partner at home. Regarding sexual assault, no gender differences could be examined. Patients were sexually assaulted most often by an acquaintance (50.0%) or stranger (27.8%). In all patients, the most recent incidents of threat (67.6%) and physical assault (80.0%) were often preceded by a conflict, and only a minority had been intoxicated prior to the assault. Notably, less than half of patients had disclosed their recent experience of threat (40.6%) and physical assault (47.1%) to their mental health caregiver. For sexual assault, this was only 20%. Less than one third of patients had reported their recent experience of threat (27.9%), physical assault (30.0%) and sexual assault (11.1%) to the police. 48.4% of patients had been victimized repeatedly in the past year, with no gender differences found. Only depressive symptoms and unemployment were univariately associated with repeat victimization, but not in the multiple model. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of repeat victimization in depressed patients and their low disclosure rates stress the need to implement routine enquiry of victimization in mental health care, and to develop preventive interventions accounting for specific needs of men and women.

Mental disorders and the risk of adult violent and psychological victimisation: a prospective, population-based study.

AIMS: Psychiatric patients are at increased risk to become victim of violence. It remains unknown whether subjects of the general population with mental disorders are at risk of victimisation as well. In addition, it remains unclear whether the risk of victimisation differs across specific disorders. This study aimed to determine whether a broad range of mood, anxiety and substance use disorders at baseline predict adult violent (physical and/or sexual) and psychological victimisation at 3-year follow-up, also after adjustment for childhood trauma. Furthermore, this study aimed to examine whether specific types of childhood trauma predict violent and psychological victimisation at follow-up, after adjustment for mental disorder. Finally, this study aimed to examine whether the co-occurrence of childhood trauma and any baseline mental disorder leads to an incrementally increased risk of future victimisation. METHODS: Data were derived from the first two waves of the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study-2 (NEMESIS-2): a psychiatric epidemiological cohort study among a nationally representative adult population. Mental disorders were assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview version 3.0. Longitudinal associations between 12 mental disorders at baseline and violent and psychological victimisation at 3-year follow-up (n = 5303) were studied using logistic regression analyses, with adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and childhood trauma. Furthermore, the moderating effect of childhood trauma on these associations was examined. RESULTS: Associations with victimisation varied considerably across specific mental disorders. Only alcohol dependence predicted both violent and psychological victimisation after adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and childhood trauma. Depression, panic disorder, social phobia, generalised anxiety disorder and alcohol dependence predicted subsequent psychological victimisation in the fully adjusted models. All types of childhood trauma independently predicted violent and psychological victimisation after adjustment for any mental disorder. The presence of any childhood trauma moderated the association between any anxiety disorder and psychological victimisation, whereas no interaction between mental disorder and childhood trauma on violent victimisation existed. CONCLUSIONS: The current study shows that members of the general population with mental disorders are at increased risk of future victimisation. However, the associations with violent and psychological victimisation vary considerably across specific disorders. Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of violent and psychological victimisation in individuals with these mental disorders - especially those with alcohol dependence - and individuals with a history of childhood trauma. Violence prevention programmes should be developed for people at risk. These programmes should not only address violent victimisation, but also psychological victimisation.

Prevalence and predictors of violent victimization in remitted patients with recurrent depression.

BACKGROUND: Depressed patients are at increased risk to fall victim to a violent crime compared to the general population. It remains unknown whether their increased risk persists after remission. This study compared victimization rates of remitted patients with both a random general population sample and a group of currently depressed patients. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify predictors of future violent victimization. METHODS: In this longitudinal study conducted in the Netherlands, 12-month prevalence rates of sexual assaults, physical assaults, and threats were assessed with the Safety Monitor in 140 currently remitted patients with recurrent depression, and compared to those of a weighted general population sample (N = 9.175) and a weighted sample of currently depressed outpatients (N = 102) using Chi-square tests. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify baseline predictors of future victimization. RESULTS: The prevalence of violent victimization did not differ between remitted patients and the general population (12.1 vs. 11.7%). Remitted patients were significantly less likely to have been victimized over the past 12 months than currently depressed patients (12.1 vs. 35.5%). In remitted patients, living alone and low sense of mastery at baseline predicted future violent victimization. However, when combined in a multiple model, only living alone was independently associated with violent victimization (χ2 = 16.725, df = 2, p < .001, R2 = 0.221). LIMITATIONS: Our comparison of victimization rates across samples was cross-sectional. CONCLUSIONS: Since the increased risk of victimization appears to be specific for the acute depressive state, preventive interventions should target victimization in currently depressed patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): 2599.

Prenatal exposure to cannabis and maternal and child health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of use of cannabis during pregnancy on maternal and fetal outcomes. DATA SOURCES: 7 electronic databases were searched from inception to 1 April 2014. Studies that investigated the effects of use of cannabis during pregnancy on maternal and fetal outcomes were included. STUDY SELECTION: Case-control studies, cross-sectional and cohort studies were included. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Data synthesis was undertaken via systematic review and meta-analysis of available evidence. All review stages were conducted independently by 2 reviewers. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes up to 6 weeks postpartum after exposure to cannabis. Meta-analyses were conducted on variables that had 3 or more studies that measured an outcome in a consistent manner. Outcomes for which meta-analyses were conducted included: anaemia, birth weight, low birth weight, neonatal length, placement in the neonatal intensive care unit, gestational age, head circumference and preterm birth. RESULTS: 24 studies were included in the review. Results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that women who used cannabis during pregnancy had an increase in the odds of anaemia (pooled OR (pOR)=1.36: 95% CI 1.10 to 1.69) compared with women who did not use cannabis during pregnancy. Infants exposed to cannabis in utero had a decrease in birth weight (low birth weight pOR=1.77: 95% CI 1.04 to 3.01; pooled mean difference (pMD) for birth weight=109.42 g: 38.72 to 180.12) compared with infants whose mothers did not use cannabis during pregnancy. Infants exposed to cannabis in utero were also more likely to need placement in the neonatal intensive care unit compared with infants whose mothers did not use cannabis during pregnancy (pOR=2.02: 1.27 to 3.21). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Use of cannabis during pregnancy may increase adverse outcomes for women and their neonates. As use of cannabis gains social acceptance, pregnant women and their medical providers could benefit from health education on potential adverse effects of use of cannabis during pregnancy.

Cellular Pathophysiology of an Adrenal Adenoma-Associated Mutant of the Plasma Membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase ATP2B3.

Adrenal aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) are a main cause for primary aldosteronism leading to arterial hypertension. Physiologically, aldosterone production in the adrenal gland is stimulated by angiotensin II and high extracellular potassium. These stimuli lead to a depolarization of the plasma membrane and, as a consequence, an increase of intracellular Ca(2+). Mutations of the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase ATP2B3 have been found in APAs with a prevalence of 0.6%-3.1%. Here, we investigated the effects of the APA-associated ATP2B3(Leu425_Val426del) mutation in adrenocortical NCI-H295R and human embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells. Ca(2+) measurements revealed a higher basal Ca(2+) level in cells expressing the mutant ATP2B3. This rise in intracellular Ca(2+) was even more pronounced under conditions with high extracellular Ca(2+) pointing to an increased Ca(2+) influx associated with the mutated protein. Furthermore, cells with the mutant ATP2B3 appeared to have a reduced capacity to export Ca(2+) suggesting a loss of the physiological pump function. Surprisingly, expression of the mutant ATP2B3 caused a Na(+)-dependent inward current that strongly depolarized the plasma membrane and compromised the cytosolic cation composition. In parallel to these findings, mRNA expression of the cytochrome P450, family 11, subfamily B, polypeptide 2 (aldosterone synthase) was substantially increased and aldosterone production was enhanced in cells overexpressing mutant ATP2B3. In summary, the APA-associated ATP2B3(Leu425_Val426del) mutant promotes aldosterone production by at least 2 different mechanisms: 1) a reduced Ca(2+) export due to the loss of the physiological pump function; and 2) an increased Ca(2+) influx due to opening of depolarization-activated Ca(2+) channels as well as a possible Ca(2+) leak through the mutated pump.

Honeybee interference as a novel aid to reduce pollen exposure and nasal symptoms among greenhouse workers allergic to sweet bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) pollen.

BACKGROUND: In 1999, an extensive study among bell pepper growers showed a prevalence of 53.8% work-related symptoms and 35.4% sensitisation to bell pepper pollen. Experiments with bees to remove pollen from bell pepper flowers have been done for a few years. OBJECTIVES: It was the aim of this study to investigate whether bees can reduce the pollen exposure in bell pepper greenhouses and whether this reduction results in a decrease in allergic complaints in the greenhouse workers. METHODS: Eighteen greenhouses were selected for the study. In each greenhouse, pollen exposure was estimated. In 6 and 3 of the greenhouses, high, respectively low, numbers of honeybees were placed throughout the pollen season of the sweet bell pepper plant. Nine greenhouses without honeybees were used as control. At baseline, as well as after 4 and 8 months, nasal symptoms assessed with a visual analogue score and lung function parameters were used as outcome measure. RESULTS: Forty-four of the 133 employees invited reported work-related symptoms. High numbers of bees reduced the pollen amount in a dose-dependent way to 18% of the baseline exposure. A significant trend relationship between the visual analogue scale in nasal symptoms and the number of colonies of bees was seen. CONCLUSIONS: The interference of bees in bell pepper greenhouses significantly reduces the pollen amount. This reduction is associated with less work-related rhinitis symptoms in allergic greenhouse workers. This intervention study supports the hypothesis that allergic work-related complaints of greenhouse workers, sensitised to bell pepper pollen, are caused by occupational exposure to this pollen in the greenhouse.

Interaction of fibronectin and aggregation substance promotes adherence of Enterococcus faecalis to human colon.

This in vitro study investigates the interaction between aggregation substance (AS), a virulence factor of Enterococcus faecalis, and colonic mucosal fibronectin in normal colon and colon from patients with Crohn's disease. Fibronectin was found to be overexpressed in Crohn's disease compared to normal colon. Compared to E. faecalis OG1X:pAM944 (AS-negative), E. faecalis OG1X:pAM721 (expressing AS) showed a significantly enhanced adhesion to human colonic mucosa in normal colon and in colon from patients with Crohn's disease. Double-staining of fibronectin and AS-positive enterococci showed that colocalization of bacteria and fibronectin was significantly more frequent in Crohn's disease than in normal colon. Preincubation of bacteria with soluble fibronectin caused a significant reduction in the adherence to fibronectin. In conclusion, the interaction between AS and fibronectin plays is an important factor that mediates adhesion of Enterococcus faecalis to colonic mucosa. This might be one of the mechanisms responsible for bacterial translocation of Enterococcus faecalis.

Generation of a large complex antibody library from multiple donors.

We have generated a large complex library of single chain antibodies based on four individual libraries from each of 50 donors. DNA coding for the heavy and light chain variable domains of the IgM and IgG repertoires was amplified by PCR using two different sets of primers. Each individual library was composed of approximately 1-5x10(7) independent clones giving a final combined library of 4x10(9) members. Screening this library by phage display of single chain antibodies with small haptens, peptides and proteins yielded specific antibodies for each class of antigen.

[Do an operation and radiotherapy in the breast-preserving therapy of breast carcinoma modify the meaningfulness of subsequent mammographies?]. / Beeinflussen Operation und Strahlentherapie bei der brusterhaltenden Therapie des Mammakarzinoms die Aussagekraft nachfolgender Mammographien?

PURPOSE: Today, whenever possible, mamma carcinoma is operated on by preserving as much breast as possible, and is followed by postoperative radiotherapy of the thoracic wall. This form of treatment can lead to alterations of the skin and parenchyma, visible in mammogram, which may make evaluation of these mammographies difficult with regard to recidive. This paper presented describes nature and frequency of changes of treated breast caused by therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and eighty mammographies of 50 female patients were evaluated on alterations of skin and parenchyma caused by combined therapy. Inclusive criteria were among others 2 mammographies in the 1st year after therapy, no advanced or parallel chemotherapy and a follow-up time of at least 5 years. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients (64%) showed no fibrotic changes of breast, 5 patients (10%) initially developed denseness of parenchyma which then, however, reverted back to a completely normal state. Only 13 patients (26%) had irreversible fibrotic alterations of parenchyma, only 3 (6%) of which showed extensive fibrosis which definitely might make recidive diagnostic difficult. CONCLUSION: Major changes of parenchyma caused by preparatory treatment which can be registered by mammography are relatively rare. For this reason, mammography maintains its unchanged high position within post-tumorous treatment, especially as it even today is the only diagnostic method to evidence microcalcifications suspect of being malignant.

Pronephric carcinoma: chromosomes of cells rescued from apoptosis by an oncogenic herpesvirus detected with a polymerase chain reaction.

The amphibian pronephros is fated to die during early development. Pronephric cells undergo apoptosis and their function is replaced by the mesonephros, which becomes the functional kidney of the adult frog. Tadpoles of the northern leopard frog, Rana pipiens, were inoculated with a Lucké tumour herpesvirus (LTV) preparation. Most of the animals developed typical Lucké renal carcinomas at metamorphosis. Fewer developed carcinomas of the pronephric cell type. A pronephric carcinoma, rescued from apoptosis by the herpesvirus, was harvested from a post-metamorphic frog. The tumour was judged to be pronephric by its anatomical location (in the anterior part of the body) and because both mesonephric kidneys were intact and tumour-free upon removal of the tumour mass. A tumour fragment was fixed for histological examination, which confirmed that the tissue was a renal carcinoma. A further fragment was subjected to short-term culture in order to produce metaphase cells for cytogenetical analysis. Based upon silverstained nucleolar organizing region numbers, 14 of 15 metaphase cells were estimated to have the diploid number (2N = 26) of chromosomes and a karyotype was constructed which did not appear to differ from that of normal cells. A single cell was estimated to be tetraploid (4N = 52). This is the first report of chromosomes of a pronephric Lucké carcinoma. LTV replicates only in tumour tissue maintained in the cold. Because the frog in this study had been maintained in the laboratory at 22 degrees C for about 10 months, no viruses would have been detectable with electron microscopy. However, the presence of Lucké herpesvirus DNA was detected in tumour homogenates by polymerase chain reaction amplification of a 1.2 kbp Hind III restriction fragment of the LTV DNA. The presence of LTV DNA provided assurance that the rescued pronephric tumour was indeed a Lucké carcinoma.

The effect of test protocol instructions on the measurement of muscle function in adult women.

Consideration of the anatomy of the nervous system and events (ie., age, physical training, motor learning) that invoke changes in neural regulatory mechanisms and other bodily systems renders the impact of the type of instruction used to elicit a maximal effort in the assessment of muscle function across age, among different muscle groups, and for different parameters of muscle function tenuous. Hence, the efficacy and effect of using two types of instructions (rate vs. strength) on the assessment of the isometric functional capacity of six muscle groups were examined in women (N = 143) aged 25-74 years. The subjects were categorized by age into 10, 5-year groups. Measures of maximal force (MF), maximal rate of force increase (MR), total impulse (TI), time to MF (MFT), time to MR (MRT), and plateau time (PLT, time between 90% MF and MF) were obtained from the force-time recordings of maximal voluntary isometric contractions of the finger flexors, thumb extensors, elbow flexors and extensors, and ankle dorsiflexors and plantar flexors. Repeated measures analyses of variance indicated that instruction type influenced (p < .05) the magnitude and pattern of the force-time recordings, with the degree of difference dependent upon the muscle group and parameter of muscle function examined. Use of the rate instruction yielded greater MRs (40.9-541.0 N/sec) than the strength instruction. The strength instruction elicited greater MFs (6.4-326.7 N), longer MFTs (0.72-1.50 sec), MRTs (0.05-0.15 sec) and PLTs (0.31-0.79 sec), and greater TIs (25.1-1,079.8 N-sec) than the rate instruction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mineral and water content of the fat-free body: effects of gender, maturation, level of fatness, and age.

Variability associated with the effects of gender, level of fatness (LOF), maturation (ML), and age on the mineral (MFFB) and water (WFFB) content of the fat-free body (FFB) was investigated in 188 males and 144 females, aged 8 to 17 years. Measures of body density, bone mineral content, total body water, and skin-fold thicknesses were obtained. FFB was calculated using a multicomponent model based on body density and adjusting for variability in body water and mineral content. Subjects were classified by ML as prepubescent, pubescent, and postpubescent. Subjects were also grouped by LOF as lean, average, and obese based on percentile rankings from the age-related norms of the National Children and Youth Fitness Study. Least squares multiple regression analysis using weighted orthogonal contrasts to account for sample size differences revealed significant (p<.01) gender, ML, gender x LOF, and gender x ML effects for MFFB; however, no significant (p>.05) effects between, or within, gender were noted for WFFB. Significant ML, and nearly significant (p>.056) LOF x ML, effects were found for MFFB in the males. In contrast, only ML was significant within the female sample for MFFB. These results were upheld when age, rather than ML, was used in the analysis. The overall relative increase in MFFB across ML was greatest in the obese (17.4%, 9.3%) and least in the lean (11.3%, 6.3%) males and females, respectively. A significant increase in MFFB across ML was observed in both genders; however, the pattern and magnitude of increase is dependent upon LOF considered. Hence, consideration of gender, ML, LOF and age is essential in estimating body composition in children.

Maximal voluntary isometric force production characteristics of six muscle groups in women aged 25 to 74 years.

The age-related force production characteristics of six muscle groups in 143 women aged 25-74 years were examined. Measures of maximal force (MFR) were obtained on the finger flexors (FF), thumb extensors (TE), forearm flexors (FAF), forearm extensors (FAE), dorsi flexors (DF), and plantar flexors (PF) utilizing a linear voltage differential transducer. The subjects were categorized by age into ten 5-year groups. The magnitude of decline across age in MFR ranged from 36.2% (FAE) to 45.1% (PF). There were differences among muscle groups in the age at which a significant decline in MFR was first detected. The earliest drop off in MFR was observed in FF and FAF (45-49 years), while the latest significant decline across age was noted in FAE (65-69 years). Since the magnitude of maximal force decreases with age, and because these characteristics can not be entirely explained by age-related decrements in fat-free mass, it appears that the quality in addition to the quantity of senescent muscle tissue may be compromised. However, the magnitude of decline in maximal force is dependent upon the muscle group considered. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Functional domains of the yeast transcription/replication factor MCM1.

MCM1 is an essential yeast DNA-binding protein that affects both minichromosome maintenance, in a manner suggesting that it has DNA replication initiation function, and gene expression. It activates alpha-specific genes together with MAT alpha 1, and represses a-specific genes together with MAT alpha 2. Alone, MCM1 can activate transcription. To determine whether different domains of the protein mediate these diverse functions, we constructed and analyzed several mcm1 mutants. The gene expression and minichromosome maintenance phenotypes of these mutants suggest that the role of MCM1 in DNA replication initiation may not involve transcriptional activation. However, both transcription and replication activities require only the 80-amino-acid fragment of MCM1 homologous to the DNA-binding domain of the serum response factor (SRF). This small fragment is also sufficient for cell viability and repression of a-specific genes. A polyacidic amino acid stretch immediately adjacent to the SRF homologous domain of MCM1 was found to be important for activation of alpha-specific genes in alpha cells. Mutants lacking the acidic stretch confer higher expression from an alpha-specific UAS in a cells in addition to lower expression in alpha cells, suggesting that negative regulation at this site occurs in a cells, in addition to the well-documented positive regulation in alpha cells.

Differences in the subcomponents of fat-free body in relation to height between black and white children.

The individual subcomponents of fat-free body (FFB) in relation to height were investigated in 131 white (N = 85) and black (N = 46) males (MW, MB) and 108 white (N = 63) and black (N = 45) females (FW, FB), aged 8 to 18 years. Bone mineral content (BM), bone width (BW), and bone mineral index (BMI) were measured using photon absorptiometry; total body water (TBW) was measured by deuterium dilution; body density was measured by hydrostatic weighing, correcting for residual lung volume; and estimates of lean body mass (LBM) were made from total body potassium (40 K spectroscopy). The subcomponents of the FFB-BM, BW, BMI, TBW, and K-were regressed on the log of height to determine the exponent of the independent variable (Ht) that would most accurately predict the dependent variables (BM, BW, BMI, TBW, K) within gender and race. Regression equations were derived for each of the variables used to represent a subcomponent of the FFB on Ht. Significant (P < .05) racial differences were found in BW, with the MB having wider bones than the MW. Significant racial differences were observed in BMI with FB demonstrating a greater difference across height than FW. Racial differences in BM and TBW approached significance within the female sample. At heights greater than the mean of a typical pubescent child, the males had higher values for each of the variables, except for BMI, than did the females. The lower BMI values observed in males indicated that the rate at which male bones grow in width was greater than their rate of mineralization. Within the male sample, blacks had higher bone mineral than whites with the magnitude of these differences dependent on the variable under consideration. Within the female sample the blacks had greater amounts of BM and BMI in relation to height, while the whites had a greater amount of K. Therefore, the magnitude of the differences between blacks and whites in the subcomponents of the FFB are dependent on gender, stature, and the particular subcomponent of the FFB under consideration.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein involved in plasmid maintenance is necessary for mating of MAT alpha cells.

We previously reported the isolation of yeast mutants that seem to affect the function of certain autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs). These mutants are known as mcm for their defect in the maintenance of minichromosomes. We have now characterized in more detail one ARS-specific mutation, mcm1-1. This Mcm1 mutant has a second phenotype; MAT alpha mcm1-1 strains are sterile. MCM1 is non-allelic to other known alpha-specific sterile mutations and, unlike most genes required for mating, it is essential for growth. The alpha-specific sterile phenotype of the mcm1-1 mutant is manifested by its failure to produce a normal amount of the mating pheromone, alpha-factor. In addition, transcripts of the MF alpha 1 and STE3 genes, which encode the alpha-factor precursor and the alpha-factor receptor, respectively, are greatly reduced in this mutant. These and other properties of the mcm1-1 mutant suggest that the MCM1 protein may act as a transcriptional activator of alpha-specific genes. We have cloned, mapped and sequenced the wild-type and mutant alleles of MCM1, which is located on the right arm of chromosome XIII near LYS7. The MCM1 gene product is a protein of 286 amino acid residues and contains an unusual region in which 19 out of 20 residues are either aspartic or glutamic acid, followed by a series of glutamine tracts. MCM1 has striking homology to ARG80, a regulatory gene of the arginine metabolic pathway located about 700 base-pairs upstream from MCM1. A substitution of leucine for proline at amino acid position 97, immediately preceding the polyanionic region, was shown to be responsible for both the alpha-specific sterile and minichromosome-maintenance defective phenotypes of the mcm1-1 mutant.

Effects of Speed, Hip and Knee Angle, and Gravity-on Hamstring to Quadriceps Torque Ratios.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of speed, hip angle, knee angle, and gravity on hamstring to quadriceps (H/Q) torque ratios. Eighteen healthy college-aged men performed three maximal-effort knee extension and flexion repetitions on a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer at speeds of 15 and 90 degrees /sec. Hamstring and quadriceps torques were measured at 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90 degrees of knee flexion and at the angles at which peak torque occurred. These torques were also measured at 5 and 120 degrees of hip flexion. H/Q torque ratios were calculated with these torques, both corrected and uncorrected for gravitational effects. Analysis of variance revealed that gravity-corrected ratios decreased with increased knee angles from 15 to 60 degrees . The higher hip angle at each speed produced higher ratios at knee angles between 30 and 90 degrees . The effect of speed on ratios was variable and interacted with hip and knee angle. Correction for gravity reduced the ratios at all knee angles except 90 degrees . H/Q torque ratios at selected knee angles ranged from 0.20 to 2.00, differed from H/Q peak torque ratios 40% of the time, and did not always correlate highly with H/Q peak torque ratios (range: r = 0.50-0.90). Thus, H/Q peak torque ratios were not indicative of H/Q torque ratios at selected knee angles. Thus, knee angle-specific H/Q torque ratios may provide different, and perhaps more useful, information about hamstring and quadriceps function than do H/Q peak torque ratios.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1988;9(8):287-291.