bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical test responses to different orthoptic exercise regimes in typical young adults
Authors: Horwood Anna , Toor Sonia 
Published: January 2014

AbstractPurposeThe relative efficiency of different eye exercise regimes is unclear, and in particular the influences of practice, placebo and the amount of effort required are rarely considered. This study measured conventional clinical measures following different regimes in typical young adults.MethodsA total of 156 asymptomatic young adults were directed to carry out eye exercises three times daily for 2 weeks. Exercises were directed at improving blur responses (accommodation), disparity responses (convergence), both in a naturalistic relationship, convergence in excess of accommodation, accommodation in excess of convergence, and a placebo regime. They were compared to two control groups, neither of which were given exercises, but the second of which were asked to make maximum effort during the second testing.ResultsInstruction set and participant effort were more effective than many exercises. Convergence exercises independent of accommodation were the most effective treatment, followed by accommodation exercises, and both regimes resulted in changes in both vergence and accommodation test responses. Exercises targeting convergence and accommodation working together were less effective than those where they were separated. Accommodation measures were prone to large instruction/effort effects and monocular accommodation facility was subject to large practice effects.ConclusionsSeparating convergence and accommodation exercises seemed more effective than exercising both systems concurrently and suggests that stimulation of accommodation and convergence may act in an additive fashion to aid responses. Instruction/effort effects are large and should be carefully controlled if claims for the efficacy of any exercise regime are to be made.
Management of difficult airway patients and the use of a difficult airway registry at a tertiary care pediatric hospital
Authors: Sheeran Paul W. , Walsh Brian K. , Finley Andre M. , Martin Aleta K. , Brenski Amy C. 
Published: January 2014

SummaryBackgroundAppropriate recognition and management of the pediatric difficult airway is essential. Two patient deaths in a 2‐year period involving children with a known difficult airway led to the formation of the institution's multidisciplinary Difficult Airway Committee.MethodsPatients with a suspected difficult airway or a known difficult airway are entered into a registry of difficult airway patients. A note describing the airway and any experiences at airway manipulation is entered as part of a difficult airway note in the patient's electronic medical record as soon as the patient is recognized as having a difficult airway. A call system has been developed to mobilize expert emergency airway assistance for these patients. Multiple additional methods are employed to ensure that all hospital personnel are aware that these patients are difficult to intubate.ResultsSince inception almost 6 years ago, 164 patients (mean age 9.2 years) have been enrolled in the difficult airway registry. Eighty‐seven patients (53%) had one of 28 identified syndromes or diagnoses. The most common reasons for airway obstruction were mandibular hypoplasia/micrognathia, decreased neck extension, and limited temporomandibular joint mobility. One hundred sixty‐one patients (98%) in the registry were predicted by history or physical to have a difficult airway. The mortality of registry patients was 9.8% (n = 16) and was most commonly due to co‐existing diseases. During the time period reviewed, there was one in‐hospital death of a known difficult airway patient, in which expert airway assistance was not obtained in a timely fashion.ConclusionThe institution's difficult airway registry identifies patients with a suspected or known difficult airway. The presence of a difficult airway in children can usually be predicted based on history and physical examination by anesthesiologists and otolaryngologists. Providers without advanced airway skills, however, may not appreciate that an airway is difficult to intubate until multiple attempts have failed. Both redundant notification methods and a call system optimize medical care of these fragile patients.
Transient down‐regulation of the RNA silencing machinery increases efficiency of Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation of Arabidopsis
Authors: Bilichak Andriy , Yao Youli , Kovalchuk Igor 
Published: January 2014

SummaryAgrobacterium tumefaciens is a plant pathogen that is widely used in plant transformation. As the process of transgenesis includes the delivery of single‐stranded T‐DNA molecule, we hypothesized that transformation rate may negatively correlate with the efficiency of the RNA‐silencing machinery. Using mutants compromised in either the transcriptional or post‐transcriptional gene‐silencing pathways, two inhibitors of stable transformation were revealed—AGO2 and NRPD1a. Furthermore, an immunoprecipitation experiment has shown that NRPD1, a subunit of Pol IV, directly interacts with Agrobacterium T‐DNA in planta. Using the Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)‐based virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique, we demonstrated that the transient down‐regulation of the expression of either AGO2 or NRPD1a genes in reproductive organs of Arabidopsis, leads to an increase in transformation rate. We observed a 6.0‐ and 3.5‐fold increase in transformation rate upon transient downregulation of either AGO2 or NRPD1a genes, respectively. This is the first report demonstrating the increase in the plant transformation rate via VIGS‐mediated transient down‐regulation of the components of epigenetic machinery in reproductive tissue.
Functional diversity of phytochrome family in the control of light and gibberellin‐mediated germination in Arabidopsis
Authors: ARANA M. V. , SÁNCHEZ‐LAMAS M. , STRASSER B. , IBARRA S. E. , CERDÁN P. D. , BOTTO J. F. , SÁNCHEZ R. A. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractIn several species, seed germination is regulated by light in a way that restricts seedling emergence to the environmental conditions that are likely to be favourable for the success of the new individual, and therefore, this behaviour is recognized to have adaptive value. The phytochromes are one of the most relevant photoreceptors involved in light perception by plants. We explored the redundancy and diversity functions of the phytochrome family in the control of seed responsiveness to light and gibberellins (GA) by using a set of phytochrome mutants of Arabidopsis. Our data show that, in addition to the well‐known role of phyB in the promotion of germination in response to high red to far‐red ratios (R/FR), phyE and phyD stimulate germination at very low R/FR ratios, probably by promoting the action of phyA. Further, we show that phyC regulates negatively the seed responsiveness to light, unravelling unexpected functions for phyC in seed germination. Finally, we find that seed responsiveness to GA is mainly controlled by phyB, with phyC, phyD and phyE having relevant roles when acting in a phyB‐deficient background. Our results indicate that phytochromes have multiple and complex roles during germination depending on the active photoreceptor background.
The future of isoprene emission from leaves, canopies and landscapes
Authors: SHARKEY THOMAS D. , MONSON RUSSELL K. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractIsoprene emission from plants plays a dominant role in atmospheric chemistry. Predicting how isoprene emission may change in the future will help predict changes in atmospheric oxidant, greenhouse gas and secondary organic aerosol concentrations in the future atmosphere. At the leaf‐scale, an increase in isoprene emission with increasing temperature is offset by a reduction in isoprene emission rate caused by increased CO2. At the canopy scale, increased leaf area index in elevated CO2 can offset the reduction in leaf‐scale isoprene emission caused by elevated CO2. At the landscape scale, a reduction in forest coverage may decrease, while forest fertilization and community composition dynamics are likely to cause an increase in the global isoprene emission rate. Here we review the potential for changes in the isoprene emission rate at all of these scales. When considered together, it is likely that these interacting effects will result in an increase in the emission of the most abundant plant volatile, isoprene, from the biosphere to the atmosphere in the future.
Inverse regulation of melanoma growth and migration by Orai1/STIM2‐dependent calcium entry
Authors: Stanisz Hedwig , Saul Stephanie , Müller Cornelia S. L. , Kappl Reinhard , Niemeyer Barbara A. , Vogt Thomas , Hoth Markus , Roesch Alexander , Bogeski Ivan 
Published: January 2014

SummarySpontaneous melanoma phenotype switching is controlled by unknown environmental factors and may determine melanoma outcome and responsiveness to anticancer therapy. We show that Orai1 and STIM2 are highly expressed and control store‐operated Ca2+ entry in human melanoma. Lower extracellular Ca2+ or silencing of Orai1/STIM2 caused a decrease in intracellular Ca2+, which correlated with enhanced proliferation and increased expression of microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor, a marker for proliferative melanoma phenotype. In contrast, the invasive and migratory potential of melanoma cells was reduced upon silencing of Orai1 and/or STIM2. Accordingly, markers for a non‐proliferative, tumor‐maintaining phenotype such as JARID1B and Brn2 decreased. Immunohistochemical staining of primary melanomas and lymph node metastases revealed a heterogeneous distribution of Orai1 and STIM2 with elevated expression in the invasive rim of the tumor. In summary, our results support a dynamic model in which Orai1 and STIM2 inversely control melanoma growth and invasion. Pharmacological tuning of Orai1 and particularly STIM2 might thus prevent metastatic spread and render melanomas more susceptible to conventional therapy.
Quantitative and in situ Detection of Oxidatively Generated DNA Damage 8,5′‐Cyclo‐2′‐Deoxyadenosine Using an Immunoassay with a Novel Monoclonal Antibody
Authors: Iwamoto Takaaki , Brooks Philip J. , Nishiwaki Tomohisa , Nishimura Kazuki , Kobayashi Nobuhiko , Sugiura Shigeki , Mori Toshio 
Published: January 2014

AbstractXeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a genetic disorder associated with defects in nucleotide excision repair, which eliminates a wide variety of helix‐distorting types of DNA damage including sunlight‐induced pyrimidine dimers. In addition to skin disease, approximately 30% of XP patients develop progressive neurological disease, which has been hypothesized to be associated with the accumulation of a particular type of oxidatively generated DNA damage called purine 8,5′‐cyclo‐2′‐deoxynucleosides (purine cyclonucleosides). However, there are no currently available methods to detect purine cyclonucleosides in DNA without the need for DNA hydrolysis. In this study, we generated a novel monoclonal antibody (CdA‐1) specific for purine cyclonucleosides in single‐stranded DNA that recognizes 8,5′‐cyclo‐2′‐deoxyadenosine (cyclo‐dA). An immunoassay using CdA‐1 revealed a linear dose response between known amounts of cyclo‐dA in oligonucleotides and the antibody binding to them. The quantitative immunoassay revealed that treatment with Fenton‐type reagents (CuCl2/H2O2/ascorbate) efficiently produces cyclo‐dA in DNA in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, immunofluorescent analysis using CdA‐1 enabled the visualization of cyclo‐dA in human osteosarcoma cells, which had been transfected with oligonucleotides containing cyclo‐dA. Thus, the CdA‐1 antibody is a valuable tool for the detection and quantification of cyclo‐dA in DNA, and may be useful for characterizing the mechanism(s) underlying the development of XP neurological disease.
Virulence and toxin synthesis of an azole insensitive Fusarium culmorum strain in wheat cultivars with different levels of resistance to fusarium head blight
Authors: Serfling A. , Ordon F. 
Published: January 2014

Fusarium culmorum causes head blight, produces toxins and reduces yield and quality of cereals. To prevent damage caused by fusarium head blight (FHB), azole fungicides are mainly applied. The occurrence of insensitivity to azoles is a major problem in agriculture. The present study shows that a tebuconazole insensitive strain of F. culmorum can be readily produced in the laboratory, but that the resulting strain of the fungus is of lower fitness in vitro. Insensitivity was confirmed microscopically and by cell viability and metabolic activity. The tebuconazole insensitive strain shows cross insensitivity to nine important azoles. In addition, plants inoculated with the insensitive F. culmorum strain showed no reduction of FHB symptoms and deoxynivalenol (DON) content after tebuconazole treatment, compared to an inoculation with the sensitive strain. Use of wheat cultivars carrying a high resistance level (i.e. cv. Toras) was the most effective method for reducing symptoms and decreasing DON content, independent from the level of fungicide insensitivity of the F. culmorum strain. In conclusion, resistant cultivars and a fungicide mixture which combines different mechanisms of action in fungal metabolism should be applied to avoid fungicide insensitivity of Fusarium spp. in future.
Intermediate Filament Proteins Expression and Carbohydrate Moieties in Trophoblast and Decidual Cells of Mature Cat Placenta
Authors: Fernández PE , Diessler ME , Pachame A , Ortega HH , Gimeno EJ , Portiansky EL , Barbeito CG 
Published: January 2014

ContentsThe aim of this study was to characterize cytoskeletal intermediate filament proteins and glycoconjugates of syncytiotrophoblast, cytotrophoblast and decidual cells of feline endotheliochorial placenta. Samples from 12 normal pregnant female cats, after 45 ± 5 days of gestation, were obtained removing the uterine horns by hysterectomy. Sections were processed for routine observation and for immunohistochemistry using anticytokeratin, antivimentin and antidesmin antibodies. In addition, lectin histochemistry was performed using a panel of several biotinylated lectins to characterize glycosides expression profile. Cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast showed immunoreactivity only with acidic and basic cytokeratins. Decidual cells were only positive to vimentin, consistent with their origin from endometrial fibroblasts. Trophoblast expressed a broad population of glycans, highly exposing terminal N‐acetyl glucosamine residues and non‐sialylated galactose and N‐acetyl galactosamine oligomers. Oligosaccharides bound by Phaseolus vulgaris erythroagglutinin were the only highly branched N‐linked residues evidenced in cats, and they were restricted to the syncytium. Unlike results reported on humans, mice and rats on lectin affinity of decidual cells, sialid acids and complex N‐linked oligosaccharides were not demonstrated in cats. Glycosylation of proteins determines many of their final properties, thus becoming essential for the embryo‐maternal dialogue during implantation and placentation. Changes in glycosylation pattern have been related to pathological pregnancies in other species. Hence, the knowledge about glycosylation profile of the normal cat placenta may lead to a better understanding of both normal and pathological reproductive events.
Evaluation of ABCG2 and p63 expression in canine cornea and cultivated corneal epithelial cells
Authors: Morita Maresuke , Fujita Naoki , Takahashi Ayaka , Nam Eun Ryel , Yui Sho , Chung Cheng Shu , Kawahara Naoya , Lin Hsing Yi , Tsuzuki Keiko , Nakagawa Takayuki , Nishimura Ryohei 
Published: January 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the expressions of ABCG2 and p63 in canine corneal epithelia and to evaluate their significance in corneal regeneration.ProceduresCanine corneal and limbal epithelial cells were obtained from five healthy beagle dogs. We analyzed the morphological properties of cultivated limbal and corneal epithelial cells. We compared the expressions of ABCG2 and p63 in the limbus and central cornea by immunohistochemistry and real‐time quantitative PCR. We analyzed the expression of these markers in cultivated cells by immunocytochemistry and real‐time quantitative PCR.ResultsThe limbal epithelial cells were smaller and proliferated more rapidly than the corneal epithelial cells in primary cultures. The corneal cells failed to be subcultured, whereas the limbal cells could be subcultured with increasing cell size. ABCG2 was localized in the basal layer of the limbal epithelium, and p63 was widely detected in the entire corneal epithelia. ABCG2 expression was significantly higher, and p63 was slightly higher in the limbus compared with the central cornea. ABCG2 was detected only in limbal cells in primary culture, not in corneal cells or passaged limbal cells. p63 was detected in both limbal and corneal cells and decreased gradually in the limbal cells with the cell passages.ConclusionsABCG2 was localized in canine limbal epithelial cells, and p63 was widely expressed in canine corneal epithelia. ABCG2 and p63 could prove to be useful markers in dogs for putative corneal epithelial stem cells and for corneal epithelial cell proliferation, respectively.
Simultaneous Prediction of Musculo-Tendon, Joint Contact, Ligament and Bone Forces in the Lower Limb During Gait Using a One-Step Static Optimisation Procedure
Authors: Moissenet Florent , Cheze Laurence , Dumas Raphaël 
Published: January 2014

Instrumented prostheses, by measuring joint contact forces during a movement, give nowadays a unique opportunity to validate the ability of musculo-skeletal models in predicting internal forces.
In this study, a rigid multi-body musculo-skeletal model, allowing computing the musculo-tendon, joint contact, ligament and bone forces all together by static optimisation, using a weighted criterion, is presented.
The results show that the musculo-tendon forces are generally in accordance with the envelopes of the main peaks of the subject’s EMG signals and that the amplitudes and patterns of the predicted joint contact, ligament and bone forces are in a good agreement with the measurements and with the literature. By allowing the introduction of other forces than the musculo-tendon forces in the static optimisation, this study opens new horizons in order to better model the human physiology (e.g., joint pain).
Incorporating single‐side sparing in models for predicting parotid dose sparing in head and neck IMRT
Authors: Yuan Lulin , Wu Q. Jackie , Yin Fang‐Fang , Jiang Yuliang , Yoo David , Ge Yaorong 
Published: January 2014

Purpose:Sparing of single‐side parotid gland is a common practice in head‐and‐neck (HN) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning. It is a special case of dose sparing tradeoff between different organs‐at‐risk. The authors describe an improved mathematical model for predicting achievable dose sparing in parotid glands in HN IMRT planning that incorporates single‐side sparing considerations based on patient anatomy and learning from prior plan data.Methods:Among 68 HN cases analyzed retrospectively, 35 cases had physician prescribed single‐side parotid sparing preferences. The single‐side sparing model was trained with cases which had single‐side sparing preferences, while the standard model was trained with the remainder of cases. A receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis was performed to determine the best criterion that separates the two case groups using the physicianˈs single‐side sparing prescription as ground truth. The final predictive model (combined model) takes into account the single‐side sparing by switching between the standard and single‐side sparing models according to the single‐side sparing criterion. The models were tested with 20 additional cases. The significance of the improvement of prediction accuracy by the combined model over the standard model was evaluated using the Wilcoxon rank‐sum test.Results:Using the ROC analysis, the best single‐side sparing criterion is (1) the predicted median dose of one parotid is higher than 24 Gy; and (2) that of the other is higher than 7 Gy. This criterion gives a true positive rate of 0.82 and a false positive rate of 0.19, respectively. For the bilateral sparing cases, the combined and the standard models performed equally well, with the median of the prediction errors for parotid median dose being 0.34 Gy by both models (p = 0.81). For the single‐side sparing cases, the standard model overestimates the median dose by 7.8 Gy on average, while the predictions by the combined model differ from actual values by only 2.2 Gy (p = 0.005). Similarly, the sum of residues between the modeled and the actual plan DVHs is the same for the bilateral sparing cases by both models (p = 0.67), while the standard model predicts significantly higher DVHs than the combined model for the single‐side sparing cases (p = 0.01).Conclusions:The combined model for predicting parotid sparing that takes into account single‐side sparing improves the prediction accuracy over the previous model.
Evaluation of usefulness of myeloperoxidase index (MPXI) for differential diagnosis of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in the emergency department
Authors: Cha Yong Sung , Yoon Jeong Min , Jung Woo Jin , Kim Yong Won , Kim Tae Hoon , Kim Oh Hyun , Cha Kyoung Chul , Kim Hyun , Hwang Sung Oh , Lee Kang Hyun 
Published: January 2014

BackgroundThe myeloperoxidase index (MPXI) is elevated in infection. We ascertained whether MPXI might be useful in differentiation of sepsis versus non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in emergency department (ED).MethodsAfter exclusion of patients with an age of <18 years, trauma, haematological disease and on anticancer chemotherapy, 444 consecutive cases with SIRS (sepsis: 224, 50.3%; and non-infectious SIRS: 220, 49.7%) diagnosed and treated at the ED of The Wonju Severance Christian Hospital from May 2012 to June 2012 were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsMedian MPXI was higher in sepsis versus non-infectious SIRS (0.1 (IQR: −3.1 to 2.5) vs −1.2 (−4.1 to 1.6), respectively, p=0.020). Median white cell count, neutrophil percentage, C reactive protein level and δ neutrophil index were also higher. However, MPXI resulted as not statistically useful for differential diagnostic parameter in analysis.ConclusionsMPXI is higher in sepsis than in non-infectious SIRS. However, there is currently no evidence that the MPXI adds any additional benefit to differentiate sepsis from non-infectious SIRS in the ED. Therefore, further study will be needed.