bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Nonenzymatic Posttranslational Modification–Derived Products as Biomarkers of Molecular Aging of Proteins
Authors: Jaisson Stéphane , Gillery Philippe 
Published: June 2010

BACKGROUND
During their biological life, proteins are exposed in a cumulative fashion to irreversible nonenzymatic, late posttranslational modifications that are responsible for their molecular aging. It is now well established that these damaged proteins constitute a molecular substratum for many dysfunctions described in metabolic and age-related diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, renal insufficiency, atherosclerosis, or neurodegenerative diseases. Accordingly, the specific end products derived from these reactions are considered potentially useful biomarkers for these diseases.

CONTENT
The aim of this review is to give an overview of nonenzymatic posttranslational modifications of proteins and their influence in vivo, take inventory of the analytical methods available for the measurement of posttranslational modification–derived products, and assess the potential contribution of new technologies for their clinical use as biological markers of protein molecular aging.

SUMMARY
Despite their clinical relevance, biomarkers of posttranslational modifications of proteins have been studied only in the context of experimental clinical research, owing to the analytical complexity of their measurement. The recent implementation in clinical chemistry laboratories of mass spectrometry–based methods that provide higher specificity and sensitivity has facilitated the measurement of these compounds. These markers are not used currently by clinicians in routine practice, however, and many challenges, such as standardization, have to be confronted before these markers can be used as efficient tools in the detection and monitoring of long-term complications of metabolic and age-related diseases.
Diagnostic accuracy of B-type natriuretic hormone for congenital heart disease in the first month of life
Authors: Cantinotti Massimiliano , Storti Simona , Ripoli Andrea , Zyw Luc , Crocetti Maura , Assanta Nadia , Murzi Bruno , Clerico Aldo 
Published: June 2010

Abstract

Background: The goal of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of B-type natriuretic hormone (BNP) assay in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) in the first month of life.

Methods: BNP was measured in 152 neonates with CHD; 154 healthy children matched for age were used as controls. BNP was measured with a fully automated platform (Triage BNP reagents, Access Immunoassay Systems, Beckman Coulter, Inc., Fullerton, CA, USA).

Results: BNP values were significantly higher (p<0.0001) in newborns and infants with CHD compared with control (CHD patients: median 1167.5 ng/L, range 25–54,447 ng/L; healthy children: median 150.5 ng/L, range 5–866 ng/L). The diagnostic accuracy of BNP was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, taking into account the three different groups divided according to age. Group 1: all CHD patients and healthy newborns and infants as a whole (i.e., from birth to the 30th day of life); Group 2: from the 1st to 3rd day of life; Group 3: from the 4th to 30th day of life. The area under the curve (AUC) of the ROC curve for Group 3 (0.935) was significantly higher than that for Group 1 (0.843, p=0.009) and Group 2 (0.769, p=0.0003), while the AUC values of Group 1 and Group 2 were not significantly different (p=0.191).

Conclusions: BNP may be considered a useful marker for screening in the integrated approach of newborns, infants and children with suspected CHD. However, the accuracy of the BNP assay varies greatly during the first month of extra-uterine life, showing the lowest diagnostic accuracy in the first 3 days after birth. After the second week of life, the biomarker becomes more accurate in ruling in CHD.
Clin Chem Lab Med 2010;48:1333–8.
Distinguishing between two species of finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides and N. asiaeorientalis) in areas of sympatry
Authors: Wang John Y. , Yang Shih Chu , Wang Bi J. , Wang Lo S. 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
The existence of at least two biological species of finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides and N. asiaeorientalis) was accepted only recently. Given the vulnerability of finless porpoises to human activities throughout their distribution, it is crucial that the two species be distinguished during field studies to better understand their biology and conservation status. Because finless porpoises are notoriously difficult to detect and to photograph at sea owing to their intrinsic cryptic nature (i.e., small size, no dorsal fin, brief surface period, avoidance of boats), differentiating between the two species in situ has often been neglected and attempts have usually been met with skepticism. Moreover, a large area (Taiwan Strait and adjacent waters) exists where the two species are sympatric, which further complicates the task of species identification. In this study, we demonstrated that the two species can be differentiated at sea by direct observation and examination of photographs. By comparing photographs of living and dead specimens of both species, we describe useful diagnostic field characters for species identification of free-ranging finless porpoises. Differentiating these species through direct observation was possible but not trivial and the most confident and convincing identifications were those supported by quality images.
Evaluation of Spray Drift Using Low-Speed Wind Tunnel Measurements and Dispersion Modeling
Authors: Fritz Bradley K. , Hoffmann W. Clint , Birchfield Norman B. , Ellenberger Jay , Khan Faruque , Bagley W. E. , Thornburg Jonathan W. , Hewitt Andrew 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
The EPA’s proposed test plan for the validation testing of pesticide spray drift reduction technologies (DRTs) for row and field crops, focusing on the evaluation of ground application systems using the low-speed wind tunnel measurements and dispersion modeling, was evaluated. Relative drift reduction potential for a given DRT tested in a low-speed wind tunnel is derived from airborne droplet size measurements and airborne and deposited liquid volume measurements downwind from the spray nozzle. Measurements of droplet size and deposition data were made in a low-speed wind tunnel using standard reference nozzles. A blank emulsifiable concentration spray was applied at two different wind speeds. The wind tunnel dispersion (WTDISP) model was used to evaluate the drift potentials of each spray using the droplet size and spray flux measured in the wind tunnel. The specific objectives were (1) the evaluation of model accuracy by comparison of modeled downwind deposition to that measured in the wind tunnel, (2) the evaluation of drift reduction potential of the spray nozzles relative to a reference nozzle, and (3) the determination of low-speed wind tunnel data collection requirements for model input to optimize the evaluation process. The modeled deposition data did not compare well to the measured deposition data, but this was expected as the model was not meant to be used for this purpose. The tested nozzles were rated using the International Standards Organization drift classification standard. The drift ratings generally showed trends of larger droplet producing nozzles having greater drift reduction ratings. An examination of several scenarios using reduced model input requirements, which would decrease the low-speed wind tunnel data collection time, did not show any conclusive results. They suggest that further testing and refinement of the data collection process and the WTDISP model may support wider use of this system for the assessment of DRTs.
"Esprimere la voce humana": Connections between Vocal and Instrumental Music by Italian Composers of the Early Seventeenth Century
Authors: Cypess Rebecca 
Published: June 2010

Several points of intersection exist between vocal and instrumental music by Italian composers of the early seventeenth century. First, like books of vocal monody with an overt pedagogical purpose, volumes of instrumental music may have been designed to instruct the performer in the conventions of the modern style. Specifically, many books published in the 1610s and '20s offer their users a window on the changeable, fluid idiom of the stile moderno, in which contrast of musical material and a posture of invention assumes primary importance. Second, as in recitative and other vocal styles, much of the vocal and instrumental music of the early seventeenth century is dominated by a metrical flexibility that similarly contributes to an air of immediacy, and that seems designed to highlight the emotional qualities of the music—to convey and move the affetti. And third, whereas the theatrical nature of vocal music of the period—especially music destined for the stage—may appear obvious, some instrumental music of the period may be equally theatrical, containing instructions for interaction with an audience, staging, imitation, and role-play.
These points of intersection in particular suggest a relationship between the instrumental stile moderno and the vocal stile rappresentativo, prevalent in operas, ensemble madrigals, and solo songs in the early 1600s. Although no single, exclusive definition of the stile rappresentativo exists, it is nevertheless possible to trace a constellation of features associated with that term through a variety of works. Despite the divergence of the specific musical language of the vocal and instrumental repertoires, some of the vocal features are analogous to elements of instrumental music discussed in the article.
"How I Compose": Ferruccio Busoni's Views about Invention, Quotation, and the Compositional Process
Authors: Knyt Erinn E. 
Published: June 2010

An anecdote circulating among pupils of Egon Petri (1881–1962), a protégé of Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924), was the story Petri told of how on more than one occasion Busoni's wife was mistakenly introduced as "Mrs. Bach-Busoni." Whether fact or fiction, this social faux pas illustrates how closely Busoni's name has been associated with the names of composers whose works he arranged. Despite his prolific compositional career, he is remembered more as a transcriber and arranger than as a composer of original works. His practice of arranging others' works also affected his own compositions, which frequently contained borrowed material. Busoni's creative art thus blurred conventional boundaries between what is traditionally considered to be primary "original" works and subsidiary transcriptions or arrangements.
While Busoni's tendency to blur boundaries between new pieces and arrangements has been already noted, his compositional aesthetics has only been cursorily studied. Relying on the essay "How I Compose," the section on notation from The Sketch of a New Aesthetic of Music (1907), and unpublished sketches from the Staatsbibliothek Berlin, I examine Busoni's idiosyncratic compositional ideology, explain the meaning of his terms Idee, Einfall, Transkription and Bearbeitung in his compositional process, and show that Busoni valued the creativity involved in transforming already existing musical material no less than invention of the new. I illustrate Busoni's compositional aesthetics through analyses of his arrangements of Liszt's sixth Paganini Etude, Mozart's Piano Concerto, K. 453, and his Fantasia nach J. S. Bach.
Cardiac function in mild primary hyperparathyroidism and the outcome after parathyroidectomy
Authors: Farahnak P , Ring M , Caidahl K , Farnebo L-O , Eriksson M J , Nilsson I-L 
Published: June 2010

ObjectivePrimary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity. The extent of cardiovascular abnormalities in patients with mild-asymptomatic disease is unclear. Using sensitive echocardiographic methods, we compared cardiac structure and function in patients with mild PHPT and in healthy controls, and evaluated the changes after parathyroidectomy (PTX).MethodsIn a prospective case–control design, we studied 51 PHPT patients without any cardiovascular risk factors/diseases and 51 healthy matched controls. Cardiac structure, and systolic and diastolic function were evaluated by echocardiography and Doppler tissue imaging (DTI). Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate were measured.ResultsWe observed no differences in systolic or diastolic function or in cardiac morphology between the PHPT patients and the age-matched healthy controls. The regional peak systolic myocardial velocities (S′) measured with DTI decreased at all sites (P<0.05) after PTX (tricuspid annulus 14.23±1.85 to 13.48±1.79, septal 8.48±0.96 to 7.97±0.85, and lateral 9.61±2.05 to 8.87±1.63 cm/s, part of the mitral annulus). At baseline, systolic BP was higher in patients compared to controls (127.6±17.1 vs 119.6±12.6 mmHg,P<0.05). After PTX, both systolic (127.6±17.1 vs 124.6±16.6 mmHg,P<0.05) and diastolic (80.3±9.6 vs 78.4±8.6 mmHg,P<0.05) BP decreased.ConclusionsOur results indicate that patients with PHPT without cardiovascular risk factors have a normal global systolic and diastolic function and cardiac morphology. BP and the systolic velocities were marginally reduced after PTX, but reflected the values of the control group. Our findings warrant further investigation of the clinical and prognostic significance of these possibly disease-related inotropic effects.
Demography of Sulfur Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta) in a Northern Rocky Mountain Grassland
Authors: Lesica Peter , Ellis Martha 
Published: June 2010

AbstractSulfur cinquefoil is native to Eurasia and has invaded meadows and grasslands of North America. It occurs in intermountain valleys of the Rocky Mountains, including a nature reserve in northwest Montana that supports a mosaic of mesic fescue and xeric needlegrass grassland communities. We did tests to determine germination requirements, followed the fate of mapped sulfur cinquefoil from 1998 to 2005 to determine vital rates, and used a matrix modeling framework to analyze population-level dynamics. Sulfur cinquefoil plants were highly fecund; large plants produced > 10,000 seeds that require light for germination. The survivorship curve of the 1999 cohort suggested low juvenile but high adult survival. Simulations indicated that a 10% decline in survival would decrease population size more than a 10% decline in recruitment. Annual recruitment, growth of nonreproductive plants, survival, and flowering frequency of sulfur cinquefoil were all higher in the three needlegrass sample plots compared with the one fescue plot, and projected equilibrium sulfur cinquefoil populations were approximately 12 times larger in needlegrass than fescue grasslands. Our results suggest that biological control agents that negatively affect survival, such as root borers, might be more effective at controlling established sulfur cinquefoil populations than those that diminish seed production. Our results also suggest that sulfur cinquefoil might have more potential to become dominant in xeric grasslands and demonstrate the need for doing multiple demographic studies over a variety of habitats because the same species will respond differently in different habitats.
Effect of Aminopyralid on Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) and the Native Plant Community in a Restored Tallgrass Prairie
Authors: Almquist Travis L. , Lym Rodney G. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractAminopyralid efficacy on Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) and potential to injure native species was evaluated in a restored prairie at the Glacial Ridge Preserve managed by The Nature Conservancy in Polk County, MN. Canada thistle stem density was reduced from 17 to 0.1 stems m−210 mo after treatment (MAT) with aminopyralid applied in the fall at 120 g ha−1. Aminopyralid also altered the composition of both Canada thistle–infested and native plant communities. Aminopyralid controlled Canada thistle and removed or reduced several undesirable forb species from the restored prairie communities, such as absinth wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) and perennial sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis). A number of high seral forbs were also reduced or removed by aminopyralid, including maximilian sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani) and purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea). Foliar cover of high seral forbs in the native plant community was reduced from 12.2 to 7% 22 MAT. The cover of high seral grass species, such as big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) increased after aminopyralid application in both the Canada thistle–infested and native plant communities and averaged 41.4% cover compared with only 19.4% before removal of Canada thistle. Species richness, evenness, and diversity were reduced after aminopyralid application in both Canada thistle–infested and native plant communities. However, the benefits of Canada thistle control, removal of undesirable species, and the increase in native grass cover should lead to an overall improvement in the long-term stability and composition of the restored prairie plant community, which likely outweigh the short-term effects of a Canada thistle control program.
Motivation to Quit Smoking Among Hospitalised Individuals with and Without Mental Health Disorders
Authors: Siru Ranita , Hulse Gary K. , Khan Riaz J. K. , Tait Robert J. 
Published: June 2010

Background: Persons with mental health disorders (MHD) have higher rates of smoking and poorer cessation of smoking outcomes than those without MHD. A decreased level of motivation may partially explain lower cessation rates, but there is little information on motivation among inpatients with MHD. Objectives: Primary aims were to compare (1) motivation to cease smoking among those hospitalised with MHD or non-MHD, (2) the proportion that attempted smoking cessation, and (3) use of aids to cessation. A secondary aim was to assess cessation up to six months post-discharge. Methods: Smokers were recruited at a tertiary hospital in Perth, Western Australia. Surveys were administered upon admission and at 5 and 14 days and 6 months post-discharge. Results: We recruited 64 MHD inpatients and 43 non-MHD inpatients. At baseline there were no significant differences between the groups on any measures of the five measures of motivation. Significantly more of the MHD sample attempted smoking cessation than those in the non-MHD sample (34 versus 13: χ2(1)=5.472, P=0.028). Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) alone was used by 70% of those attempting to quit but was only provided as part of discharge medication to two people and few persons (<21%) in either group used NRT post-discharge. By 14 days, three (4.7%) of the MHD group and none (0%) of the non-MHD group reported abstinence, at 6-months one from each group reported continuous abstinence since discharge from hospital. Conclusions: Motivation to cease smoking among inpatients with MHD was similar to those without MHD, as was use of NRT while hospitalised. The low provision of post-discharge NRT may contribute to the poor cessation of smoking outcomes and does not fulfil evidence based guidelines.
Treatment Intensification in the ‘High-risk’ Individual
Authors: Pai Prathamesh S 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe high-risk individual merits treatment intensification. However, there are concerns with CERT. More supportive care is necessary as toxicity is higher. Treatment related death is a reality. Hence before we set out to prescribe concurrent chemoradiation we would need to stratify them according to the risk factors, their performance status and bear in mind the costs involved in intensive support during treatment.Apart from chemoradiation we need to explore emerging treatment strategies such as fractionated radiation therapy, and targeted therapies such as epidermal growth factor receptor blockade which might offer better if not similar results but with lesser toxicity.
Intraosseous Compound-type Dermoid Cyst of the Jaw
Authors: Allon Dror M , Calderon Shlomo , Kaplan Ilana 
Published: June 2010

AbstractDermoid cysts within the maxillofacial skeleton are extremely rare, with only 13 cases in the literature. The present report describes a new long-standing intraosseous DC and reviews the literature.A 69-year-old female presented with an expansile mandibular lesion, presenting a large radiolucency with the second and third molars impacted and displaced to the inferior mandibular border. Microscopic examination showed an intraosseous DC, lined by stratified keratinizing epithelium, with multiple aggregates of sebaceous cells and well formed sebaceous glands. Impaction of both second and third molars is an indication of initial development before the physiologic eruption time at approximately age 12. Thus, this presents an extremely longstanding intraosseous DC of at least 45 years duration. Analysis of the literature indicates that in comparison with the more common odontogenic keratocyst, intraosseous DC seems to have a very slow growth rate, and an indolent behavior.
Glomus Tumor Nose in a 6 Years Old Girl: A Rare Presentation
Authors: Dhond PV , Mittal Mudit , Yadav Rajesh , Mhashal Shashikant , Mody Nirav , Markar Pratima 
Published: June 2010

Abstract
Glomus tumors are relatively rare tumors of head and neck region. These tumors occur in infants and in the elderly, but usually occurs in 5th and 6th decades.1 Here we are reporting a rare case of glomus tumor presenting on the dorsum of nose of a six years old girl which was surgically removed successfully.
Endoscopic Removal of Sharp Foreign Bodies in Neck Using Image Intensified Television
Authors: Sharma Arpit , Joseph Shawn T , Gupta Rahul C 
Published: June 2010

AbstractForeign body impaction in the neck poses life-threatening problems when it is deep and close to vital structures. We report two cases of sharp metallic foreign body impaction in the neck – one of them in the prevertebral space and the other in the intervertebral disk space. A neck exploration and surgical removal of these foreign bodies, as is usually practised in most centers, would have been life-threatening and associated with high morbidity. We removed these foreign bodies using rigid endoscope under image intensified television (IITV) guidance. The patients could be discharged the same day. We suggest that endoscopic removal under IITV fluoroscopy system should be the method of choice in the removal of foreign bodies located in these sites. We also propose a classification of neck into vertical segments which would be useful in the management decision of these cases.
Esophageal Metastasis from Carcinoma Thyroid
Authors: Krishnamurthy Arvind , Siddappa KT , Sundersingh Shirley , Srinivas Satish , Kumar Krishna 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe incidence of hematogenous spread at the time of presentation of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma is the range of 4 to 15%. Distant metastases in the most common cause of death from well-differentiated thyroid cancers. About 5% of papillary carcinoma and 25% of follicular carcinoma develop distant metastases. Distant metastases occur largely in the lungs and to a lesser extent in the bones, brain and soft tissues. We report and discuss the management of an elderly gentleman with papillary carcinoma thyroid metastatic to the esophagus on follow-up. Only one similar published report is described which was from a follicular carcinoma thyroid. Our case of a papillary carcinoma thyroid metastatic to the esophagus seems to be the first if its kind.