bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TriVerse versus molecular resonance–harvested grafts in single‐stage Baha surgery
Authors: D'Eredita Riccardo , Cenzi Mario 
Published: March 2010

ObjectivesTo assess complications occurring in patients with a bone‐anchored cochlear stimulator (Baha) following split‐thickness skin graft harvested with two surgical modalities: the TriVerse (TV) system and the molecular resonance generator (MR).Study DesignProspective, randomized, two‐group (TV and MR) study of 24 patients who underwent Baha surgery.SettingTertiary care institution.Subjects and MethodsAll patients (5 children, age range 6‐14 yrs, median 8.3 yrs, and 16 adults, age range 30‐73 yrs, median 60 yrs) underwent the one‐stage procedure. The skin flap was harvested by use of the TV in 12 cases (2 children, 10 adults) and the MR generator in 12 (3 children, 9 adults). The main outcome measures were wound healing time, number of follow‐up visits, degree of soft tissue reactions around the abutment, and need for revision surgery were examined.ResultsThere was a clear difference between the TV‐ and MR‐harvested skin graft groups in relation to severity of skin reactions and complete healing time. The TV group required from three to seven (median 4) visits as outpatients during the initial observation period until healing was complete. The MR group required only one to three (median 2) visits. Complete healing time was significantly lower in the MR group (range 7‐12 days, median 10 days) compared to the TV group (range 15‐28 days, median 16 days). In the TV group, two patients required in‐office revision of the skin graft because of partial necrosis.ConclusionsIn our experience, the MR‐harvested split‐thickness skin graft is superior to the TV technique.
Screening for obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome: Subjective and objective factors
Authors: Friedman Michael , Wilson Meghan N. , Pulver Tanya , Pandya Hemang , Joseph Ninos J. , Lin Hsin‐Ching , Chang Hsueh‐Wen 
Published: March 2010

ObjectivesTo determine the sensitivity and specificity of the Berlin Questionnaire and the Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) score for individually predicting a diagnosis of OSAHS, and to propose a method for OSAHS screening incorporating objective and subjective factors.Study DesignCross‐sectional survey.SettingTertiary care center.MethodsCharts were reviewed from 223 consecutive patients for whom complete data regarding the Berlin questionnaire, OSAHS score (Friedman tongue position + tonsil size + body mass index grade), Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and visual analog scale for snoring were obtained prior to polysomnography (PSG). Sensitivity and specificity were determined for the Berlin questionnaire and OSAHS score for predicting an apnea hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5. Patient data were subjected to multivariate stepwise discriminant analysis and used to construct a screening system based on the Fisher's linear classification equation. Results were cross‐validated by PSG findings.ResultsIn predicting an AHI ≥ 5, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were 0.615 and 0.226 for the Berlin questionnaire, 0.863 and 0.468 for OSAHS score, and 0.82 and 0.834 for our predictive equation. When applied case‐wise to the study population, this equation correctly predicted 82.5 percent of diagnoses. Accuracy was highest for severe OSAHS (87.4%) and lowest for mild disease (77.0%). Sensitivity was lowest for mild OSAHS (0.50).ConclusionsNeither the Berlin questionnaire nor the OSAHS score alone was both highly sensitive and specific for diagnosing OSAHS. By incorporating subjective and objective metrics into a single predictive equation, sensitivity and specificity were maximized, and 82.5 percent of diagnoses were accurately predicted.
Reliability of airway obstruction analyses from Sleep MRI sequences
Authors: Barrera Jose E. , Chang Ray C. , Popelka Gerald R. , Holbrook Andrew B. 
Published: March 2010

ObjectiveA real‐time MRI “movie” during natural sleep (“Sleep MRI”) allows observation of dynamic airway obstructions in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) patients. The purpose of this article was to determine the reliability of assessing these obstructions.Study DesignCross‐sectional diagnostic test evaluation.SettingAcademic referral center.Subjects and MethodsA total of 23 Sleep MRI sequences randomly selected from 20 consecutive OSAS patients were analyzed by two experienced sleep surgeons on two separate occasions separated by at least two weeks. Five dimensions were assessed: presence or absence of any obstruction, presence or absence of a retropalatal obstruction, presence or absence of a retroglossal obstruction, presence or absence of a swallow, and duration of an obstructive event.ResultsFor all dimensions measured, intra‐rater reliability coefficients ranged from a low of 0.95 to a high of 1.0 for each rater. Inter‐rater reliability coefficients ranged from a low of 0.85 to a high of 1.0. On two separate evaluations separated by at least two weeks, rater 1 identified a retropalatal obstruction in 100 percent of sequences, whereas rater 2 did so in 91 percent and 96 percent of the sequences, respectively. Retroglossal obstruction was identified in 57 percent (rater 1) and 65 percent (rater 2) of sequences.ConclusionIntra‐rater and inter‐rater reliability coefficients are very high for determination of presence or absence of any obstruction, presence or absence of a retropalatal obstruction, presence or absence of a retroglossal obstruction, presence or absence of a swallow, and duration of obstruction from Sleep MRI sequences in OSAS patients.
Postoperative management following sphincter pharyngoplasty
Authors: Kilpatrick Lauren A. , Kline Richard M. , Hufnagle Kathryn E. , Vanlue Michael J. , White David R. 
Published: March 2010

ObjectiveTo evaluate postoperative airway‐associated outcomes following sphincter pharyngoplasty.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingAcademic tertiary care medical center.Subjects and MethodsPostoperative management of sphincter pharyngoplasty (SP) conventionally includes overnight observation to monitor for upper airway obstruction. To evaluate for postoperative airway‐related outcomes, 36 patients who underwent SP between April 2003 and January 2009 were evaluated retrospectively.ResultsMean patient age was 8.1 (SD 4.3) years. Mean follow‐up was 6.5 (SD 10.7) months. Cleft palate (36.1%), velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome (22.2%), and post‐adenoidectomy (16.7%) were the most common causes of velopharyngeal insufficiency. All patients underwent overnight observation postoperatively. Mean hospital stay was 1.2 (SD 0.5) days. Five patients remained inpatient two or three days owing to fever (2 patients), bleeding ear after concurrent otoplasty (1 patient), minimal oropharyngeal bleeding with spontaneous resolution (1 patient), and medication allergy (1 patient). No patient had a documented apneic event or desaturation below 95 percent. Although no desaturations were documented, four patients received supplemental oxygen: three for less than two hours, and one for 12 hours. All patients had adequate oral intake and pain control on oral medications prior to discharge; nine patients required one to three doses of intravenous narcotic medication for pain on postoperative day zero.ConclusionUpper airway obstruction requiring overnight observation following SP is uncommon. In otherwise healthy patients, performing SP in an outpatient setting, given appropriate recovery room evaluation for airway concerns, oral intake, and pain control, should be considered.
The influence of maternal glycaemia and dietary glycaemic index on pregnancy outcome in healthy mothers
Authors: McGowan Ciara A. , McAuliffe Fionnuala M. 
Published: March 2010

Infant birth weight has increased in Ireland in recent years along with levels of childhood overweight and obesity. The present article reviews the current literature on maternal glycaemia and the role of the dietary glycaemic index (GI) and its impact on pregnancy outcomes. It is known that maternal weight and weight gain significantly influence infant birth weight. Fetal macrosomia (birth weight >4000 g) is associated with an increased risk of perinatal trauma to both mother and infant. Furthermore, macrosomic infants have greater risk of being obese in childhood, adolescence and adulthood compared to normal-sized infants. There is evidence that there is a direct relationship between maternal blood glucose levels during pregnancy and fetal growth and size at birth, even when maternal blood glucose levels are within their normal range. Thus, maintaining blood glucose concentrations within normal parameters during pregnancy may reduce the incidence of fetal macrosomia. Maternal diet, and particularly its carbohydrate (CHO) type and content, influences maternal blood glucose concentrations. However, different CHO foods produce different glycaemic responses. The GI was conceived by Jenkins in 1981 as a method for assessing the glycaemic responses of different CHO. Data from clinical studies in healthy pregnant women have documented that consuming a low-GI diet during pregnancy reduces peaks in postprandial glucose levels and normalises infant birth weight. Pregnancy is a physiological condition where the GI may be of particular relevance as glucose is the primary fuel for fetal growth.
Short-pulse laser ablation of materials at high intensities: Influence of plasma effects
Authors: Batani Dimitri 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe paper is devoted to the study of plasma effects, which are present in laser ablation at relatively high intensity (I ≥ 1012 W/cm2). We start from the classical “two temperature model” of laser ablation (“cold solid approximation”) and we extend it to higher intensities where laser-induced heating and laser-induced changes in the background material become relevant. The new model is also compared to experimental results on laser ablation of solid targets from short pulse lasers at high intensities (up to 1014 W/cm2). Finally, we consider the effects on laser-ablation of laser-generated fast electrons.
Wakefield effects on the evolution of symmetric laser pulses in a plasma channel
Authors: Jha Pallavi , Malviya Amita , Upadhyay Ajay K. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe present study deals with the propagation of short laser pulses in a parabolic plasma channel. A variational technique is used to obtain simultaneous evolution equations describing the laser pulse length and spot size in the presence of relativistic and ponderomotive nonlinearities. The effect of wakefields (inside the pulse) on the propagation characteristics of the laser beam is studied. Numerical methods are used to graphically analyze the evolution of the laser pulse length and intensity.
Formal analysis of design process dynamics
Authors: Bosse Tibor , Jonker Catholijn M. , Treur Jan 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis paper presents a formal analysis of design process dynamics. Such a formal analysis is a prerequisite to come to a formal theory of design and for the development of automated support for the dynamics of design processes. The analysis was geared toward the identification of dynamic design properties at different levels of aggregation. This approach is specifically suitable for component-based design processes. A complicating factor for supporting the design process is that not only the generic properties of design must be specified, but also the language chosen should be rich enough to allow specification of complex properties of the system under design. This requires a language rich enough to operate at these different levels. The Temporal Trace Language used in this paper is suitable for that. The paper shows that the analysis at the level of a design process as a whole and at subprocesses thereof is precise enough to allow for automatic simulation. Simulation allows the modeler to manipulate the specifications of the system under design to better understand the interlevel relationships in his design. The approach is illustrated by an example.
Broad specificity AhpC-like peroxiredoxin and its thioredoxin reductant in the sparse antioxidant defense system of
Treponema pallidum
Authors: Parsonage Derek , Desrosiers Daniel C. , Hazlett Karsten R. O. , Sun Yongcheng , Nelson Kimberly J. , Cox David L. , Radolf Justin D. , Poole Leslie B. 
Published: March 2010

Little is known about the mechanisms by which
Treponema pallidum
(
Tp
), the causative agent of syphilis, copes with oxidative stress as it establishes persistent infection within its obligate human host. The
Tp
genomic sequence indicates that the bacterium’s antioxidant defenses do not include glutathione and are limited to just a few proteins, with only one, TP0509, offering direct defense against peroxides. Although this
Tp
peroxiredoxin (Prx) closely resembles AhpC-like Prxs,
Tp
lacks AhpF, the typical reductant for such enzymes. Functionally,
Tp
AhpC resembles largely eukaryotic, nonAhpC typical 2-Cys Prx proteins in using thioredoxin (Trx, TP0919) as an efficient electron donor and exhibiting broad specificity toward hydroperoxide substrates. Unlike many of the eukaryotic Prxs, however,
Tp
AhpC is relatively resistant to inactivation during turnover with hydroperoxide substrates. As is often observed in typical 2-Cys Prxs,
Tp
AhpC undergoes redox-sensitive oligomer formation. Quantitative immunoblotting revealed that
Tp
Trx and
Tp
AhpC are present at very high levels (over 100 and 300 μM, respectively) in treponemes infecting rabbit testes; their redox potentials, at -242 ± 1 and -192 ± 2 mV, respectively, are consistent with the role of
Tp
Trx as the cellular reductant of
Tp
AhpC. Transcriptional analysis of select antioxidant genes confirmed the presence of high mRNA levels for
ahpC
and
trx
which diminish greatly when spirochetes replicate under in vitro growth conditions. Thus,
T. pallidum
has evolved an extraordinarily robust, broad-spectrum AhpC as its sole mechanism for peroxide defense to combat this significant threat to treponemal growth and survival during infection.
Two competing orientation patterns explain experimentally observed anomalies in growing actin networks
Authors: Weichsel Julian , Schwarz Ulrich S. 
Published: March 2010

The lamellipodium of migrating animal cells protrudes by directed polymerization of a branched actin network. The underlying mechanisms of filament growth, branching, and capping can be studied in in vitro assays. However, conflicting results have been reported for the force–velocity relation of such actin networks, namely both convex and concave shapes as well as history dependencies. Here we model branching as a reaction that is independent of the number of existing filaments, in contrast to capping, which is assumed to be proportional to the number of existing filaments. Using both stochastic network simulations and deterministic rate equations, we show that such a description naturally leads to the stability of two qualitatively different stationary states of the system, namely a ± 35° and a +70/0/-70° orientation pattern. Changes in network growth velocity induce a transition between these two patterns. For sufficiently different protrusion efficiency of the two network architectures, this leads to hysteresis in the growth velocity of actin networks under force. Dependent on the history of the system, convex and concave regimes are obtained for the force–velocity relation. Thus a simple generic model can explain the experimentally observed anomalies, with far reaching consequences for cell migration.
Specific estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) substrates and molecular imaging probe candidates
Authors: Cole Graham B. , Keum Gyochang , Liu Jie , Small Gary W. , Satyamurthy Nagichettiar , Kepe Vladimir , Barrio Jorge R. 
Published: March 2010

This work focuses on the development of specific substrates for estrogen sulfotransferase (SULT1E1) to produce molecular imaging probes for this enzyme. SULT1E1 is a key enzyme in estrogen homeostasis, playing a central role in the prevention and development of human disease. In vitro sulfation assays showed alkyl and aryl substitutions to a fused heterocyclic system modeled after β-naphthol (βN), based on compounds that interact with the estrogen receptor, rendered several molecules with enhanced specificity for SULT1E1 over SULT1A1*1, SULT1A1*2, SULT1A3, and SULT2A1. Several 6-hydroxy-2-arylbenzothiazoles tested demonstrated excellent affinity—
V
max
/
K

m

ratios—and specificity for SULT1E1.
K

m

values ranged from 0.12–2.36 μM. A strong correlation was observed between polarity of the 4′-sustituent on the 2-aryl moiety (Hammett
σ

p

) and the log(
V
max
/
K

m

) (
r
= 0.964). Substrate sensitivity is influenced by the acidity of the 6-phenolic group demonstrated by correlating its
1
H NMR chemical shift (
δ
OH
) with the log(
V
max
/
K

m

) (
r
= 0.963). Acidity is mediated by the electron withdrawing capacity of the 4′-substituent outlined by the correlation of the C-2
13
C NMR chemical shift (
δ
C2
) with the log(
V
max
/
K

m

) (
r
= 0.987). 2-[4-(Methylamino)phenyl]-6-hydroxybenzothiazole (
2b
) was radiolabeled with carbon-11 (
11
C-(
2b
)) and used in vivo for microPET scanning and tissue metabolite identification. High PET signal was paralleled with the presence of radiolabeled
11
C-(
2b
)-6-O-sulfate and the SULT1E1 protein detected by western blot. Because this and other members of this family presenting specificity for SULT1E1 can be labeled with carbon-11 or fluorine-18, in vivo assays of SULT1E1 functional activity are now feasible in humans.
Lethal protein produced in response to competition between sibling bacterial colonies
Authors: Be’er Avraham , Ariel Gil , Kalisman Oren , Helman Yael , Sirota-Madi Alexandra , Zhang H.P. , Florin E.-L. , Payne Shelley M. , Ben-Jacob Eshel , Swinney Harry L. 
Published: March 2010

Sibling
Paenibacillus dendritiformis
bacterial colonies grown on low-nutrient agar medium mutually inhibit growth through secretion of a lethal factor. Analysis of secretions reveals the presence of subtilisin (a protease) and a 12 kDa protein, termed sibling lethal factor (Slf). Purified subtilisin promotes the growth and expansion of
P. dendritiformis
colonies, whereas Slf is lethal and lyses
P. dendritiformis
cells in culture. Slf is encoded by a gene belonging to a large family of bacterial genes of unknown function, and the gene is predicted to encode a protein of approximately 20 kDa, termed
dendritiformis
sibling bacteriocin. The 20 kDa recombinant protein was produced and found to be inactive, but exposure to subtilisin resulted in cleavage to the active, 12 kDa form. The experimental results, combined with mathematical modeling, show that subtilisin serves to regulate growth of the colony. Below a threshold concentration, subtilisin promotes colony growth and expansion. However, once it exceeds a threshold, as occurs at the interface between competing colonies, Slf is then secreted into the medium to rapidly reduce cell density by lysis of the bacterial cells. The presence of genes encoding homologs of
dendritiformis
sibling bacteriocin in other bacterial species suggests that this mechanism for self-regulation of colony growth might not be limited to
P. dendritiformis
.
Significance of Light, Sugar, and Amino Acid Supply for Diurnal Gene Regulation in Developing Barley Caryopses
Authors: Mangelsen Elke , Wanke Dierk , Kilian Joachim , Sundberg Eva , Harter Klaus , Jansson Christer 
Published: March 2010

Abstract
The caryopses of barley (Hordeum vulgare), as of all cereals, are complex sink organs optimized for starch accumulation and embryo development. While their early to late development has been studied in great detail, processes underlying the caryopses’ diurnal adaptation to changes in light, temperature, and the fluctuations in phloem-supplied carbon and nitrogen have remained unknown. In an attempt to identify diurnally affected processes in developing caryopses at the early maturation phase, we monitored global changes of both gene expression and metabolite levels. We applied the 22 K Barley1 GeneChip microarray and identified 2,091 differentially expressed (DE) genes that were assigned to six major diurnal expression clusters. Principal component analysis and other global analyses demonstrated that the variability within the data set relates to genes involved in circadian regulation, storage compound accumulation, embryo development, response to abiotic stress, and photosynthesis. The correlation of amino acid and sugar profiles with expression trajectories led to the identification of several hundred potentially metabolite-regulated DE genes. A comparative analysis of our data set and publicly available microarray data disclosed suborgan-specific expression of almost all diurnal DE genes, with more than 350 genes specifically expressed in the pericarp, endosperm, or embryo tissues. Our data reveal a tight linkage between day/night cycles, changes in light, and the supply of carbon and nitrogen. We present a model that suggests several phases of diurnal gene expression in developing barley caryopses, summarized as starvation and priming, energy collection and carbon fixation, light protection and chaperone activity, storage and growth, and embryo development.
A Conserved Mechanism of Bract Suppression in the Grass Family
Authors: Whipple Clinton J. , Hall Darren H. , DeBlasio Stacy , Taguchi-Shiobara Fumio , Schmidt Robert J. , Jackson David P. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractSuppression of inflorescence leaf, or bract, growth has evolved multiple times in diverse angiosperm lineages, including the Poaceae and Brassicaceae. Studies of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants have revealed several genes involved in bract suppression, but it is not known if these genes play a similar role in other plants with suppressed bracts. We identified maize (Zea mays) tassel sheath (tsh) mutants, characterized by the loss of bract suppression, that comprise five loci (tsh1-tsh5). We used map-based cloning to identify Tsh1 and found that it encodes a GATA zinc-finger protein, a close homolog of HANABA TARANU (HAN) of Arabidopsis. The bract suppression function of Tsh1 is conserved throughout the grass family, as we demonstrate that the rice (Oryza sativa) NECK LEAF1 (NL1) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) THIRD OUTER GLUME (TRD) genes are orthologous with Tsh1. Interestingly, NL1/Tsh1/TRD expression and function are not conserved with HAN. The existence of paralogous NL1/Tsh1/TRD-like genes in the grasses indicates that the NL1/Tsh1/TRD lineage was created by recent duplications that may have facilitated its neofunctionalization. A comparison with the Arabidopsis genes regulating bract suppression further supports the hypothesis that the convergent evolution of bract suppression in the Poaceae involved recruitment of a distinct genetic pathway.