bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Freezing on Sperm Nuclear DNA
Authors: Fraser L , Strzeżek J , Kordan W 
Published: June 2011

ContentsSperm DNA damage has a significant impact on reproductive outcomes. In recent years, the search for optimal molecular markers for the evaluation of semen quality has resulted in the increased focus on sperm nuclear DNA assessment. The primary aim of this article was to review and summarize the effects of freezing–thawing procedure on nuclear DNA integrity of boar spermatozoa. Using different sperm DNA integrity assays, it has been confirmed that the sperm DNA undergoes structural changes during the freezing–thawing process. Evidence has been shown that a significant proportion of frozen‐thawed spermatozoa with compromised chromatin integrity was highly susceptible to DNA fragmentation. Moreover, the possible mechanisms responsible for post‐thaw sperm DNA damage could be because of cryo‐induced oxidative stress and, to a lesser extent, to the activation of an apoptotic‐like phenomenon. This review also highlights the ongoing effort employed to develop optimal strategies to reduce sperm DNA damage following freezing–thawing of boar semen.
Chymotrypsin C mutations in chronic pancreatitis
Authors: Zhou Jiayi , Sahin‐Tóth Miklós 
Published: June 2011

AbstractChronic pancreatitis is a persistent inflammatory disorder characterized by destruction of the pancreatic parenchyma, maldigestion, and chronic pain. Mutations in the chymotrypsin C (CTRC) gene encoding the digestive enzyme CTRC have been shown to increase the risk of chronic pancreatitis in European and Asian populations. Here, we review the biochemical properties and physiological functions of human CTRC, summarize the functional defects associated with CTRC mutations, and discuss mechanistic models that might explain the increased disease risk in carriers.
IMPACT OF TECHNICAL MODIFICATION OF ENDOSCOPIC PAPILLECTOMY FOR AMPULLARY NEOPLASM ON THE OCCURRENCE OF COMPLICATIONS
Authors: ITO KEI , FUJITA NAOTAKA , NODA YUTAKA , KOBAYASHI GO , OBANA TAKASHI , HORAGUCHI JUN , KOSHITA SHINSUKE , KANNO YOSHIHIDE , OGAWA TAKAHISA , KATO YUSUKE , YAMASHITA YASUNOBU 
Published: June 2011

Aim:  To evaluate the usefulness of a modified technique of endoscopic papillectomy (EP) for lessening the occurrence of complications.Methods:  Indications for EP were adenoma or well‐differentiated adenocarcinoma confined to the papilla of Vater (T1) without tumor spread into the bile/pancreatic duct. Sixteen patients underwent the modified technique, which consists of resection with the Endocut® mode, followed by biliary/pancreatic sphincterotomy and stenting (Group A). Twelve patients who had undergone EP, using a cutting current, followed by pancreatic duct stenting were included as control (Group B). The frequency of complications and clinical outcomes were retrospectively compared between the two groups.Results:  Sixteen patients had adenoma, and 12 had adenocarcinoma. Early complications occurred in 36% of all patients (hemorrhage, 7; cholangitis, 3; perforation, 2; cholecystitis, 1). The frequency of early complications in Group A was significantly lower than that in Group B (6% vs 75%, odds ratio [OR] 0.022, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.0020–0.25). Late complications occurred in 18% of the patients (bile duct stone, 3; hemorrhage, 1; pancreatitis, 1). There was no significant difference in the late complication rate between Group A and Group B (19% vs 17%). Local recurrences were found in 14% of the patients, without a significant difference between Group A and Group B (19% vs 8%) during a mean follow‐up period. All recurrent tumors were successfully treated with argon plasma coagulation.Conclusions:  The modified technique of EP for ampullary neoplasm contributed to lessening the occurrence of early complications. However, further refinement of this technique is necessary for improving the clinical outcome.
Cyclic fracture behaviour of 304LN stainless steel under load and displacement control modes
Authors: ROY H. , SIVAPRASAD S. , TARAFDER S. , RAY K. K. 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACTAttempts have been made to understand cyclic fracture behaviour of AISI 304LN stainless steel used for nuclear piping materials under load vis‐à‐vis displacement controlled fracture tests; the former closely simulate the seismic loading conditions. The load controlled tests indicate that a material fails in a limited number of cycles even when the load amplitudes are sufficiently below the maximum load in a monotonic J–R test. The displacement controlled tests, on the other hand, show that the energy absorbing ability of a material gets severely reduced under cyclic loading conditions. The obtained results on standard laboratory specimens have been compared with similar available results on components in order to provide guidelines for maximum load bearing capability of engineering components under cyclic loading.
Fatigue life assessment under a complex multiaxial load history: an approach based on damage mechanics
Authors: BRIGHENTI R. , CARPINTERI A. , VANTADORI S. 
Published: June 2011

ABSTRACTIn order to assess the fatigue behaviour of structural components under a complex (cyclic or random) multiaxial stress history, methods based on damage mechanics concepts can be employed. In this paper, a model for fatigue damage evaluation in the case of an arbitrary multiaxial loading history is proposed by using an endurance function which allows us to determine the damage accumulation up to the final failure of the material. By introducing an evolution equation for the endurance function, the final collapse can be assumed to occur when the damage D is complete, that is when D reaches the unity. The parameters of this model, which adopts the stress invariants and the deviatoric stress invariants to quantify the damage phenomenon, are determined through a Genetic Algorithm once experimental data on the fatigue behaviour of the material being examined are known for some complex stress histories. With respect to traditional approaches to multiaxial fatigue assessment, the proposed model presents the following advantages: (1) the evaluation of a critical plane is not necessary; (2) no cycle counting algorithm to determine the fatigue life is required, because it considers the progressive damage process during the fatigue load history; (3) the model can be applied to any kind of stress history (uniaxial cyclic loading, multiaxial in‐phase or out‐of‐phase cyclic loading, uniaxial or multiaxial random loading).
Understanding inverse oxygenation responses during motor imagery: a functional near‐infrared spectroscopy study
Authors: Holper Lisa , Shalóm Diego E. , Wolf Martin , Sigman Mariano 
Published: June 2011

AbstractMotor imagery (MI) is described as the mental rehearsal of voluntary movements. We used wireless functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recorded over secondary motor areas during performance of MI and motor execution (ME) in 11 healthy subjects, who either executed or imagined two drawing tasks differing in shape and frequency, i.e. simple (circle, 0.2 Hz) and complex (curved shape, 0.333 Hz). At the group level, results showed that fNIRS is capable of discriminating between the task mode, i.e. MI vs. ME, and the task complexity, i.e. simple vs. complex. At the single‐subject level, we observed inverse oxygenation responses, i.e. a decrease in Δ[O2Hb] and/or increase in Δ[HHb]. These inverse responses only occurred during MI tasks and were highly correlated, in the first place, with task mode, and secondly with task complexity. Inverse Δ[O2Hb] responses are likely to reflect individual differences in performance‐related signals and may contribute to the commonly observed inter‐subject variability in fNIRS measurements. As MI is now widely used as a mental task in neurorehabilitative applications, the resulting oxygenation pattern may be of use for future developments. For this programme to be successful it is crucial to determine the sources of inter‐subject variability. Our study presents a first effort in this direction, indicating that MI‐related inverse Δ[O2Hb] responses are correlated, first, with task mode and, secondly, with task complexity.
Genetic differentiation, recombination and clonal expansion in environmental populations of Cryptococcus gattii in India
Authors: Chowdhary Anuradha , Hiremath Sanjay S. , Sun Sheng , Kowshik Tusharantak , Randhawa Harbans S. , Xu Jianping 
Published: June 2011

SummaryCryptococcus gattii is a ubiquitous eukaryotic pathogen capable of causing life‐threatening infections in a wide variety of hosts, including both immunocompromised and immunocompetent humans. Since infections by C. gattii are predominantly obtained from environmental exposures, understanding environmental populations of this pathogen is critical, especially in countries like India with a large population and with environmental conditions conducive for the growth of C. gattii. In this study, we analysed 109 isolates of C. gattii obtained from hollows of nine tree species from eight geographic locations in India. Multilocus sequence typing was conducted for all isolates using nine gene fragments. All 109 isolates belonged to the VGI group and were mating type α. Population genetic analyses revealed limited evidence of recombination but unambiguous evidence for clonal reproduction and expansion. However, the observed clonal expansion has not obscured the significant genetic differentiation among populations from either different geographic areas or different host tree species. A positive correlation was observed between genetic distance and geographic distance. The results obtained here for environmental populations of C. gattii showed both similarities and differences with those of the closely related Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii from similar locations and host tree species in India.
Meeting the challenge of China: the Vietnamese garment industry in the post MFA era
Authors: GOTO KENTA , NATSUDA KAORU , THOBURN JOHN 
Published: June 2011

AbstractAlthough China has diversified into sophisticated, higher value‐added exports, it is still a formidable competitor in global markets for basic labour‐intensive products. It is the world's largest exporting country of textiles and garments, the archetypical driver of industrial growth both in developed countries in the past and in most newly industrializing countries more recently. When the export restrictions under the Multi‐Fibre Arrangement (MFA) ended at the start of 2005, it was predicted that China would greatly increase its market shares at the expense of most competitors, except perhaps India. Vietnam has proved to be an effective competitor in the garment industry in markets where China is dominant. In this article, we investigate how key export‐oriented garment suppliers of Vietnam have been coping with competitive challenges in the post MFA era at a time when global buyers have been reorganizing their international production networks. We emphasize the influence of different global value chains on upgrading since Vietnamese suppliers switched to the US market after the implementation of the US Bilateral Trade Agreement in 2001. We note the uneven performance of Vietnamese garment suppliers, with some lagging behind others in upgrading and competitiveness, and their different responses to Vietnam's growing labour shortages. We base the article mainly on interviews conducted over the 2001–2008 period with garment companies and global buyers in Vietnam, Hong Kong and China.
Informality, global production networks and the dynamics of ‘adverse incorporation’
Authors: PHILLIPS NICOLA 
Published: June 2011

AbstractThe neglect of questions of informality in the study of global production networks (GPNs) is curious given the scale and reach of informality in the contemporary global economy. In this article I advocate a tighter integration of informality into the questions and approaches we deploy in the study of GPNs, not simply as an empirical area of enquiry but also in theorizing, first, how GPNs work and, second, with what social consequences. Drawing on ‘structuralist’ insights into the relationship between informality and formality in capitalist economies, I argue for a recognition of the ways in which these are structurally blended with one another to the extent that their dichotomization is empirically and theoretically misconceived. I go on to explore the ways in which informality is created and exploited within GPNs in a ‘top–down’ manner – that is, by capital, firms, employers and states – and the ‘bottom–up’ dynamics of informality, which frequently are constitutive of ‘adverse incorporation’ in GPNs for large numbers of workers, generating and perpetuating forms of poverty, marginalization and vulnerability.
Physicochemical and biological aspects of macrophage‐mediated drug targeting in anti‐microbial therapy
Authors: Kunjachan Sijumon , Jose Sajan , Thomas Cinu A , Joseph Emil , Kiessling Fabian , Lammers Twan 
Published: June 2011

AbstractMacrophages are important drug targets as they mediate a wide variety of infectious diseases. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), schistosomiasis, brucellosis, and salmonellosis are some of the well‐known infectious diseases in which macrophages play a prominent pathophysiological role. For instance, VL parasites exclusively house in the macrophages of liver and spleen. They are resistant to lysosomal degradation by unknown mechanisms, they survive and thrive safely within macrophages, they multiply, and they ultimately affect visceral organs, leading to severe pathological and sometimes even fatal conditions. The majority of routinely used drugs administered in free form distribute all over the body via systemic circulation, leading to relatively low therapeutic activity and a certain degree of toxicity. Unlike for nonmicrobial diseases, targeting parasites procuring resistance and ineffective therapeutic outcome can be obviously speculated in case of infectious disease. The preferential uptake by macrophages, intended to improve the balance between efficacy and toxicity, can be achieved by the use of nanomedicines, i.e. submicron‐sized macromolecular or particulate drug delivery systems. This insight has stimulated researchers to use nanomedicines – which tend to be recognized by macrophages as ‘foreign’ and consequently are taken up by the intended target cells much more effectively than their free drug counterparts – to improve the treatment of infectious diseases. The literature reports extensively on such approaches; however, there are several constraints that limit the application of nanomedicine in macrophage‐mediated drug targeting. Here, we briefly describe the strategies that are used to achieve effective drug targeting to macrophages, using VL as a model disease, and we also put forth an understanding of the most important limiting factors. Various physicochemical and biological factors used by researchers as reported in the literature are addressed, and the most important mechanisms and modes by which macrophage‐specific drug targeting can be achieved are summarized. Based on the evidence obtained to date, it can be concluded that targeting macrophages is a valuable and validated strategy for improving the treatment of infectious diseases.
Effect of Telcagepant on Spontaneous Ischemia in Cardiovascular Patients in a Randomized Study
Authors: Behm Martin O. , Blanchard Rebecca L. , Murphy M. Gail , Palcza John S. , Harris Dawn E. , Butterfield Kristin L. , Smith William B. , Preston Richard A. , Chodakewitz Jeffrey A. , Krucoff Mitchell W. 
Published: June 2011

(Headache 2011;51:954‐960)Objective.— The primary purpose of the study was to explore the safety and tolerability of telcagepant in patients with stable coronary artery disease.Background.— Triptans are effective acute anti‐migraine drugs whose vasoconstrictive effects limit their use in patients at risk for adverse cardiovascular events. Telcagepant, a calcitonin gene‐related peptide receptor antagonist, is being developed for the acute treatment of migraine. Antagonism of calcitonin gene‐related peptide, which does not appear to cause vasoconstriction, may allow for treatment of migraine in patients with coronary artery disease.Methods.— In this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover study, patients with documented stable coronary artery disease were assigned to 1 of 2 treatment sequences: telcagepant then placebo, or placebo then telcagepant. In each treatment period, patients received 2 doses of telcagepant 300 mg or placebo 2 hours apart. They remained in the research center for 24 hours after receiving the first dose of each period, during which time continuous 12‐lead ambulatory electrocardiographic (Holter) monitoring was performed.Results.— Twenty‐eight patients were enrolled; all patients completed the study and were included in all analyses. Telcagepant was generally well tolerated. No laboratory or serious adverse experiences were reported, and no patient discontinued due to an adverse experience. There were no consistent treatment‐related changes in laboratory, vital signs or electrocardiogram safety parameters. Three patients (2 after receiving placebo and 1 after receiving telcagepant) experienced ST segment depression during the study; none of these patients reported chest pain.Conclusions.— Two doses of 300‐mg telcagepant, administered 2 hours apart, did not appear to exacerbate spontaneous ischemia and were generally well tolerated in a small cohort of patients with stable coronary artery disease. Results of this study support further evaluation of telcagepant in patients with stable coronary artery disease.
Genomic microdeletions associated with epilepsy: Not a contraindication to resective surgery
Authors: Catarino Claudia B. , Kasperavičiūtė Dalia , Thom Maria , Cavalleri Gianpiero L. , Martinian Lillian , Heinzen Erin L. , Dorn Thomas , Grunwald Thomas , Chaila Elijah , Depondt Chantal , Krämer Günter , Delanty Norman , Goldstein David B. , Sisodiya Sanjay M. 
Published: June 2011

SummaryPurpose:  Several recent reports of genomic microdeletions in epilepsy will generate further research; discovery of more microdeletions and other important classes of variants may follow. Detection of such genetic abnormalities in patients being evaluated for surgical treatment might raise concern that a genetic defect, possibly widely expressed in the brain, will affect surgical outcome.Methods:  A reevaluation was undertaken of clinical presurgical data, histopathology of surgical specimen, and postsurgical outcome in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) who have had surgical treatment for their drug‐resistant seizures, and who have been found to have particular genomic microdeletions.Key Findings:  Three thousand eight hundred twelve patients with epilepsy were genotyped and had a genome‐wide screen to identify copy number variation. Ten patients with MTLE, who had resective epilepsy surgery, were found to have 16p13.11 microdeletions or other microdeletions >1 Mb. On histopathology, eight had classical hippocampal sclerosis (HS), one had nonspecific findings, and one had a hamartoma. Median postsurgical follow‐up time was 48 months (range 10–156 months). All patients with HS were seizure‐free after surgery, International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) outcome class 1, at last follow‐up; the patient with nonspecific pathology had recurrence of infrequent seizures after 7 years of seizure freedom. The patient with a hamartoma never became seizure‐free.Significance:  Large microdeletions can be found in patients with “typical” MTLE. In this small series, patients with MTLE who meet criteria for resective surgery and harbor large microdeletions, at least those we have detected, can have a good postsurgical outcome. Our findings add to the spectrum of causal heterogeneity of MTLE + HS.
Scalene Muscle Injections for Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Case Series
Authors: Benzon Honorio T. , Rodes Meghan E. , Chekka Kiran , Malik Khalid , Pearce William H. 
Published: June 2011

Abstract:  Scalene muscle injections are used to confirm the diagnosis of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome and predict the response of patients to surgery. We performed a retrospective study to determine if relief of pain was related to brachial plexus blockade in these patients.Methods:  We reviewed the charts of 12 patients who had anterior and middle scalene muscle injections, for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, between April 2009 and September 2010. The injections were performed under ultrasound guidance wherein 2 to 5 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine was injected into the belly of the anterior and scalene muscles. The following were noted: (1) sites of preprocedure pain; (2) volume injected into each of the anterior and middle scalene muscles; (3) presence of numbness after injection; and (4) presence and duration of pain relief.Results:  All 12 patients had relief of their pain. Six of the twelve patients developed numbness, which ranged from blockade of the C4‐5, C6‐7, and C4‐T1 dermatomes. In the patients who developed numbness, there was no relationship between the duration of numbness and the duration of pain relief or the location of numbness and the location of pain relief.Conclusions:  The relief from scalene muscle injections in patients with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome is not related to blockade of the brachial plexus. ▪
Detecting bone loss along dental implants by subtraction of panoramic radiographs
Authors: Geraets Wil G. M. , Verheij Hans G. C. , Wismeijer Daniel , van der Stelt Paul F. 
Published: June 2011

AbstractObjectives: To test an extended subtraction method for measuring changes in bone along dental implants depicted on non‐standardized panoramic radiographs.Material and methods: The measuring method consisted of a subtraction module extended with modules correcting gray values, correcting geometry and defining the region of interest mesial and distal of dental implants. It was applied to an archive of panoramic radiographs of implant patients who had been monitored up to 16 years.Results: Significant loss of gray value was demonstrated at a constant rate of 0.6 units per month throughout the study. This indicates gradual bone loss on the mesial and/or distal sides of the implants. Females were found to lose bone at a higher rate than males. Smokers and non‐smokers, and various implant strategies yielded the same rate of bone loss.Conclusions: The measuring method is a helpful tool to monitor changes around implants even when non‐standardized radiographs are being used. Whereas changes of marginal bone level are increased five to eight times during the first year after surgery, the present method shows gradual loss of bone during 15 years after surgery.To cite this article: Geraets WGM, Verheij HGC, Wismeijer D, van der Stelt PF. Detecting bone loss along dental implants by subtraction of panoramic radiographs. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 23, 2012; 861–865. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2011.02215.x