bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Babies born at the threshold of viability: attitudes of paediatric consultants and trainees in South East England
Authors: Duffy D , Reynolds P 
Published: September 2010

AbstractAim:  To determine attitudes of paediatric consultants and trainees towards immediate care of babies born at 22–24 weeks gestation.Methods:  A questionnaire was sent to one consultant and one trainee within each of 63 neonatal units in South East England.Results:  Response rate was 90% (111/123). At 22 weeks gestation, 51% of all respondents would not attend the delivery. At 23 weeks gestation, 63% of respondents would advise against resuscitation during antenatal counselling but 45% would resuscitate despite a parental request for comfort care. Forty‐one percent of respondents would provide comfort care for a 23 week gestation baby born in poor condition. If required, 53% of respondents would use chest compressions and/or adrenaline at birth of a 24 week gestation infant (38% consultants, 54% trainees; p = 0.05). More experienced and older paediatricians were more likely to attend 22 week deliveries and be comfortable with parental requests for resuscitation. Fifty‐four percent of units had written guidelines on care of these babies. Significantly more consultants (67%) than trainees (25%) correctly classified neonatal deaths.Conclusions:  Paediatricians with greater experience and age demonstrated more shared decision‐making with parents. Nearly half of paediatricians would defy parental wishes at 23 weeks gestation, contrary to ethical recommendations (Nuffield Council on Bioethics, http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org).
Late‐presenting congenital diaphragmatic hernia in childhood
Authors: Chao Pei‐Hsin , Chuang Jiin‐Haur , Lee Shin‐Yi , Huang Hsin‐Chun 
Published: September 2010

AbstractAim:  To characterize the clinical manifestations of late‐presenting diaphragmatic hernia and its associated anomalies, diagnostic methods and outcomes.Methods:  The records of patients aged 1 month–18 years old diagnosed with Bochdalek diaphragmatic hernia from February 1987–June 2008 were reviewed.Results:  Fifteen children (nine boys, six girls) met inclusion criteria. Median age was 1.5 years (range, 38 days–9.9 years). Eleven (73%) had left‐sided and four (27%) had right‐sided diaphragmatic hernias. Six (40%) patients presented with respiratory symptoms, six (40%) with gastrointestinal symptoms and three (20%) with both. Five (33%) patients had failure to thrive. Six (40%) were diagnosed by chest radiography alone. The others required gastrointestinal contrast series, or chest computed tomography to confirm the diagnosis. One referred patient had been misdiagnosed as having left pneumothorax. Cases of bowel malrotation and gastric volvulus associated with the hernia were found in one patient each. One patient required mechanical ventilation because of respiratory failure before surgery. Primary repair without patch was performed in all patients. The overall survival in this series was 100%.Conclusion:  Late‐presenting diaphragmatic hernia should be suspected in cases of unexplained acute or chronic respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, and abnormal chest radiographic findings. The prognosis is favourable with correct diagnosis and prompt surgical repair.
Early corticosteroid treatment does not affect severity of unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia in extreme low birth weight preterm infants
Authors: Hulzebos Christian V , Bos Arend F , Anttila Eija , Hallman Mikko , Verkade Henkjan J 
Published: September 2010

AbstractAim: To determine the relationship between early postnatal dexamethasone (DXM) treatment and the severity of hyperbilirubinemia in extreme low birth weight (ELBW) preterm infants.Methods: In 54 ELBW preterm infants, total serum bilirubin concentrations (TSB) and phototherapy (PT) data during the first 10 days were evaluated retrospectively. ELBW infants had participated in a randomized controlled trial of early DXM treatment which aimed to assess effects on chronic lung disease. Infants had been treated with DXM (0.25 mg/kg twice daily at postnatal day 1 and 2) or with placebo (normal saline). Analysis was performed on an intention to treat basis.Results: Twenty‐five Infants had been randomized into the DXM group; 29 into the placebo group. Mean (±SD) TSB [120 (±19) μmol/L vs. 123 (±28) μmol/L, DXM versus placebo, respectively] and maximum TSB [178 (±23) μmol/L vs. 176 (±48), DXM versus placebo, respectively] concentrations were similar. TSB concentrations peaked 30 h earlier in the DXM group (p ≤ 0.05). The need for PT as well as the duration of PT was similar in both groups.Conclusions: Early DXM treatment does not affect the severity of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in ELBW preterm infants. Our results seem compatible with the concept that factors other than bilirubin conjugation capacity are important for the pathophysiology of neonatal jaundice in ELBW preterm infants.
Chronic conditions in children increase the risk for physical abuse – but vary with socio‐economic circumstances
Authors: Svensson Birgitta , Bornehag Carl‐Gustaf , Janson Staffan 
Published: September 2010

AbstractAim:  To explore whether children (age 10, 12 and 15 years) with self‐reported chronic conditions are at higher risk of physical abuse and/or exposure to intimate‐partner violence than other children, while considering the importance of demographic factors.Methods:  A national cross‐sectional study of 2771 pupils in grades 4, 6 and 9 from 44 schools in Sweden (91% response rate). Conflict Tactic Scales were used to measure physical abuse and separate questions measured exposure to intimate‐partner violence. A list of 13 diagnoses was used to estimate chronic conditions.Results:  Children with chronic conditions had an increased risk for physical abuse (CPA) only (OR 1.67) as well as in combination with exposure to intimate‐partner violence (IPV) (OR 2.54), but not to IPV only, compared to children without chronic conditions. Furthermore, when chronic conditions were combined with country of birth other than Sweden and living in low‐income areas, the risk for CPA increased even more, indicating interactive effects.Conclusions:  A wide range of chronic health conditions in children increased the risk for physical abuse. This indicates that certain factors unite this group of children, irrespective of the type of disability or degree of severity, but where a combination with socio‐economic circumstances is of importance.
Nerve dysfunction following surgical treatment of cervical non‐tuberculous mycobacterial lymphadenitis in children
Authors: Claesson Gösta , Bennet Rutger , Eriksson Margareta , Petrini Björn 
Published: September 2010

AbstractAim:  To present our experience of nerve dysfunction following surgical treatment among 126 children with microbiologically verified non‐tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lymphadenitis.Methods:  We retrieved data from medical records, and a questionnaire with an invitation to a clinical follow‐up was returned by 88 families.Results:  The time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was more than 3 months in 24% of subjects. Mycobacterium avium complex was isolated from 105, Mycobacterium malmoense from 12 and Mycobacterium scrofulaceum from one cervical lymph node. A total of 89% of the children underwent surgery and were examined in particular with regard to cranial motor nerve functions. Major persisting nerve dysfunction occurred in 3/51 (6%) children who underwent radical surgery, and minor dysfunction in seven (14%). In nine children, the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve was affected, and the accessory nerve was affected in one child. There were no neurological signs in 25 children treated with incision and drainage alone or in 12 followed with observation alone. Healing took >6 months in 2/76 (3%) surgically treated and 3/12 (25%) non‐surgically treated children.Conclusion:  Considering the risk of nerve dysfunction following extirpation, incision with drainage and observation alone should both be included among the management options for cervical NTM lymphadenitis in children.
Active and regulatory sites of cytosolic 5′‐nucleotidase
Authors: Pesi Rossana , Allegrini Simone , Careddu Maria Giovanna , Filoni Daniela Nicole , Camici Marcella , Tozzi Maria Grazia 
Published: September 2010

Cytosolic 5′‐nucleotidase (cN‐II), which acts preferentially on 6‐hydroxypurine nucleotides, is essential for the survival of several cell types. cN‐II catalyses both the hydrolysis of nucleotides and transfer of their phosphate moiety to a nucleoside acceptor through formation of a covalent phospho‐intermediate. Both activities are regulated by a number of phosphorylated compounds, such as diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A), ADP, ATP, 2,3‐bisphosphoglycerate (BPG) and phosphate. On the basis of a partial crystal structure of cN‐II, we mutated two residues located in the active site, Y55 and T56. We ascertained that the ability to catalyse the transfer of phosphate depends on the presence of a bulky residue in the active site very close to the aspartate residue that forms the covalent phospho‐intermediate. The molecular model indicates two possible sites at which adenylic compounds may interact. We mutated three residues that mediate interaction in the first activation site (R144, N154, I152) and three in the second (F127, M436 and H428), and found that Ap4A and ADP interact with the same site, but the sites for ATP and BPG remain uncertain. The structural model indicates that cN‐II is a homotetrameric protein that results from interaction through a specific interface B of two identical dimers that have arisen from interaction of two identical subunits through interface A. Point mutations in the two interfaces and gel‐filtration experiments indicated that the dimer is the smallest active oligomerization state. Finally, gel‐filtration and light‐scattering experiments demonstrated that the native enzyme exists as a tetramer, and no further oligomerization is required for enzyme activation.Structured digital abstract
MINT‐8011572: cN‐II (uniprotkb:O46411) and cN‐II (uniprotkb:O46411) bind (MI:0407) by dynamic light scattering (MI:0038)
MINT‐8011493, MINT‐8011481: cN‐II (uniprotkb:O46411) and cN‐II (uniprotkb:O46411) bind (MI:0407) by molecular sieving (MI:0071)
Impact of Lipid Apheresis on Egr‐1, c‐Jun, c‐Fos, and Hsp70 Gene Expression in White Blood Cells
Authors: Schettler Volker , Völker Katrin , Schulz Egbert G , Wieland Eberhard 
Published: September 2010

AbstractLipid apheresis treatment has been suggested to cause oxidative stress. Cells respond to oxidative stress in many ways, including, among others, altered gene expressions. In the present investigation we investigated whether the gene expression of known stress genes was affected in the WBCs of patients undergoing lipid apheresis. For this purpose cellular early‐growth‐response gene‐1 (Egr‐1), c‐Jun, c‐Fos, and heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) mRNA expression was followed before and immediately after lipid apheresis treatments (N = 24). Gene expression was determined by quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. With the exception of c‐Fos, the expression of Egr‐1, c‐Jun, and Hsp70 mRNA was not affected in WBCs by a single lipid apheresis treatment (median [16th percentile; 84th percentile]): Egr‐1, before 0.30 (0.13; 0.53), after 0.31 (0.14; 1.33); c‐Jun, before 0.03 (0.03; 0.16), after 0.05 (0.03; 0.18); Hsp70, before 0.49 (0.23; 1.07), after 0.53 (0.20; 1.61)). Expression of c‐Fos was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) after lipid apheresis treatment (before 2.18 [1.06; 5.27], after 1.65 [0.74; 4.12]). Hsp70 and c‐Fos expression in lipid apheresis patients was not different from that in 35 healthy blood donors, whereas Egr‐1 and c‐Jun were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in lipid apheresis patients when compared to controls (Egr‐1 0.96 [0.42; 1.83], c‐Jun 0.64 [0.40; 0.98], c‐Fos 2.77 [1.32; 4,02], Hsp70 0.43 [0.28; 0.61]). These results show that lipid apheresis procedures do not induce stress gene expression in WBCs. Therefore, all the lipid apheresis systems used seem to be safe with respect to oxidative stress and other injuries induced in WBCs due to contact with extracorporeal tubing and membranes.
Constraining the low-mass end of the initial mass function with gravitational lensing
Authors: Ferreras Ignacio , Saha Prasenjit , Leier Dominik , Courbin Frédéric , Falco Emilio E. 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
The low-mass end of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) is constrained by focusing on the baryon-dominated central regions of strong lensing galaxies. We study in this Letter the Einstein Cross (Q2237+0305), a z= 0.04 barred galaxy whose bulge acts as lens on a background quasar. The positions of the four quasar images constrain the surface mass density on the lens plane, whereas the surface brightness (H-band HST/NICMOS imaging) along with deep spectroscopy of the lens (VLT/FORS1) allows us to constrain the stellar mass content, for a range of IMFs. We find that a classical single power law (Salpeter IMF) predicts more stellar mass than the observed lensing estimates. This result is confirmed at the 99 per cent confidence level, and is robust to systematic effects due to the choice of population synthesis models, the presence of dust or the complex disc/bulge population mix. Our non-parametric methodology is more robust than kinematic estimates, as we do not need to make any assumptions about the dynamical state of the galaxy or its decomposition into bulge and disc. Over a range of low-mass power-law slopes (with Salpeter being Γ=+ 1.35) we find that at a 90 per cent confidence level, slopes Γ &gt; 0 are ruled out.
Beyond the fear of discretion: Flexibility, performance, and accountability in the management of regulatory bureaucracies
Authors: Pires Roberto R. C. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThis study explores the implications of different approaches to performance management for inspection work and regulatory outcomes. It assesses to what extent variations in methods for controlling discretion explain why in some cases regulatory inspectors limit themselves to the narrow boundaries of their formal mandate, while in other cases they work collaboratively with inspected firms and other organizations to develop innovative strategies that solve complex regulatory and business problems. After reviewing alternative approaches to the management of discretion, I present a natural experiment that offered an opportunity for controlled comparisons of two current attempts to reconcile bureaucratic performance with accountability: New Public Management and Experimentalist Governance. Case comparisons in the area of labor inspection in Brazil – involving severance payments, fraudulent cooperatives, and safety in construction – suggest that these two approaches to the management of regulatory bureaucracies produce considerably different inspection strategies and regulatory outcomes. The different accountability mechanisms and investigation strategies inspired by each of these approaches create different sets of incentives with direct effects on inspectors' motivation and their ability to resolve compliance problems.
Myxococcus xanthus induces actinorhodin overproduction and aerial mycelium formation by Streptomyces coelicolor
Authors: Pérez Juana , Muñoz‐Dorado José , Braña Alfredo F. , Shimkets Lawrence J. , Sevillano Laura , Santamaría Ramón I. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryInteraction of the predatory myxobacterium Myxococcus xanthus with the non‐motile, antibiotic producer Streptomyces coelicolor was examined using a variety of experimental approaches. Myxococcus xanthus cells prey on S. coelicolor, forming streams of ordered cells that lyse the S. coelicolor hyphae in the contact area between the two colonies. The interaction increases actinorhodin production by S. coelicolor up to 20‐fold and triggers aerial mycelium production. Other bacteria are also able to induce these processes in S. coelicolor though to a lesser extent. These studies offer new clues about the expression of genes that remain silent or are expressed at low level in axenic cultures and open the possibility of overproducing compounds of biotechnological interest by using potent inducers synthesized by other bacteria.
Characterization of a silent sesquiterpenoid biosynthetic pathway in Streptomyces avermitilis controlling epi‐isozizaene albaflavenone biosynthesis and isolation of a new oxidized epi‐isozizaene metabolite
Authors: Takamatsu Satoshi , Lin Xin , Nara Ayako , Komatsu Mamoru , Cane David E , Ikeda Haruo 
Published: September 2010

SummaryThe genome‐sequenced, Gram‐positive bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis harbours an orthologue (SAV_3032) of the previously identified epi‐isozizaene synthase (SCO5222) in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). The sav3032 is translationally coupled with the downstream sav3031 gene encoding the cytochrome P450 CYP170A2 analogous to SCO5223 (CYP170A1) of S. coelicolor A3(2), which exhibits a similar translation coupling. Streptomyces avermitilis did not produce epi‐isozizaene or any of its oxidized derivatives, albaflavenols and albaflavenone, under in any culture conditions examined. Nonetheless, recombinant SAV_3032 protein expressed in Escherichia coli catalysed the Mg2+‐dependent cyclization of farnesyl diphosphate to epi‐isozizaene. To effect the production of epi‐isozizaene in S. avermitilis, the sav3032 gene was cloned and placed under control of a copy of the native S. avermitilis promoter rpsJp (sav4925). The derived expression construct was introduced by transformation into a large‐deletion mutant of S. avermitilis SUKA16 and the resulting transformants accumulated epi‐isozizaene. The previously characterized oxidized epi‐isozizaene metabolites (4R)‐ and (4S)‐albaflavenols and albaflavenone, as well as a previously undescribed doubly oxidized epi‐isozizaene derivative were isolated from cultures of S. avermitilis SUKA16 transformants in which sav3032 was coexpressed with the P450‐encoding sav3031. This new metabolite was identified as 4β,5β‐epoxy‐2‐epi‐zizaan‐6β‐ol which is most likely formed by oxidation of (4S)‐albaflavenol.
Taxon‐specific PCR for DNA barcoding arthropod prey in bat faeces
Authors: ZEALE MATT R. K. , BUTLIN ROGER K. , BARKER GARY L. A. , LEES DAVID C. , JONES GARETH 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe application of DNA barcoding to dietary studies allows prey taxa to be identified in the absence of morphological evidence and permits a greater resolution of prey identity than is possible through direct examination of faecal material. For insectivorous bats, which typically eat a great diversity of prey and which chew and digest their prey thoroughly, DNA‐based approaches to diet analysis may provide the only means of assessing the range and diversity of prey within faeces. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of DNA barcoding in determining the diets of bat species that specialize in eating different taxa of arthropod prey. We designed and tested a novel taxon‐specific primer set and examined the performance of short barcode sequences in resolving prey species. We recovered prey DNA from all faecal samples and subsequent cloning and sequencing of PCR products, followed by a comparison of sequences to a reference database, provided species‐level identifications for 149/207 (72%) clones. We detected a phylogenetically broad range of prey while completely avoiding detection of nontarget groups. In total, 37 unique prey taxa were identified from 15 faecal samples. A comparison of DNA data with parallel morphological analyses revealed a close correlation between the two methods. However, the sensitivity and taxonomic resolution of the DNA method were far superior. The methodology developed here provides new opportunities for the study of bat diets and will be of great benefit to the conservation of these ecologically important predators.
Genetic and morphologic features for melanoma classification
Authors: Broekaert Sigrid M. C. , Roy Ritu , Okamoto Ichiro , van den Oord Joost , Bauer Jürgen , Garbe Claus , Barnhill Raymond L. , Busam Klaus J. , Cochran Alistair J. , Cook Martin G. , Elder David E. , McCarthy Stanley W. , Mihm Martin C. , Schadendorf Dirk , Scolyer Richard A. , Spatz Alan , Bastian Boris C. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryMelanoma is comprised of biologically distinct subtypes. The defining clinical, histomorphologic, and molecular features are not fully established. This study sought to validate the association between genetic and histomorphologic features previously described and to determine their reproducibility and association with important clinical variables. Detailed clinical and histomorphologic features of 365 primary cutaneous melanomas were assessed by 11 pathologists and correlated with mutation status of BRAF and NRAS. There was substantial agreement in the quantitative assessment of histomorphologic features showing similar or better interobserver reproducibility than the established World Health Organization classification scheme. We confirmed that melanomas with BRAF mutations showed characteristic morphologic features (P < 0.0001) and metastasized more frequently to regional lymph nodes (P = 0.046). Importantly, melanomas without mutations were a heterogeneous group, with a subset having very similar clinical and morphological features as those with BRAF mutation raising the possibility that they are biologically related. Our study confirms an association between histomorphologic features, mutation status, and pattern of metastasis, providing criteria for a refined melanoma classification aimed at defining biologically homogeneous disease subgroups.
Humpback whales harbour a combination of specific and variable skin bacteria
Authors: Apprill Amy , Mooney T. Aran , Lyman Edward , Stimpert Alison K. , Rappé Michael S. 
Published: September 2010

SummaryInvestigations of marine mammal skin‐associated microbiota are limited to cultivation‐based studies of lesioned individuals, resulting in a lack of understanding about the composition of ‘normal’ skin‐associated microbial communities, their variation among individuals, and whether or not the microbial communities change with host health or environmental exposures. In this study, bacterial communities associated with the skin of 19 North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), including skin from three health‐compromised individuals, were examined using small subunit ribosomal RNA gene‐based culture‐independent techniques. These analyses revealed that the skin‐associated bacteria were significantly different from free‐living bacterial communities in the surrounding seawater. Two novel groups within the Flavobacteriaceae family of the Bacteroidetes phylum were found to be associated with multiple whales, including a species within the Tenacibaculum genus that associated with 95% of the individuals. Statistical analyses revealed that a group of eight ‘healthy’ whales harboured similar microbial communities, while the health‐compromised and other ‘healthy’ animals harboured communities that were unique to the specific animal. These results describe two components of the whale skin bacterial community: a specific and potentially co‐evolved fraction, and a more variable microbial community fraction that may offer a diagnostic‐type tool for investigating the health and life‐related events of these endangered animals.
Isolated splenic metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Alloubi Ihsan , Bourhaleb Zouhour , Harroudi Tijani 
Published: September 2010

AbstractSplenic metastasis from lung cancer is uncommon, and isolated metastasis to the spleen is extremely rare event. Most often they are part of widespread metastatic disease and usually reported at autopsy. We report an exceedingly rare case of metastatic involvement of the spleen in an operated case of lung adenocarcinoma in a 58‐year‐old man diagnosed 12 months after resection.