bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical Implications of an Aberrant Right Hepatic Artery in Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy
Authors: Lee Jae‐Myeong , Lee Young‐Joo , Kim Chan‐Wook , Moon Ki‐Miung , Kim Myung‐Wook 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackgroundSometimes, it seems to be difficult to preserve the aberrant hepatic artery (HA) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), with respect to en bloc lymph node dissection, especially in the case of aberrant right hepatic artery (RHA). Therefore, we evaluated the influence of incomplete en bloc lymph node (LN) dissection when aberrant RHA arises.MethodsWe reviewed 103 patients with mid‐to‐distal common bile duct (CBD) cancers who underwent PD by one surgeon at Asan Medical Center from December 1994 to November 2005 (73 men, 30 women; mean age, 61.1 ± 9.4 (range: 40–84) years). The mean follow‐up period was 32.7 months. We compared the normal RHA group with the aberrant RHA group.ResultsEighty‐eight cases showed normal RHA anatomy, including nine cases (8.7%) of aberrant left hepatic artery (LHA) with normal RHA cases (normal HA group). RHA anomalies were observed in 15 cases (14.6%, aberrant HA group). In all cases, there was no direct invasion of cancer to aberrant HA. Among two groups, 43 cases (41.7%) showed recurrence and there was no significant difference in recurrence between two groups (p = 0.202). Three‐year and 5‐year overall survivals were 33.3% and 28.5% in the normal HA group, whereas 47.1% and 28.3% in the aberrant RHA group, respectively. There also was no statistically significant difference in survival (p = 0.763).ConclusionsWhen performing PD for CBD cancer, aberrant RHA should be preserved if there was no cancerous invasion and it does not seem to affect the recurrence of disease and overall survival of patients.
Surface Plasmon Resonance from Bimetallic Interface in Au–Ag Core–Shell Structure Nanowires
Authors: Zhu Jian 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Transverse surface plasmon resonances (SPR) in Au–Ag and Ag–Au core–shell structure nanowires have been investigated by means of quasi-static theory. There are two kinds of SPR bands resulting from the outer surface of wall metal and the interface between core and wall metals, respectively. The SPR corresponding to the interface, which is similar to that of alloy particle, decreases and shifts obviously with increasing the wall thickness. However, the SPR corresponding to the outer surface, which is similar to that of pure metal particle, increases and shifts slightly with increasing the wall thickness. A mechanism based on oscillatory surface electrons under coulombic attraction is developed to illuminate the shift fashion of SPR from bimetallic core–shell interface. The net charges and extra coulombic force in metallic wall affect the SPR energy and the shift fashion.
Effect of Bilayer Phospholipid Composition and Curvature on Ligand Transfer by the α‐Tocopherol Transfer Protein
Authors: Zhang Wen Xiao , Frahm Grant , Morley Samantha , Manor Danny , Atkinson Jeffrey 
Published: May 2009

AbstractWe report here our preliminary investigations on the mechanism of α‐TTP‐mediated ligand transfer as assessed using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays. These assays monitor the movement of the model α‐tocopherol fluorescent derivative ((R)‐2,5,7,8‐tetramethyl‐chroman‐2‐[9‐(7‐nitro‐benzo[1,2,5]oxadiazol‐4‐yl amino)‐nonyl]‐chroman‐6‐ol; NBD‐Toc) from protein to acceptor vesicles containing the fluorescence quencher TRITC‐PE. We have found that α‐TTP utilizes a collisional mechanism of ligand transfer requiring direct protein–membrane contact, that rates of ligand transfer are greater to more highly curved lipid vesicles, and that such rates are insensitive to the presence of anionic phospholipids in the acceptor membrane. These results point to hydrophobic features of α‐TTP dominating the binding energy between protein and membrane.
Effects of maternal separation on dynamics of urocortin 1 and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor in the rat non‐preganglionic Edinger‐Westphal nucleus
Authors: Gaszner Balázs , Jensen Kai‐Ole , Farkas József , Reglődi Dóra , Csernus Valér , Roubos Eric W. , Kozicz Tamás 
Published: May 2009

AbstractAlthough mood disorders are frequently genetically determined and to some degree gender‐dependent, the concept of early life ‘programming’, implying a relation between perinatal environmental events and adult mood disorders, has recently gained considerable attention. In particular, maternal separation (MS) markedly affects various stress‐sensitive brain centers. Therefore, MS is considered as a suitable experimental paradigm to study how early life events affect brain plasticity and, hence, cause psychopathologies like major depression. In adult mammals, the classical hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA‐) axis and the urocortin 1 (Ucn1)‐containing non‐preganglionic Edinger‐Westphal nucleus (npEW) respond in opposite ways to chronic stressors. This raises the hypothesis that MS, which is known to increase vulnerability for adult mood disorders via the dysregulation of the HPA‐axis, will affect npEW dynamics as well. We have tested this hypothesis and, moreover, studied a possible role of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in such npEW plasticity. By triple immunocytochemistry we show that BDNF and Ucn1 coexist in rat npEW‐neurons that are c‐Fos‐positive upon acute stress. Quantitative immunocytochemistry revealed that MS increases the contents of Ucn1 and BDNF in these cells. Furthermore, in males and females, the c‐Fos response of npEW‐Ucn1 neurons upon restraint stress was blunted in animals with MS history, a phenomenon that was concomitant with dampening of the HPA corticosterone response in females but not in males. Based on these data we suggest that the BDNF‐containing npEW‐Ucn1 system might be affected by MS in a sex‐specific manner. This supports the idea that the npEW would play a role in the appearance of sex differences in the pathogenesis of stress‐induced mood disorders.
With suspicious (but happy) minds: Mood's ability to neutralize the effects of suspicion on persuasion
Authors: DeCarlo Thomas E. , Barone Michael J. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractAlthough investigations into the independent effects of mood and suspicion are plentiful, work examining their interactive impact on persuasion is nonexistent. To address this void in the literature, we consider how positive mood can affect the influence of suspicion on persuasion. In doing so, we investigate the potential for positive mood to neutralize the suspicion that consumers associate with sales agents in an interpersonal persuasion context. Two studies provide converging evidence of this neutralization effect. The theoretical implications of these findings are discussed as are avenues for future work in this area.
Evaluating greenhouse gas mitigation practices in livestock systems: an illustration of a whole-farm approach
Authors: STEWART A. A. , LITTLE S. M. , OMINSKI K. H. , WITTENBERG K. M. , JANZEN H. H. 
Published: May 2009

SUMMARYAs agriculture contributes about 0·08 of Canada's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, reducing agricultural emissions would significantly decrease total Canadian GHG output. Evaluating mitigation practices is not always easy because of the complexity of farming systems in which one change may affect many processes and associated emissions. The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of selected management practices on net whole-farm emissions, expressed in CO2equivalents (CO2e) from a beef production system, as estimated for hypothetical farms at four disparate locations in western Canada. Whole-farm emissions (t CO2e) per unit of protein output (t) of 11 management systems (Table 2) were compared for each farm using a model based, in part, on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) equations. Compared with the baseline management scenario, maintaining cattle on alfalfa-grass pastures showed the largest decrease (0·53–1·08 t CO2e/t protein) in emissions for all locations. Feeding lower quality forage over winter showed the greatest increase in emissions per unit protein on the southern Alberta (S.AB) and northern Alberta (N.AB) farms, with increases of 1·36 and 2·22 t CO2e/t protein, respectively. Eliminating the fertilization of forages resulted in the largest increase (4·20 t CO2e/t protein) in emissions per unit protein on the Saskatchewan (SK) farm, while reducing the fertilizer rate by half for all crops showed the largest increase (11·40 t CO2e/t protein) on the Manitoba (MB) farm. The findings, while approximate, illustrate the importance of considering all GHGs simultaneously, and show that practices which best reduce emissions may vary among locations. The findings also suggest merit in comparing emissions on the basis of CO2e per unit of protein exported off-farm, rather than on the basis of total CO2e or CO2e per hectare.
Measuring voice outcomes: state of the science review
Authors: Carding P N , Wilson J A , MacKenzie K , Deary I J 
Published: May 2009

AbstractResearchers evaluating voice disorder interventions currently have a plethora of voice outcome measurement tools from which to choose. Faced with such a wide choice, it would be beneficial to establish a clear rationale to guide selection. This article reviews the published literature on the three main areas of voice outcome assessment: (1) perceptual rating of voice quality, (2) acoustic measurement of the speech signal and (3) patient self-reporting of voice problems. We analysed the published reliability, validity, sensitivity to change and utility of the common outcome measurement tools in each area. From the data, we suggest that routine voice outcome measurement should include (1) an expert rating of voice quality (using the Grade-Roughness-Breathiness-Asthenia-Strain rating scale) and (2) a short self-reporting tool (either the Vocal Performance Questionnaire or the Vocal Handicap Index 10). These measures have high validity, the best reported reliability to date, good sensitivity to change data and excellent utility ratings. However, their application and administration require attention to detail. Acoustic measurement has arguable validity and poor reliability data at the present time. Other areas of voice outcome measurement (e.g. stroboscopy and aerodynamic phonatory measurements) require similarly detailed research and analysis.
Ancient schwannoma of the oesophagus presenting with stridor: case report
Authors: George M , Augustine A M , Mathew J , Cherian V T , Cherian V K 
Published: May 2009

AbstractObjective:We report a rare presentation of ancient schwannoma of the oesophagus, management of which required tracheal resection.Case report:A 40-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a six-year history of progressively worsening stridor. She had undergone laser excision of a tracheal tumour thrice in the past. Fibre-optic bronchoscopy showed a tumour arising from the posterior wall of the trachea. Computed tomography scanning showed evidence of extension along the retrotracheal plane. The patient required tracheal resection and anastomosis due to significant involvement of the posterior tracheal wall. The mass was seen to be arising from the oesophagus, and was able to be enucleated from the oesophageal wall. Histopathology was typical of an ancient schwannoma.Conclusion:This case emphasises the need to consider oesophageal schwannomas in the differential diagnosis of posterior tracheal tumours; it also highlights the need for careful pre-operative assessment in the management of these tumours in order to avoid complications.
In vitroactivities of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole against otomycotic fungal pathogens
Authors: Yenişehirli G , Bulut Y , Güven M , Günday E 
Published: May 2009

AbstractObjective:To determine the causative pathogens of otomycosis, and to evaluate thein vitroactivity of antifungal agents against these pathogens.Materials and methods:A total of 96 fungal isolate were taken from 92 patients suspected of otomycosis. Thein vitroactivity of fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole against otomycotic pathogens was tested using the E-test method.Results:The most common pathogen wasAspergillus fumigatus(40.6 per cent), followed byA niger(35.4 per cent),A flavus(12.5 per cent) andCandida albicans(11.5 per cent). AllAspergillusspecies were found to be resistant to fluconazole (minimum inhibitory concentration ≥256 µg/ml). The mean minimum inhibitory concentrations of voriconazole forA fumigatus,A niger,A flavusandC albicanswere significantly lower than those of itraconazole for the same pathogens.Conclusion:This study found that the most common otomycotic fungal pathogen wasA fumigatus, and that voriconazole had more potentin vitroactivity than itraconazole against allAspergillusspecies as well as againstC albicans.
Case of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerves
Authors: Yang Y S , No S K , Choi S C , Hong K H 
Published: May 2009

AbstractObjective:We report an extremely rare case of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve.Method:We present a case report and a review of the world literature concerning ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve.Results:The presence of a coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve is a very rare embryological aberration which is associated with a right subclavian artery originating from the aortic arch. We report a case of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerves associated with this vascular anomaly.Conclusion:The surgeon must be aware of the possibility of coexisting, ipsilateral nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve, and thus must trace the nerve in its entirety. Occasionally, what appears to be a nonrecurrent inferior laryngeal nerve will actually be a communicating branch between the recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve and the oesophageal or sympathetic ganglia. If such a neurological variant is present, the consequences of careless dissection could include not only vocal fold paralysis but also dysphagia (if the pharyngeal and oesophageal branches of nonrecurrent or recurrent inferior laryngeal nerve are injured).
Patient quality of life with bone-anchored hearing aid: 10-year experience in Glasgow, Scotland
Authors: Mace A T M , Isa A , Cooke L D 
Published: May 2009

AbstractObjectives:This study aimed to ascertain the usefulness of the bone-anchored hearing aid and its impact on the quality of life of patients fitted in Glasgow between 1996 and 2006.Method:The Entific Medical Systems questionnaire and the Glasgow Benefit Inventory were posted to patients in order to assess their satisfaction and quality of life changes.Results:Sixty adult patients were identified, with a questionnaire response rate of 63 per cent. Thirty-two respondents (85 per cent) reported using their bone-anchored hearing aid for more than eight hours per day. Twenty-nine respondents (75 per cent) found their bone-anchored hearing aid to be generally better than their previous, conventional aid. Twenty-seven respondents (71 per cent) reported that their bone-anchored hearing aid improved their quality of life. The median total Glasgow Benefit Inventory score was +33.3.Conclusions:Bone-anchored hearing aid usage rates and satisfaction levels were high amongst patients in Glasgow. Glasgow Benefit Inventory indices were comparable to published findings from other centres. Despite this, bone-anchored hearing aid funding is still not universally available within the National Health Service in Scotland.
Negotiation criteria for multiagent resource allocation
Authors: Iyer Karthik , Huhns Michael N. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractNegotiation in a multiagent system is a topic of active interest for enabling the allocation of scarce resources among autonomous agents. This paper presents a discussion of the research on negotiationcriteria, which puts in context the contributions to resource allocation from the fields of economics, mathematics, and multiagent systems. We group the criteria based on how they relate to each other as well as their historical origin. In addition, we present three new criteria: verifiability, dimensionality, and topology. The criteria are organized into five categories. The allocation category contains criteria concerning fairness and envy-freeness with respect to how resources are allocated to agents. The protocol category covers criteria for stability, strategy-proofness, and communication costs. The procedure category includes criteria about the complexity of allocation procedures. The resource category has criteria for the properties that various resources can take and how they affect allocation. The paper concludes with a discussion of the criteria for agent utility functions. The overall objectives of this paper are (1) to create a starting point for protocol engineering by future negotiation designers and (2) to enumerate the criteria and their measures that enable negotiation and allocation mechanisms to be compared objectively.
Impact during the proterozoic era possibly inundated the earth with phosphorus
Authors: Sisodia M.S. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe stromatolites of the Precambrian Aravalli Supergroup outcropping around Udaipur, Rajasthan, India are classified into two distinct lithofacies: the older carbonate stromatolites facies and the younger phosphate-bearing stromatolite facies. Phosphate-bearing stromatolites of the same age have been reported from China, Russia and Australia. The phosphate-bearing stromatolites of Udaipur show fossil cyanobacteria. These cyanobacteria grew luxuriantly in the absence of any competitors and accumulated abnormal amounts of phosphorus from the novo phosphorus-rich environment, eventually forming a workable phosphate deposit owing to their post-mortem alteration. There is a sharp and abrupt contact between the two facies. This sharp contact or diastem underlying the phosphate-bearing stromatolites is of extreme importance as it denotes a stratigraphic hiatus characterizing a period of overall change in the environment. This change could be due to some catastrophic episode. The Earth during its geologic history has been subjected to several such episodes caused by certain high-energy events, such as impacts by extraterrestrial bodies. These impacts caused mass extinctions as occurred at the Permian–Triassic or Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary or the emergence of new flora and fauna as occurred at the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary. It is therefore argued that the diastem noted between carbonate and phosphate-bearing stromatolites is possibly due to an impact that inundated the Earth with phosphorus. Phosphorus is a key constituent of proteins, which are the major repository of chemical energy for metabolism. Its abundance after this event triggered the emergence of new advanced species.
Integrating Text Mining into the MGI Biocuration Workflow
Authors: Dowell Karen , McAndrews-Hill Monica , Hill David , Drabkin Harold , Blake Judith 
Published: May 2009

AbstractA major challenge for the development of resources for functional and comparative genomics is the extraction of data from the biomedical literature. Although text retrieval and extraction for biological data is an active research field, few applications have been integrated into production literature curation systems such as those of the model organism databases.In September 2008, Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) at The Jackson Lab initiated a search for dictionary-based text mining tools that we could integrate into our curation workflow. MGI has rigorous document triage and annotation procedures designed to identify articles about mouse genome biology and determine whether those articles should be curated. We currently screens approximately 1000 journal articles a month for Gene Ontology terms, gene mapping, gene expression, phenotype data and other key biological information. Although we don’t foresee that human curation tasks can be fully automated in the near future, we are eager to implement entity name recognition and gene tagging tools that can help streamline our curation workflow and simplify gene indexing tasks in the MGI system. In this presentation, we discuss our search process and the steps we took to identify a short list of potential tools for further evaluation. We present our performance metrics and success criteria, and pilot projects in progress. The primary applications under current review are Fraunhofer SCAI’s ProMiner and NCBO’s Open-Biomedical Annotator.
Production of reactive oxygen species, impairment of photosynthetic function and dynamic changes in mitochondria are early events in cadmium‐induced cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Bi YuHua , Chen WenLi , Zhang WeiNa , Zhou Quan , Yun LiJuan , Xing Da 
Published: May 2009

Background information. Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal that causes changes in plant metabolism through inhibiting photosynthesis and respiration. The effects of Cd on the morphology and function of the chloroplast and mitochondria, as well as on the production and localization of ROS (reactive oxygen species), were studied at the single‐cell level in Arabidopsis.Results. The present study showed that the morphology of chloroplasts changed after Cd treatment, and the photochemical efficiency dramatically declined prior to obvious morphological distortion in the chloroplasts. A quick burst of ROS was detected after Cd treatment. The ROS appeared first in the mitochondria and subsequently in the chloroplast. Simultaneously, the mitochondria clumped irregularly around the chloroplasts or aggregated in the cytoplasm, and the movement of mitochondria was concomitantly blocked. Furthermore, the production of ROS was decreased after pre‐treatment with ascorbic acid or catalase, which prevented inhibition of photosynthesis, organelle changes and subsequent protoplast death. Our results suggest that the distribution and mobility of mitochondria, the morphology of chloroplasts and the accumulation of ROS play important roles in Cd‐induced cell death. The results are in good agreement with previous reports of many types of apoptotic‐like cell death.Conclusion. The changes in the distribution and mobility of mitochondria, and morphology of chloroplasts, as well as the accumulation of ROS, play important roles in Cd‐induced cell death.
Copper(I)-mediated protein–protein interactions result from suboptimal interaction surfaces
Authors: Banci Lucia , Bertini Ivano , Calderone Vito , Della-Malva Nunzia , Felli Isabella C. , Neri Sara , Pavelkova Anna , Rosato Antonio 
Published: May 2009

The homoeostasis of metal ions in cells is the result of the contribution of several cellular pathways that involve transient, often weak, protein–protein interactions. Metal transfer typically implies the formation of adducts where the metal itself acts as a bridge between proteins, by co-ordinating residues of both interacting partners. In the present study we address the interaction between the human copper(I)-chaperone HAH1 (human ATX1 homologue) and a metal-binding domain in one of its partners, namely the P-type copper-transporting ATPase, ATP7A (ATPase, Cu+ transporting, α polypeptide). The adduct was structurally characterized in solution, in the presence of copper(I), and through X-ray crystallography, upon replacing copper(I) with cadmium(II). Further insight was obtained through molecular modelling techniques and site-directed mutagenesis. It was found that the interaction involves a relatively small interface (less than 1000 Å2, 1 Å=0.1 nm) with a low fraction of non-polar atoms. These observations provide a possible explanation for the low affinity of the two apoproteins. It appears that electrostatics is important in selecting which domain of the ATPase is able to form detectable amounts of the metal-mediated adduct with HAH1.