bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Feeding infants with CHD with breast milk: Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study
Authors: Tandberg B. S. , Ystrom E. , Vollrath M. E. , Holmstrøm H. 
Published: February 2010

AbstractObjective:  To explore the prevalence of breast milk feeding (BMF) of infants with congenital heart defects (CHD) during first 6 months of life, as compared with general population.Design:  The study is based on a subsample of the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted by Norwegian Institute of Public Health. A total of 60 600 mothers completed a questionnaire about infant feeding at 6 months postpartum. Infants with moderate/severe CHD (n = 131) were identified using nationwide CHD registry. A group of infants with CHD with comorbidity was also defined (n = 65). BMF was classified as predominant, continued, or no BMF. Month to month feeding status was analysed by means of Cox regression analyses.Results:  Between child age 2–6 months, mothers of infants with CHD had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.69 of weaning their child compared with mothers of controls. Mothers of infants with CHD with comorbidity weaned at an even faster rate (HR 3.54). At age 6 months, 9.9% of infants with CHD were fed with breast milk predominately, 64.1% continued to receive breast milk, and only 26% were fed no breast milk. For infants with CHD with comorbidity, corresponding percentages were 7.7%, 43.1% and 49.2%, respectively.Conclusions:  Although CHD alone and particularly CHD with comorbidity increased risk that mothers wean earlier, a relatively high rate of continued breastfeeding was maintained. Future studies should investigate factors that support continued BMF even in the most severely affected children with CHD.
Cytokine gene polymorphisms and sudden infant death syndrome
Authors: Ferrante L , Opdal SH , Vege Å , Rognum TO 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim:  Several studies indicate that the mucosal immune system is stimulated in cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and our hypothesis is that this immune reaction is because of an unfavourable combination of functional polymorphisms in the cytokine genes.Methods:  Thus, in this study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes encoding IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐12, IL‐13, IL‐16, IL‐18 and IFNγ were investigated in 148 SIDS cases, 56 borderline SIDS cases, 41 cases of infectious death and 131 controls.Results:  Regarding genotype distribution, no differences between the investigated groups were found. However, in the SIDS group, the genotypes IL‐8 −251AA/AT and IL‐8 −781CT/TT were significantly more frequent in the SIDS cases found dead in a prone sleeping position, compared with SIDS cases found dead in other sleeping positions. In addition, there was an association between fever prior to death and the genotype IL‐13 +4464GG in the cases of infectious death.Conclusion:  This study indicates that specific interleukin genotypes are a part of a genetic make up that make infants sleeping prone at risk for SIDS.
Pain management during eye examinations for retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants: a systematic review
Authors: Sun X. , Lemyre B , Barrowman N , O’Connor M 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim:  To assess whether non‐pharmacological and/or pharmacological measures lead to decreased pain during an eye examination in preterm infants.Methods:  .Design:  Systematic review.Subjects:  Premature infants meeting the criteria for screening eye examination for retinopathy.Intervention:  Databases were searched through the Ovid interface. Randomized and quasi‐randomized controlled trials were included. Data were assessed independently by three reviewers.Main outcome measures:  Pain assessed by Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) or physiological changes.Results:  Eight studies were included and grouped according to intervention: oral sucrose (group 1), anaesthetic eye drops (group 2) and non‐pharmacological measures (group 3). For group 1, the mean PIPP score with sucrose was 1.38 (WMD) (95% CI: 0.41–2.35) lower than that of placebo (p = 0.005). For group 2, one study showed a reduction of two points on the PIPP score with topical proparacaine, whereas another showed no benefit. For group 3, developmental care improved developmental scores and salivary cortisol in one study.Conclusion:  Sucrose reduced pain during the eye examination, whereas the efficacy of proparacaine was not consistent in the studies included. However, PIPP scores remained relatively high in all the studies; thus further research is required to delineate better pain reduction strategies.
Reduced quality of life in children with Gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease
Authors: Marlais M , Fishman JR , Köglmeier J , Fell JME , Rawat DJ 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim:  To assess self‐reported Quality of life (QoL) in children with Gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) aged 5–18 and compare this with both disease and healthy control children in a prospective consecutive sample.Methods:  All children attending a tertiary paediatric gastroenterology clinic from February 2009 to May 2009 with GORD, chronic constipation and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) were asked to complete the validated PedsQL generic QoL assessment (self‐report) at their clinic appointment. The PedsQL considers physical, emotional, social and school domains and is scored from 0 to 100. Healthy children were also recruited from the same site. Groups were compared using the independent samples Student’s t‐test.Results:  A total of 184 children completed the assessment [103 (56%) male, mean age 10.7 years ± 3.3] including 40 children with GORD, 44 with chronic constipation, 59 with IBD and 41 healthy children. QoL was significantly lower in the GORD group compared with both children with IBD (74 vs. 82) and healthy children (74 vs. 84), and was comparable to that of children with chronic constipation (74 vs. 74).Conclusions:  Self‐reported QoL in children with GORD attending a tertiary paediatric gastroenterology clinic is significantly reduced compared with both healthy children and children with IBD.
Risk indicators for hearing loss in infants treated in different Neonatal Intensive Care Units
Authors: Van Dommelen P , Mohangoo AD , Verkerk PH , Van Der Ploeg CPB , Van Straaten HLM ,   The Dutch NICU Neonatal Hearing Screening Working Group
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim: To assess which infants’ characteristics and specialized procedures are risk indicators for unilateral or bilateral hearing loss (HL) and to evaluate whether these risk indicators are associated with variation in prevalence of HL between Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).Methods: For 2002–2005, data from the NICU hearing screening database in the Netherlands were matched with the national neonatology database in which all NICU infants with their patient characteristics and specialized procedures are registered. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess risk indicators for HL and to explain differences in prevalence rates between NICUs.Results: A total of 10 830 infants were available for analyses. The prevalence of HL was 1.8% and ranged from 0.7 to 3.7% between NICUs. Infants’ characteristics that significantly increased the risk of HL were the presence of craniofacial anomalies, chomosomal/syndromal anomalies, central nervous system conditions, circulatory system conditions and intra‐uterine infections. The specialized procedures involving ≥12 days of intensive care and high frequency oxygenation ventilation were independent risk indicators for HL. Approximately 20% of the variance can be explained by the studied risk indicators. Differences in prevalence rates between NICUs were slightly reduced after adjustment for these risk indicators. NICUs with the highest prevalence rates of HL were situated in the largest cities in the Netherlands with a mixed population because of immigration. Therefore, ethnicity may be a risk indicator.Conclusions: Several independent risk indicators for HL were found, but they could not explain all differences in prevalence rates of HL between NICUs.
Self‐perceived health and burden of diabetes in teenagers with type 1 diabetes: psychometric properties of the Swedish measure ‘Check your health’
Authors: Viklund G , Wikblad K 
Published: February 2010

AbstractThe aim of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the instrument ‘Check your health’ in teenagers with type 1 diabetes. The instrument measures ‘self‐reported health’ and ‘burden of diabetes’. A convenience sample of 199 teenagers, 12–17 years of age, completed the questionnaires ‘Check your health’ and DisabKids when visiting the diabetes clinic. Forty‐seven patients completed the questionnaires at home a second time. In the reliability test, the correlation between test and retest was found to be satisfactory, (0.94–0.62, except for social burden, 0.41). Convergent validity was moderate (0.62–0.38), while the instrument showed good discriminant validity. Self‐reported health and burden of diabetes were different in boys and girls, in patients with good or poor metabolic control or who reported high and low disease severity. The domain burden of diabetes turned out to be very sensitive.Conclusion:  The instrument ‘Check your health’ showed clinical utility in teenagers with diabetes. Reliability and validity tests of the measure showed promising results in Swedish teenagers, and it can probably be used in clinical settings. To further strengthen the convergent validity, it should be compared with other QoL instruments, and to obtain normative values, it has to be used in a larger context.
Evaluation of the acceptability of a new oral vitamin K prophylaxis for breastfed infants
Authors: Strehle E‐M , Howey C , Jones R 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim:  The aim of this study was to investigate the acceptability and tolerability of the oral food supplement Neokay for the prevention of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in newborns.Methods:  A questionnaire survey was conducted among 45 midwives in which they were asked 10 questions about their use of Neokay, its advantages and disadvantages, and their perceptions of parental attitudes towards this new prophylactic treatment.Results:  During a 6‐month period one dose of Neokay was given to 1794 healthy newborns at birth and further daily doses were given to 812 breastfed infants for 3 months. The midwives listed as main advantages ease of administration, no need for prescription or written consent, and transfer of responsibility to parents. As disadvantages, they mentioned possible reduced compliance as a result of the frequency of dosing, decreased parental confidence in breastfeeding and technical issues with packaging.Conclusion:  A prophylactic vitamin K dosage regimen of 1 mg oral vitamin K (Konakion MM Paediatric or Orakay) given to all healthy neonates at birth, combined with daily doses of 50 μg Neokay for 3 months for breastfed babies is well tolerated and acceptable to midwives and parents.
Prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia associated with the haem oxygenase‐1 gene promoter polymorphism
Authors: Bozkaya OG , Kumral A , Yesilirmak DC , Ulgenalp A , Duman N , Ercal D , Ozkan H 
Published: February 2010

AbstractAim:  To elucidate the genetic factors causing hyperbilirubinaemia in prolonged jaundice of the newborns, we investigated whether the HO‐1 gene promoter polymorphism is a cause in unexplained pathological or prolonged jaundice.Methods:  Three groups were defined: healthy newborns with no clinical jaundice, newborns hospitalized for jaundice without any identifiable pathological cause and newborns with prolonged jaundice associated with breast milk. Genomic DNA was extracted from the white blood cells and the promoter region of the HO‐1 gene was amplified using PCR and their allelic repeats were determined.Results:  We did not detect any significant difference in the allele frequencies between the healthy newborns and the newborns whose serum total bilirubin levels were >12.9 mg/dL. However, the patients with short (<24 GT) dinucleotide repeat in the HO‐1 gene promoter on either allele had significantly higher prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia than the healthy newborns. There was no significant difference between the groups 2 and 3.Conclusion:  The results indicate that polymorphism of HO‐1 gene promoter region can be an underlying cause of the prolonged unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemia associated with breast milk. In this patient population, short repeat alleles of the HO‐1 gene promoter polymorphism were associated with prolonged jaundice.
Biochemical evidence for conformational changes in the cross‐talk between adenylation and peptidyl‐carrier protein domains of nonribosomal peptide synthetases
Authors: Zettler Joachim , Mootz Henning D. 
Published: February 2010

Nonribosomal peptide synthetases serve as multidomain protein templates for producing a wealth of pharmaceutically important natural products. For the correct assembly of the desired natural product the interactions between the different catalytic centres and the reaction intermediates bound to the peptidyl carrier protein must be precisely controlled at spatial and temporal levels. We have investigated the interplay between the adenylation (A) domain and the peptidyl carrier protein in the gramicidin S synthetase I (EC 5.1.1.11) via partial tryptic digests, native PAGE and gel‐filtration analysis, as well as by chemical labeling experiments. Our data imply that the 4′‐phosphopantetheine moiety of the peptidyl carrier protein changes its position as a result of a conformational change in the A domain, which is induced by the binding of an amino acyl adenylate mimic. The productive interaction between the two domains at the stage of the amino acyl transfer onto the 4′‐phosphopantetheine moiety is accompanied by a highly compact protein conformation of the holo‐protein. These results provide the first biochemical evidence for the occurrence of conformational changes in the cross‐talk between A and peptidyl carrier protein domains of a multidomain nonribosomal peptide synthetase.
A cryptochrome‐based photosensory system in the siliceous sponge Suberites domuncula (Demospongiae)
Authors: Müller Werner E. G. , Wang Xiaohong , Schröder Heinz C. , Korzhev Michael , Grebenjuk Vladislav A. , Markl Julia S. , Jochum Klaus P. , Pisignano Dario , Wiens Matthias 
Published: February 2010

Based on the light‐reactive behavior of siliceous sponges, their intriguing quartz glass‐based spicular system and the existence of a light‐generating luciferase [Müller WEG et al. (2009) Cell Mol Life Sci 66, 537–552], a protein potentially involved in light reception has been identified, cloned and recombinantly expressed from the demosponge Suberites domuncula. Its sequence displays two domains characteristic of cryptochrome, the N‐terminal photolyase‐related region and the C‐terminal FAD‐binding domain. The expression level of S. domuncula cryptochrome depends on animal’s exposure to light and is highest in tissue regions rich in siliceous spicules; in the dark, no cryptochrome transcripts/translational products are seen. From the experimental data, it is proposed that sponges might employ a luciferase‐like protein, the spicular system and a cryptochrome as the light source, optical waveguide and photosensor, respectively.
A new highly toxic protein isolated from the death capAmanita phalloidesis an l‐amino acid oxidase
Authors: Stasyk Taras , Lutsik‐Kordovsky Maxim , Wernstedt Christer , Antonyuk Volodymyr , Klyuchivska Olga , Souchelnytskyi Serhiy , Hellman Ulf , Stoika Rostyslav 
Published: February 2010

A new highly cytotoxic protein, toxophallin, was recently isolated from the fruit body of the death cap Amanita phalloides mushroom [Stasyk et al. (2008) Studia Biologica 2, 21–32]. The physico‐chemical, chemical and biological characteristics of toxophallin differ distinctly from those of another death cap toxic protein, namely phallolysin. The interaction of toxophallin with target cells is not mediated by a specific cell surface receptor. It induces chromatin condensation, as well as DNA and nucleus fragmentation, which are typical for apoptosis. However, caspase III inhibitor [benzyloxycarbonyl‐Asp(OMe)‐fluoromethylketone] did not stop toxophallin‐induced DNA fragmentation. Thus, toxophallin uses a caspase‐independent pathway of apoptosis induction. In the present study, we applied a complementary approach based on a combination of proteomics and molecular biology tools for the protein identification of toxophallin. The primary structure of toxophallin was partially studied via direct sequencing of its tryptic peptides, followed by PCR‐based cloning of the corresponding cDNA. A subsequent bioinformatic search revealed a structural homology of toxophallin with the l‐amino acid oxidase of the Laccaria bicolor mushroom. This demonstrates the usefulness of our approach for the identification of proteins in organisms with unknown genomes. We also found a broad substrate specificity of toxophallin with respect to oxidizing selected amino acids. Ascorbic acid inhibited the cytotoxic effect of toxophallin, most likely as a result of scavenging hydrogen peroxide, which is the product of oxidase catalysis. Thus, in addition to highly toxic cyclopeptides and toxic lectin phallolysin, the death cap fruit body contains another cytotoxic protein in the form of an enzyme, namely l‐amino acid oxidase.
Minor capsid proteins of mouse polyomavirus are inducers of apoptosis when produced individually but are only moderate contributors to cell death during the late phase of viral infection
Authors: Huerfano Sandra , Žíla Vojtěch , Bouřa Evžen , Španielová Hana , Štokrová Jitka , Forstová Jitka 
Published: February 2010

Minor structural proteins of mouse polyomavirus (MPyV) are essential for virus infection. To study their properties and possible contributions to cell death induction, fusion variants of these proteins, created by linking enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) to their C‐ or N‐termini, were prepared and tested in the absence of other MPyV gene products, namely the tumor antigens and the major capsid protein, VP1. The minor proteins linked to EGFP at their C‐terminus (VP2–EGFP, VP3–EGFP) were found to display properties similar to their nonfused, wild‐type versions: they killed mouse 3T3 cells quickly when expressed individually. Carrying nuclear localization signals at their common C‐terminus, the minor capsid proteins were detected in the nucleus. However, a substantial subpopulation of both VP2 and VP3 proteins, as well as of the fusion proteins VP2–EGFP and VP3–EGFP, was detected in the cytoplasm, co‐localizing with intracellular membranes. Truncated VP3 protein, composed of 103 C‐terminal amino acids, exhibited reduced affinity for intracellular membranes and cytotoxicity. Biochemical studies proved each of the minor proteins to be a very potent inducer of apoptosis, which was dependent on caspase activation. Immuno‐electron microscopy showed the minor proteins to be associated with damaged membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum, nuclear envelope and mitochondria as soon as 5 h post‐transfection. Analysis of apoptotic markers and cell death kinetics in cells transfected with the wild‐type MPyV genome and the genome mutated in both VP2 and VP3 translation start codons revealed that the minor proteins contribute moderately to apoptotic processes in the late phase of infection and both are dispensable for cell destruction at the end of the virus replication cycle.Structured digital abstract
MINT‐7386399, MINT‐7386463, MINT‐7386515: VP3 (uniprotkb:P03096‐2) and GRP94 (uniprotkb:P08113) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)
MINT‐7386328, MINT‐7386434, MINT‐7386493: VP2 (uniprotkb:P03096‐1) and GRP94 (uniprotkb:P08113) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)
MINT‐7386294, MINT‐7386413, MINT‐7386482: VP2 (uniprotkb:P03096‐1) and Lamin‐B (uniprotkb:P14733) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)
MINT‐7386354, MINT‐7386450, MINT‐7386504: VP3 (uniprotkb:P12908‐2) and Lamin‐B (uniprotkb:P14733) colocalize (MI:0403) by fluorescence microscopy (MI:0416)
Gamma-ray halo around 3C 279: looking through the Sun on the 8th of October
Authors: Fairbairn Malcolm , Rashba Timur , Troitsky Sergey 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
We discuss how the solar occultations of bright sources of energetic gamma-rays can be used to extract non-trivial physical and astrophysical information, including the angular size of the image when it is significantly smaller than the experiment's angular resolution. We analyse the egret data and discuss prospects for other instruments. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope will be able to constrain the size of a possible halo around 3C 279 from observations it makes on October 8 each year.
Diffuse far-infrared and ultraviolet emission in the NGC 4435/4438 system: tidal stream or Galactic cirrus?
Authors: Cortese L. , Bendo G. J. , Isaak K. G. , Davies J. I. , Kent B. R. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
We report the discovery of diffuse far-infrared and far-ultraviolet emission projected near the interacting pair NGC 4435/4438, in the Virgo cluster. This feature spatially coincides with a well-known low surface-brightness optical plume, usually interpreted as tidal debris. If extragalactic, this stream would represent not only one of the clearest examples of intracluster dust, but also a rare case of intracluster molecular hydrogen and large-scale intracluster star formation. However, the ultraviolet, far-infrared, Hi and CO emission as well as the dynamics of this feature are extremely unusual for tidal streams but are typical of Galactic cirrus clouds. In support to the cirrus scenario, we show that a strong spatial correlation between far-infrared and far-ultraviolet cirrus emission is observed across the centre of the Virgo cluster, over a scale of several degrees. This study demonstrates how dramatic Galactic cirrus contamination can be, even at optical and ultraviolet wavelengths and at high galactic latitudes. If ignored, the presence of diffuse light scattered by Galactic dust clouds could significantly bias our interpretation of low surface-brightness features and diffuse light observed around galaxies and in clusters of galaxies.
High-resolution AMI Large Array imaging of spinning dust sources: spatially correlated 8 µm emission and evidence of a stellar wind in L675
Authors: Scaife Anna M. M. , Green David A. , Pooley Guy G. , Davies Matthew L. , Franzen Thomas M. O. , Grainge Keith J. B. , Hobson Michael P. , Hurley-Walker Natasha , Lasenby Anthony N. , Olamaie Malak , Richer John S. , Rodríguez-Gonzálvez Carmen , Saunders Richard D. E. , Scott Paul F. , Shimwell Timothy W. , Titterington David J. , Waldram Elizabeth M. , Zwart Jonathan T. L. 
Published: February 2010

Abstract
We present 25 arcsec resolution radio images of five Lynds Dark Nebulae (L675, L944, L1103, L1111 and L1246) at 16 GHz made with the Arcminute Microkelvin Imager (AMI) Large Array. These objects were previously observed with the AMI Small Array to have an excess of emission at microwave frequencies relative to lower frequency radio data. In L675, we find a flat spectrum compact radio counterpart to the 850 μm emission seen with Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) and suggest that it is cm-wave emission from a previously unknown deeply embedded young protostar. In the case of L1246, the cm-wave emission is spatially correlated with 8 μm emission seen with Spitzer. Since the mid-infrared emission is present only in Spitzer band 4 we suggest that it arises from a population of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon molecules, which also give rise to the cm-wave emission through spinning dust emission.