bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expression of water and ion transporters in tracheal aspirates from neonates with respiratory distress
Authors: Li Yanhong , Marcoux Marie‐Odile , Gineste Martine , Vanpee Mireille , Zelenina Marina , Casper Charlotte 
Published: August 2009

AbstractAim:  The aim of the study was to determine whether neonatal respiratory distress is related to changes in water and ion transporter expression in lung epithelium.Methods:  The study included 32 neonates on mechanical ventilation: 6 patients with normal lung X‐rays (control group), eight with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), eight with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN), 10 with abnormal lung X‐rays (mixed group). The protein abundance of water channel AQP5, epithelial sodium channel (ENaC; α‐, β‐ and γ‐ENaC) and Na+, K+‐ATPase α1 were examined in tracheal aspirates using semiquantitative immunoblotting.Results:  β‐ENaC level was significantly lower in RDS group compared with infants with TTN and infants in the control group. AQP5 expression was significantly higher in TTN compared with the infants with RDS and all other infants with abnormal lung X‐rays.Conclusion:  Neonatal respiratory distress is associated with changes in β‐ENaC and AQP5 expression. The lower β‐ENaC expression may be one of the factors that predispose to the development of RDS. The higher AQP5 expression may provide the possibility for reabsorption of postnatal lung liquid, which contributes to quick recovery of infants with TTN.
ProtégéZiziphus mucronata (Rhamnaceae) show no negative effects of competition with the nurse tree Acacia (Leguminaceae), even as adults
Authors: Seymour Colleen L. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractQuestion: A number of studies have demonstrated that the interaction between nurse plants and their protégés changes from one of facilitation to interference as life history stage progresses. Here, I aimed to assess relative fitness of the protégé plant Ziziphus mucronata (Rhamnaceae) under the subcanopy of Acacia erioloba (Leguminaceae), versus in the open, at various stages of the lifecycle.Location: Southern Kalahari, southern Africa.Methods: Germination was compared to assess the effects of shade, maternal origin (under A. erioloba or in the matrix) and soil. Seedlings were transplanted into the field under trees and in the open to ascertain establishment rates. Flower production, seed set and mistletoe infestation were compared between the two microhabitats.Results: Seeds from maternal Z. mucronata plants growing beneath A. erioloba had higher germination rates than those from maternal plants growing in the open. Germination was higher in full sun and in matrix soil, although this result was found in experimental conditions mimicking good rainfall and may not hold under dry or medium rainfall conditions. Z. mucronata demography suggested that the A. erioloba subcanopy is important for establishment, but seedlings transplanted into the matrix had higher survival rates than those under trees. Causes of seedling mortality were different: desiccation in the matrix, but invertebrate herbivory and trampling beneath trees. Mistletoe infestation was higher for adult plants growing in the open. Seed set was not significantly different between subcanopy and matrix environments, but once mistletoe infestation rates and parent plant size were accounted for, seed set was lower for adult plants growing in the open than those growing beneath trees.Conclusions: It appears that the nurse tree environment remains important for Z. mucronata throughout its lifecycle.
The invasive alien plant species Solidago gigantea alters ecosystem properties across habitats with differing fertility
Authors: Scharfy D. , Eggenschwiler H. , Olde Venterink H. , Edwards P.J. , Güsewell S. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractQuestion: Invasive alien plants can affect biomass production and rates of biogeochemical cycling. Do the direction and intensity of such effects depend upon the functional traits of native and alien species and upon the properties of the invaded habitat, with the same alien species having differing impacts in different habitats?Location: Lowlands of Switzerland.Methods: Fourteen grassland and wetland sites invaded by Solidago gigantea and widely differing in biomass production and soil P availability were surveyed. To determine whether the impact of the species was related to site fertility, we compared the invaded and native vegetation in terms of biomass, species composition, plant traits and soil properties.Results: S. gigantea generally increased the above‐ground biomass production of the vegetation and soil C content, while reducing nutrient concentrations in biomass and N availability in the soil. However, it had no significant effect on plant species richness, soil respiration, soil pH and P availability. Leaves of S. gigantea had a greater C content than those of native species; other leaf traits and root phosphatase activity did not differ significantly.Conclusions: Our results suggest that a conservative nutrient‐use strategy allows S. gigantea to invade a broad range of habitats. The observed effects of invasion did not vary according to biomass production of the invaded sites, but some effects did depend on soil P availability, being more pronounced at more P‐rich sites. Thus, the full range of invaded habitats should be considered in studying the potential impact of plant invasions on ecosystem processes.
Penile Sonographic and Clinical Characteristics in Men with Peyronie’s Disease
Authors: Smith James F. , Brant William O. , Fradet Vincent , Shindel Alan W. , Vittinghoff Eric , Chi Thomas , Huang Yun-Ching , Davis Cole B. , Conti Simon , Lue Tom F. 
Published: August 2009

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Ultrasonography of the penis is readily available to the urologist and gives good anatomic detail of soft tissue structures. It has not been widely utilized in the assessment of Peyronie’s disease (PD).

Aims
To describe the sonographic characteristics of the penis in PD and the relationship between clinical and sonographic features.

Methods
This cross-sectional study enrolled patients from a single clinical practice. A PD-specific questionnaire was administered and sonographic evaluations were performed.

Main Outcome Measures
Sonographic characteristics of men with PD.

Results
Tunical thickening, calcifications, septal fibrosis, and intracavernosal fibrosis, were observed at initial clinical evaluation in 50%, 31%, 20%, and 15% of men, respectively. Men aged 40–49 (OR 2.4, P = 0.02) and men aged 50–59 (OR 2.4, P = 0.004) were more likely to have sub-tunical calcifications relative to men under age 40. Men with septal fibrosis had fewer chronic medical conditions such as diabetes (OR 0.3, P = 0.04), hypertension (OR 0.5, P = 0.03), and coronary artery disease (OR 0.2, P = 0.05), and presented within 1 year of disease onset (OR 2.1, P = 0.001). Men with septal fibrosis were less likely to have lost penile length (OR 0.5, P = 0.04) and more likely to be able to have intercourse (OR 1.9, P = 0.05). Men with intracavernosal fibrosis were less likely to have penile pain (OR 0.5, P = 0.05), but more likely to have penetration difficulty during intercourse (OR 1.9, P = 0.008), an additional penile deformity (OR 1.8, P = 0.02), or rapid onset of disease (OR 1.7, P = 0.04). Tunical thickening was associated with a decreased ability to have intercourse (OR 2.3, P &lt; 0.001).

Conclusion
PD is a clinically and sonographically heterogeneous condition. Sonography is a safe, low-cost, and rapid means of objectively characterizing lesions in this condition. This may help track the evolution of the condition in individual patients and in the future may be useful for tailoring treatment strategies.
Original Research—Basic Science: I. Slow Oscillations in Vaginal Blood Flow: Alterations during Sexual Arousal in Rodents and Humans
Authors: Allers Kelly A. , Richards Natalie , Sultana Stefan , Sudworth Maria , Dawkins Toni , Hawcock Anthony B. , Buchanon Tim , Casey James H. , Wayman Chris 
Published: August 2009

ABSTRACT

Purpose
This study investigated slow oscillatory rhythms in vaginal blood flow as a physiological marker of female sexual arousal in rodents, human healthy volunteers, and women with female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD).

Materials and Methods
Vaginal blood flow was measured in urethane-anesthetized rodents using laser Doppler flowmetry, while in humans, vaginal photoplethysmography was used. Acquired data were filtered for frequency analysis in the range of 0.013–2.5 Hz in rodents and 0.01–0.5 Hz in humans. Rodents were assessed for changes in a high frequency range (HF=0.6–2.5 Hz), and a low frequency range (LF=0.013–0.6 Hz). Human data were assessed for total spectral power in the entire frequency range.

Results
During naturally induced arousal (exposure to male), oscillatory rhythms in vaginal blood flow from rodents demonstrated an increase in the ratio of LF oscillations to HF oscillations (LF/HF ratio). Drugs known to induce sexual arousal (apomorphine and melanotan II) were tested in anesthetized rodents. Both compounds induced an increase in the LF/HF ratio. In humans, visual sexual stimulation induced an increase in the total power of slow oscillatory activity in vaginal blood flow in healthy human volunteers. No such increase was observed in women with FSAD.

Conclusions
This study demonstrated that slow oscillations in vaginal blood flow are correlated with subjective physiological arousal and display diminished responsiveness in women with FSAD. Slow oscillations in vaginal blood flow are entirely independent of vaginal vasocongestion as women with FSAD demonstrated a normal vasocongestion response to visual sexual stimulation. In conditions where rodents would be expected to be sexually aroused, slow oscillations in vaginal blood flow showed a shift from HFs to LFs. This technique will greatly enhance the investigation of female sexual function both clinically and preclinically.
Variation of B Chromosome Associated with Tissue Culture in Wheat‐rye Cross
Authors: Tian Bohong , Li Hongjie 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
In vitro variation of B chromosomes was studied by examining the callus cells derived from the immature embryos from a cross of Chinese Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Fin 7416 rye (Secale cereale L.) carrying two B chromosomes. In 40‐d‐old callus cells, the numbers of B chromosomes ranged from one to four in 65.6% of the cells observed. The distribution of B chromosome numbers was associated with the ploidy levels of the normal chromosomes (A chromosomes). The frequency of the cells with high numbers of B chromosomes (i.e., three or four B chromosomes) in the amphiploid cells with 56 A chromosomes was greater than those in the haploid cells with 28 A chromosomes. Although structural changes in the rye A chromosomes were observed, cytological observation and genomic in situ hybridization demonstrated that the rye B chromosomes were conserved in morphological appearance following tissue culture.
Better Regulation of Industry-Sponsored Clinical Trials is Long Overdue
Authors: Wynia Matthew , Boren David 
Published: August 2009

There is an old saw in health policy that everyone wants health care that is good, fast, and cheap — but it’s impossible to have more than two of these at one time.A similar bit of folk wisdom seems intuitively true for the development and testing of new pharmaceutical products. The public is in a bind. We want breakthrough drugs, and fast. But we also want these drugs to be affordable, thoroughly tested, safe, and effective. It seems we can’t have it all.In this paper, we will not claim that one can have it all — but that we can do far better than we are at present. First, we review extensive data on contemporary problems in the design, conduct, and analysis of industry-sponsored clinical trials. Finding major issues that have been solidly documented over more than a decade, we provide many examples of the multifarious ways in which industry-funded trials have been manipulated to raise the likelihood of producing industry-friendly results.
Pharmaceutical Industry Financial Support for Medical Education: Benefit, or Undue Influence?
Authors: Brody Howard 
Published: August 2009

As early as the 1960s and 1970s, astute commentators began to call into question the degree of influence that the pharmaceutical industry was exercising over all aspects of medical research, education, and practice in the U.S. More recently, a spate of books and articles demonstrates that the issue has only become more serious in the last decade or two.My focus in this paper will be on the industry’s influence on medical education. The influence that the industry exerts on undergraduate and graduate medical education (that is, the training of medical students and residents) often occurs through the system of pharmaceutical sales representatives, who also “detail” drugs to practitioners; or through the influence that the industry exerts over medical research. I will therefore devote my attention here primarily to the system of continuing medical education (CME) by which practitioners receive information about medical advances. The pharmaceutical industry currently supports about one-half of the costs of CME in the U.S., so it seems appropriate to question the degree of industry influence over the content of CME.
Executive Authority to Reform Health: Options and Limitations
Authors: Chugh Madhu 
Published: August 2009

Presidential power has provoked increasingly vigorous debate since the turn of this century. In recent years, scholars and lawyers have been grappling with how Congress’s dictates may limit the president’s Commander-in-Chief power to detain enemy combatants at Guantanamo Bay, to fight wars abroad, and to conduct intelligence activities at home. But policymakers have not yet explored the many possibilities for invoking the president’s “Take Care” power to change health care policy.This article explores the scope and limits of President Barack Obama’s ability to invoke his executive authority to reform health care. Specifically, it identifies ways the Obama Administration can use directives to: (1) expand Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) coverage through section 1115 waivers; (2) test quality initiatives through Medicare demonstration authority; (3) expand health information technology; (4) allow drug reimportation and experiment with contracting power under Medicare; (5) enhance patient protections and private coverage requirements; (6) lift coverage restrictions on Medicaid and SCHIP; and (7) build on the health insurance program for federal employees. Consistent with the mission of the Legal Solutions in Health Reform project, this article does not endorse a particular policy. Instead of recommending “what,” it explains “how.”
Differential brain activation during response inhibition in bipolar and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorders
Authors: Cerullo Michael A. , Adler Caleb M. , Lamy Martine , Eliassen James C. , Fleck David E. , Strakowski Stephen M. , DelBello Melissa P. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractAim: To identify differential patterns of brain activation between adolescents with bipolar disorder and adolescents with attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to better understand the neurophysiology of both disorders. We hypothesized that subjects with ADHD would show altered activation in brain regions involved in executive and sustained attention. In contrast, we hypothesized that bipolar subjects would show altered brain activation in regions responsible for emotionally homeostasis, including the striatum and amygdala.Methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed during a continuous performance task with a response inhibition component in 11 adolescents with bipolar disorder during a manic episode, 10 adolescents with ADHD, and 13 healthy adolescents.Results: There were no differences in behavioural performance among the three groups. Compared with bipolar subjects, subjects with ADHD showed increased activation in the superior temporal lobe during successful response inhibition. Although bipolar subjects did not show activation differences in the striatum or amygdala compared with ADHD subjects, increased left parahippocampal activation in the bipolar group was associated with increased manic symptoms.Conclusions: The patterns of brain activation observed in the current study support divergent patterns of neurophysiological dysfunction in individuals with bipolar disorder as compared with those with ADHD. Therefore, the impulsive behaviour seen in both disorders may be the consequence of dysfunction in different brain regions, and further research may help identify neurobiological markers that are specific to each condition.
Do premorbid impairments predict emergent ‘prodromal’ symptoms in young relatives at risk for schizophrenia?
Authors: Keshavan Matcheri S. , Eack Shaun M. , Montrose Debra M. , Abela Michelle M. , Bangalore Srihari S. , Diwadkar Vaibhav A. , Prasad Konasale M. R. ,   Rajaprabhakaran Rajarethinam
Published: August 2009

AbstractAims:Individuals at risk for developing schizophrenia (SZ) in the future frequently exhibit subtle behavioural and neurobiological abnormalities in their childhood. A better understanding of the role of these abnormalities in predicting later onset of ‘prodromal’ symptoms or psychosis may help in early identification of SZ.Methods:In an ongoing prospective follow‐up study of young genetically at‐risk relatives of patients with SZ, we studied the prevalence of problems in premorbid social adjustment and childhood psychopathology and examined their relationship with the presence and progression of ‘prodromal’ symptoms of SZ.Results:Growth curve analyses showed that ‘prodromal’ symptoms, as measured by the Scale of ‘Prodromal’ Symptoms, increased during follow‐up. Premorbid maladjustment and childhood behavioural disturbances were cross‐sectionally correlated broadly with ‘prodromal’ symptomatology scores. Longitudinal analyses revealed that behavioural disturbances, but not childhood maladjustment at baseline, significantly predicted increases in ‘prodromal’ symptomatology during the 2‐year study period.Conclusion:Premorbid behavioural disturbance and maladjustment may predict the later emergence of ‘prodromal’ symptoms. ‘Prodromal’ symptoms in young at‐risk relatives may define a subgroup worthy of follow‐up into the age of risk for psychosis in order to cost‐effectively characterize the predictors of psychotic symptoms and SZ.
Evaluation of pollen morphology as a taxonomic character for generic delimitation in Scilla s.l. (Hyacinthaceae)
Authors: Ghavami E. , Jamzad Z. , Tavasoli A. 
Published: August 2009

Scilla L. s.l. (Hyacinthaceae) comprises about 100 species distributed in south Europe, the Mediterranean region, and central and western Asia with 10 species reported from Iran.However, according to recent studies based on molecular data Scilla s.l. is not monophyletic and should be divided into several smaller genera, i.e. Fessia Speta, Othocallis Salisb., Pfosseria Speta, Prospero Salisb., Scilla s.s. and Zagrosia Speta.In the present study the pollen grains of 13 species representing six segregate genera within Scilla s.l. were studied to evaluate the taxonomic value of pollen characters for generic delimitation. Pollen grains of all examined species were found to be monosulcate, prolate or sub‐prolate and heteropolar. Three different types of exine sculpturing were recognized: fossulate, perforate–reticulate and perforate.In Prospero autumnale (=Scilla autumnalis) pollen exine sculpturing is fossulate. In Othocallis armena, O. mischtschenkoana, O. rosenii and O. siberica (=Scilla armena, S. mischtschenkoana, S. rosenii and S. siberica) exine sculpturing is perforate–reticulate with mainly large perforations surrounded by smaller ones. In Fessia gorganica, F. greilhuberi, F. hohenakeri, F. khorassanica and F. raewskiana (=S. gorganica, S. greilhuberi, S. hohenakeri, S. khorassanica and S. raewskiana) the exine is perforate with rather uniform perforation. Zagrosia persica (=S. persica) has the same exine type as Fessia spp. In Pfosseria, the exine is perforate with linear and circular perforations. Scilla s.s. has a perforate exine, but the perforations are not uniform and their size and shape are variable.Our results are generally congruent with the circumscription of the new genera previously included in Scilla s.l. and show that pollen exine morphology is useful as an additional taxonomic character for the delimitation these segregate genera.
An easy method to account for light scattering dose dependence in radiochromic films
Authors: Miras Hector , Arrans Rafael 
Published: August 2009

Purpose:To date no detector can offer the unbeatable characteristics of film dosimetry in terms of spatial resolution and this is why it has been chosen by many institutions for treatment verification and, in that respect, radiochromic films are becoming increasingly popular due to their advantageous properties. It is the aim of this work to suggest an easy method to overcome one of the drawbacks in radiochromic film dosimetry associated with the scanning device, namely, the non‐uniform dose dependent response, mainly due to the light scattering effect.Methods:The suggested procedure consists of building four correction matrices by sequentially scanning one, two, three, and four unexposed blank films. The color level of these four matrices is compatible with four points in the calibration curve dose range. Therefore, the dose dependent correction to the scanned irradiated film will be obtained by interpolating between the four correction matrices.Results:The validity of the suggested method is checked against an ion chamber 2D array. The use of the proposed flattening correction improves considerably the dose agreement when compared with the cases in which no correction is applied.Conclusions:The method showed to be fast and easy and practically overcomes the dependence on the dose of light scattering of flatbed scanners.
SPECT imaging of high energy isotopes and isotopes with high energy contaminants with rotating slat collimators
Authors: Van Holen Roel , Staelens Steven , Vandenberghe Stefaan 
Published: August 2009

Purpose:Quantitative SPECT imaging is limited by many factors, including penetration of high energy photons through the collimator. Even small peaks of high energy yield extensive contamination in the photopeak energy window. Rotating slat collimators typically offer a 40‐ to 50‐fold increase in geometric detection efficiency compared to parallel hole collimators, while the amount of high‐energy contamination is expected to remain the same. The aim of this study is to show that SPECT for isotopes with high energy peaks benefits from the use of a rotating slat collimator by significantly reducing the effect of high energy contamination.Methods:Monte Carlo simulations were performed for I‐123 and I‐131. The simulation of a single point source in a scattering medium was used to investigate the history of each detected photon both for the rotating slat and the parallel hole collimator. Next, realistic simulations of an image quality phantom in combination with iterative image reconstruction enabled us to study the gain in image quality which can be expected for the rotating slat collimator.Results:The results show that the rotating slat collimator is able to reduce the contribution of high energy photons from about 60% to about 8% of all the detected photons in the photopeak energy window. This results in a recovered contrast gain of about 25%. For I‐131, there was a reduction in contamination from 65% to 49% when using a rotating slat instead of a parallel hole collimator. This resulted in an average hot contrast improvement of 12% and average cold contrast improvement of 8% for tomographic images.Conclusions:Rotating slat collimators have an additional advantage regarding image quality for isotopes with high energy emissions, especially if the contamination arises from photons with energies higher than the main emission energy, due to the relatively lower number of measured collimator‐penetrating photons with respect to geometrically collimated photons.