bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The assessment of disability in children and adolescents with headache: Adopting PedMIDAS in an epidemiological study
Authors: Kröner‐Herwig Birgit , Heinrich Marion , Vath Nuria 
Published: March 2010

AbstractObjective: The study aimed at the assessment of disability in children with headache (n = 1585, 11–14 yrs) from a randomly drawn population based sample. We explored the suitability of the PedMIDAS in epidemiological research by various indicators of response quality. Furthermore, predictors of disability were examined, as well as its association with measures of health care behaviour.Methods: The PedMIDAS measures functional interference in different domains of life by asking the children for the number of days that their headache partially or totally interfered with their activities.Results: The examination of response behaviour revealed a marked attrition of responses (missing, invalid) in two items. As a consequence, the total score for disability could not be obtained for about 25% of the children. Analysis of homogeneity of the PedMIDAS items revealed low item/total correlations in two items. The grading of disability resulted in 81.2% of all children with headache showing no or low disability. Only 1.4% was “severely” disabled. Disability was predicted by frequency, type and intensity of headache. From all psychological variables only dysfunctional stress coping was significantly associated with disability. Disability itself was significantly associated with medical consultation.Conclusions: Suitability of the PedMIDAS for epidemiological research was supported, however with a caveat and recommendations for item revision. Severe disability due to headache was rare in the studied unselected sample when defined by behavioural interference. It is suggested to explore the construct of disability by a multi‐method approach, including further instruments assessing headache related distress, (respectively) quality of life.
In vitro expression and characterization of MYH9 mutant alleles linked to hereditary hearing loss
Authors: Wei Calvin C. , Lalwani Anil K. , Mhatre Anand N. 
Published: March 2010

ObjectiveTo assess whether MYH9 mutant alleles linked to hereditary hearing loss induce disruption of cellular functions and associated phenotype following transient expression within cultured human cell lines.Study DesignDominantly inherited MYH9 mutant alleles, MYH9 R702C and MYH9 R705H, were integrated within eukaryotic expression vector and then transfected into cultured human cell lines for transient expression and analysis. The transfected cells were assessed for transgene‐induced alterations of the cellular phenotype, including NMHC‐IIA‐dependent cell shape, actin cytoskeleton integrity, and inhibition of cytokinesis.SettingLaboratories of Molecular Otology and Molecular Genetics at the New York University School of Medicine.Subjects and MethodsHeLa and MDA‐MB‐231 cultured cell lines were transiently transfected with an expression vector carrying a wild type or mutant MYH9 alleles, linked to nonsyndromic and syndromic hearing loss. Expression of exogenous transgene product was detected with antibodies directed toward its N‐terminal HA tag, and transfection efficiency was greater than 95 percent. Host cells were characterized for cell shape, integrity of actin‐myosin cytoskeleton, and nuclear status before and after transfections via immunofluorescence.ResultsMDA‐MB‐231 cells transfected with MYH9 R705H but not MYH9 R702C were found to have a greater than two‐fold increase in cells with filopodia and a ten‐fold increase in proportion of cells with multiple nuclei, indicating inhibition of cytokinesis, relative to the control cells transfected with wild type MYH9. Actin cytoskeleton configuration within MDA‐MB‐231 cells was unaffected by expression of MYH9 R702C or MYH9 R705H. Unlike MDA‐MB‐231 cells, HeLa cells were refractory to MYH9 R705H and MYH9 R702C.ConclusionsMYH9 R705H‐induced altered phenotype of the MDA‐MB‐231 cell line supports the pathogenicity of the mutation and represents a suitable assay system for identification and characterization of its dysfunction.
NF-κB-dependent anti-inflammatory activity of urolithins, gut microbiota ellagic acid-derived metabolites, in human colonic fibroblasts
Authors: González-Sarrías Antonio , Larrosa Mar , Tomás-Barberán Francisco Abraham , Dolara Piero , Espín Juan Carlos 
Published: March 2010

Previous studies have reported the anti-inflammatory properties of pomegranate extracts, suggesting that ellagitannins (ET) and ellagic acid (EA) are the main anti-inflammatory compounds. However, both ET and EA are metabolisedin vivoby the gut microbiota to yield urolithins (Uro) which can be found in the gut and in systemic bloodstream. The present study was carried out to evaluate the individual effect of EA and their microbiota-derived metabolites Uro on colon fibroblasts upon IL-1β treatment as anin vitroinflammation model. Uro-A and Uro-B (10 μm) inhibited PGE2production (85 and 40 %, respectively) after IL-1β stimulation, whereas EA did not show any effect. Uro-A, but not Uro-B, down-regulated cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal PGE synthase-1 (mPGES-1) mRNA expression and protein levels. Both Uro inhibited NF-κB translocation to nucleus. Slight but significant effects were found in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Uro-A lowered c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation state, and both Uro inhibited p38 activation. No metabolites derived from Uro or EA were found in the cell media upon incubation of EA or Uro with the cells, and only traces of the compounds were found inside the cells. The present results suggest that Uro, mainly Uro-A, are the main compounds that are responsible for the pomegranate anti-inflammatory properties. The mechanism of action implicated seems to be via the inhibition of activation of NF-κB and MAPK, down-regulation of COX-2 and mPGES-1 expressions, and consequently,via the reduction of PGE2production. Taking into account that Uro did not enter the cells, a competitive binding for IL-1β membrane receptor cannot be discarded.
Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against WbSXP-1 for the detection of circulating filarial antigens
Authors: Janardhan S. , Pandiaraja P. , Pandey V. , Karande A. , Kaliraj P. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe importance of developing effective assays to diagnose, monitor and evaluate human lymphatic filariasis has been emphasized by the World Health Organization. Presently, few immunodiagnostics are available for filarial monitoring programmes. The Wuchereria bancrofti (Wb) SXP-1 parasite protein, with 84% homology to Brugia malayi (Bm) SXP-1, was found to be highly immunogenic. WbSXP-1 is one among the diagnostic candidate molecules that were used for developing a rapid-antibody-flow-through diagnostic kit for filariasis. Studies were initiated with the aim of developing monoclonal antibodies against recombinant WbSXP-1 and prospective applications for the detection of both circulating Wb and Bm antigens in serum samples from infected individuals. The monoclones 1A6C2 of subclass IgG1k, and 2A12F8 of class IgM, specifically detected Wb and Bm microfilaria isolated from patients and did not show cross-reactivity with other filarial recombinant antigens. We anticipate that this work will address the problems faced in the rapid diagnosis of human lymphatic filariasis in endemic areas in developing countries.
Ovicidal activity of different concentrations ofPochonia chlamydosporiachlamydospores onTaenia taeniaeformiseggs
Authors: Braga F.R. , Silva A.R. , Carvalho R.O. , Araújo J.V. , Pinto P.S.A. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThree concentrations of chlamydospores of the nematophagous fungusPochonia chlamydosporia(1000, 10,000 and 20,000 per Petri dish) were evaluatedin vitroonTaenia taeniaeformiseggs. Chlamydospores at each concentration were cultured in two different media: 2% water-agar (2%WA) and 2% corn-meal-agar (2%CMA).Taenia taeniaeformiseggs were plated in each chlamydospore concentration in 2%WA and 2%CMA (treated groups) and without fungus (control group). Eggs were removed from each Petri dish at intervals of 7, 14 and 21 days and classified according to ovicidal activity (type 1, type 2 and type 3 effects). Plates containing 2%CMA showed the highest percentages for type 3 effect (81.3%) on the 21st day of observation. A difference (P < 0.01) between the media 2%WA and 2%CMA for type 1 effect was observed only at a concentration of 1000 chlamydospores on the 7th day. There were differences (P < 0.01) between 2%WA and 2%CMA on the 14th and 21st days, at the concentration of 20,000 chlamydospores, for type 1 and type 3 effects. Regression curves for type 3 effect in 2%WA and 2%CMA at the tested concentrations showed higher ovicidal activity with increasing chlamydospore concentrations. Results indicate that, at concentrations of 1000, 10,000 and 20,000 per Petri dish, chlamydospores ofP. chlamydosporiaeffectively destroyedT. taeniaeformiseggs and can be considered a potential biological control agent for this cestode.
Iron overload increases hepatic development ofPlasmodium yoeliiin mice
Authors: Goma J. , Rénia L. , Miltgen F. , Mazier D. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryIron overload in BALB/c mice by treatment with ferric ammonium citrate promotes the hepatic development ofPlasmodium yoelii in vivoand invitro. This was the result of increased penetration of the parasite into hepatocytes since no effect was observed on parasite transformation or maturation. These results could explain why in endemic regions iron supplementation led, in certain studies, to an increase in clinical episodes of malaria and in the prevalence of malaria infection.
Rapid and sensitive identification ofNeospora caninumbyin vitroamplification of the internal transcribed spacer 1
Authors: Holmdahl O. J. M. , Mattsson J. G. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryNeospora caninumandN. caninum-like organisms are cyst-forming coccidian parasites known to cause neuromuscular disorders in dogs and abortion in cattle. In this article we report on the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of DNA fromN. caninum. After determining the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITSl) ofN. caninumandToxoplasma gondii, and part of the sequences for & species ofSarcocystis, we designed a primer set for the amplification of a 279-base-pair fragment of ITSl fromN. caninum. The PCR system made possible the specific detection of 5N. caninumorganisms and no amplification was observed from any of the other cyst-forming coccidia tested, including the closely relatedT. gondii. Furthermore, we were also able to demonstrate the presence ofN. caninumin brain and lung tissue samples from experimentally infected mice. Our data also link the 5-8S rRNA gene forT. gondiiandN. caninumto the 16S-like rRNA gene, within the rDNA unit.
Field evaluation of a dot-ELISA for the detection and differentiation of trypanosome species in infected tsetse flies (Glossinaspp.)
Authors: Bosompem K. M. , Masake R. A. , Assoku R. K. G. , Opiyo E. A. , Nantulya V. M. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryA rapid, visually read, dot-ELISA developed for the detection and differentiation of trypanosome species in tsetse flies (Glossinaspp.), was field tested alongside the standard fly dissection method on a ranch in south eastern Kenya. Of 104G. pallidipesdissected, 2 were found to be infected with trypanosomes in their midguts. By the dissection method the infecting trypanosome species could not be identified, as both flies had no salivary gland infections. However, using the dot-ELISA, the 2 flies were shown to be infected withTrypanosoma congolensein their midguts. The midguts of an additional 6 (5·8%) of the 104 G.pallidipestested positive forT. congolensein the dot-ELISA, even though no trypanosomes were seen on dissection. The infection rate for this fly species as determined using the dot-ELISA, therefore, was 7·7% forT. congolensein midgut infections compared to 1·9% identified by fly dissection. The salivary glands and mouthparts of the 6 additional tsetse flies identified by dot-ELISA were all negative as determined by the 2 techniques. None of 390 G.longipennisflies dissected and examined for trypanosomes in the midgut, salivary glands and mouthparts was shown, by this method, to be infected. Using the dot-ELISA, however, 17 (4·4%) of the flies tested positive forT. congolensein the midgut, whilst the salivary glands and mouthparts of the same flies were negative. Thus, the dot-ELISA appears to be more sensitive than the fly dissection method under field conditions. Moreover, the dot-ELISA can be performed in the field without electricity. It is simple to perform, and was not affected by high ambient temperatures (22–32°C), or by contamination of reactants with dust.
Gastrointestinal nematodes depress food intake in naturally infected reindeer
Authors: Arneberg P. , Folstad I. , Karter A. J. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryModels have predicted that directly transmitted macroparasites may influence the abundance of forage plants in herbivore grazing systems by reducing the food intake of their host. Evidence of parasite-induced alterations in host food intake is, however, limited mainly to sheep, cattle and laboratory rodents. We estimated the effect of naturally acquired parasite infections on the appetite of reindeer. Food intake was significantly lower in infected reindeer compared to animals in which the parasites had been experimentally removed. Among the infected animals there was a significant negative relationship between intensity of the directly transmitted macroparasites (i. e. gastrointestinal nematodes) and mean food intake, indicating that the lower food intake was caused by these parasites. The time-specific onset of depression in food intake is also consistent with seasonality in the pathogenic effect from gastrointestinal nematodes. This shows that parasite-induced changes in herbivore food intake is not restricted to agricultural systems, and implies that parasites may have impact on the dynamics of a wide range of herbivore plant communities.
Onchocerca retinol- and ivermectin-binding protein activity
Authors: Lal P. G. , James E. R. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryThe presence of retinol-binding protein (RBP) activity in Onchocerca cervicalis adult worms and interaction with ivermectin has been studied using high pressure size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC). Four distinct peaks of [3H]-retinol incorporation were obtained corresponding to approximate molecular weights of 150, 67, 19·7 and 4–6 kDa, the 2 smaller Mr peaks accounting for most of the binding activity. Competition for binding using non-labelled retinol at 200-fold molar excess indicated that specific binding of retinol occurred only to the 19–7 kDa fraction. Competition by ivermectin also inhibited binding of [3H]-retinol to the third peak. Following incubation with [3H]-ivermectin & peaks of similar molecular weights were also detected by HPSEC in soluble adult worm homogenate, However, in this case the 150 kDa fraction was most prominent. Both non-labelled ivermectin and non-labelled retinol at 200-fold molar excess reduced binding of [3H]-ivermectin to all & fractions. These data indicate that the putative Onchocerca RBP has an approximate molecular weight of 19·7 kDa, that retinol also binds to 3 additional fractions non-specifically, that the pattern of binding of ivermectin to adult worm material is quantitatively and qualitatively different from the binding exhibited by retinol, and that ivermectin interferes with the binding of retinol to the 19·7 kDa Onchocerca protein.
Activities of glycogen phosphorylase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in adult worms ofLitomosoides cariniirecovered from pyridoxine deficient cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)
Authors: Beg M. A. , Fistein J. L. , Ingram G. A. , Storey D. M. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryThis paper demonstrates that the activities of glycogen phosphorylase (GP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) are reduced in adult worms of the filarial nematodeLitomosoides cariniirecovered from pyri-doxine-deficient cotton rats when compared to worms recovered from pyridoxine-sufficient controls. GP, ALT and AST activities were determined in adult wormsL. cariniirecovered from cotton rat hosts over a 20-week experimental period. Activities of GP, ALT and AST in the parasite showed a direct correlation with the dietary pyridoxine intake of their host. Throughout the experiment, enzyme activities were significantly lower (P< 0·001) in worms from rats fed a pyridoxine-free dietad libitumthat in worms from rats fed either a stock colony diet, a pyridoxine-free dietad libitumwith daily supplementation of 100 μg pyridoxine or limited amounts of pyridoxine-free diet with daily supplementation of 100 μg pyridoxine. The lower than normal activity of GP, ALT, AST and other enzymes dependent on the biologically active derivative of pyridoxine, the coenzyme pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP), interferes with the protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism ofL. cariniiand may in part cause the reduced establishment, development and growth of the parasite in pyridoxine-deficient hosts.
Novel azole derivatives are antagonists at the inhibitory GABA receptor on the somatic muscle cells of the parasitic nematodeAscaris suum
Authors: Bascal Z. , Holden-Dye L. , Willis R. J. , Smith S. W. G. , Walker R. J. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryThe somatic muscle cells of the parasitic nematodeAscaris suumpossess GABA receptors that gate chloride conductances in a similar fashion to the mammalian GABAA receptor subtype. These receptors mediate muscle relaxation and are the site of action of the anthelmintic piperazine. The properties of this receptor differ from the properties of the GABA-gated chloride receptors in the mammalian host, in particular they are not as sensitive to mammalian GABA receptor antagonists such as bicuculline and picrotoxin. Using two-electrode intracellular electrophysiological recording techniques fromAscarismuscle cells, we have tested the potency of a series of azole derivatives for their ability to block the chloride-dependent GABA response. The lead compound, SN606078, 2-(2,6-dichloro-4-trifluromethylphenyl)-4-(4,5-dicyano-lH-imidazol-2-yl)-2H-l,2,3-triazoIe, and 4 structurally related compounds reversibly blocked the conductance increase elicited by 30 μM GABA with IC50s of less than 10 μM. SN606078 (10 μM) decreased the slope of the dose-response curve for GABA, suggesting a non-competitive mechanism of action. In two-electrode voltage clamp experiments, 10μM SN606078 blocked the outward current elicited by 20 μM GABA in a voltage-dependent manner with 72 ± 2% inhibition at −20 mV and 49±6% inhibition at −40 mV. These observations indicate that SN606078 may act as an open-channel blocker of the GABA-gated chloride channel inA. suum.
A thermodynamic definition of topological pressure for non-compact sets
Authors: THOMPSON DANIEL J. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractWe give a new definition of topological pressure for arbitrary (non-compact, non-invariant) Borel subsets of metric spaces. This new quantity is defined via a suitable variational principle, leading to an alternative definition of an equilibrium state. We study the properties of this new quantity and compare it with existing notions of topological pressure. We are particularly interested in the situation when the ambient metric space is assumed to be compact. We motivate our definition by applying it to some interesting examples, including the level sets of the pointwise Lyapunov exponent for the Manneville–Pomeau family of maps.
Ergodic decompositions associated with regular Markov operators on Polish spaces
Authors: WORM DANIËL T. H. , HILLE SANDER C. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractFor any regular Markov operator on the space of finite Borel measures on a Polish space we give a Yosida-type decomposition of the state space, which yields a parametrization of the ergodic probability measures associated with this operator in terms of particular subsets of the state space. We use this parametrization to prove an integral decomposition of every invariant probability measure in terms of the ergodic probability measures and give an ergodic decomposition of the state space. This extends results by Yosida [Functional Analysis. Springer, Berlin, 1980, Ch. XIII.4], Hernández-Lerma and Lasserre [Ergodic theorems and ergodic decomposition for Markov chains. Acta Appl. Math.54 (1998), 99–119] and Zaharopol [An ergodic decomposition defined by transition probabilities. Acta Appl. Math.104 (2008), 47–81], who considered the setting of locally compact separable metric spaces. Our extension to Polish spaces solves an open problem posed by Zaharopol (loc. cit.) in a satisfactory manner.
A hybrid adaptive control approach for robust tracking of robotic manipulators: theory and experiment
Authors: Islam Shafiqul , Liu Peter X. 
Published: March 2010

SUMMARYIn this work, a novel hybrid control strategy is proposed for robust trajectory tracking control of robotic systems. The main interest of using hybrid design is to reduce the controller gains so as to reduce control efforts from the single model certainty equivalence principle- based adaptive controllers. For this purpose, we allow the parameter estimate of conventional adaptive control design to be switched into a model that best approximates the plant among a finite set of models. First, we uniformly divide the compact set of unknown parameters into a finite number of smaller compact subsets. Then we construct a finite set of candidate controller for each of these smaller compact subsets. The derivative of the Lyapunov function candidate is employed to identify a controller that closely approximates the plant at each instant of time. The idea of introducing hybrid approach in adaptive control framework is to achieve good transient tracking performance with smaller values of controller gains in the presence of large-scale parametric uncertainties. The proposed method is implemented and evaluated on two 3 degree-of-freedom Phantom Premimum™ 1.5 telerobotic systems to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical development.
Soil carbon may be maintained under grazing in a St Lawrence Estuary tidal marsh
Authors: YU O.T. , CHMURA G.L. 
Published: March 2010

SUMMARYProduction of belowground organic matter is critical to sustainability of salt marshes. It plays a role in vertical soil accretion, a process essential for salt marshes to maintain their relative elevation and persist as sea levels rise. This paper examines belowground production and soil carbon of a high-latitude saltmarsh in the St Lawrence Estuary (Québec, Canada), which had been subjected to six years of sheep grazing. In the seventh year, without sheep, organic matter production in grazed and ungrazed sections was assessed by examining harvests of plant litter, end-of-season standing crop, and the roots and rhizomes present in in-growth cores. Excepting salinity, porewater chemistry varied little. The grazed marsh had higher soil carbon density and belowground production, yet lower aboveground biomass. Grazing reduces plant litter and increases solar exposure, soil temperature (at this latitude, soil remained frozen until April) and evapotranspiration, thus raising soil salinity and nitrogen demand, the latter a driver of root production. Grazing may not be detrimental to soil carbon storage. Permitting certain types of grazing on restored salt marshes previously drained for agriculture would provide economic incentive to restore tidal flooding, because the natural carbon sink provided in the recovered marsh would make these lands eligible for carbon payments.