bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cutaneous water loss and covalently bound lipids of the stratum corneum in nestling house sparrows (Passer domesticus L.) from desert and mesic habitats
Authors: Clement Michelle E. , Muñoz-Garcia Agustí , Williams Joseph B. 
Published: March 2012

SUMMARY
Lipids of the stratum corneum (SC), the outer layer of the epidermis of birds and mammals, provide a barrier to water vapor diffusion through the skin. The SC of birds consists of flat dead cells, called corneocytes, and two lipid compartments: an intercellular matrix and a monolayer of covalently bound lipids (CBLs) attached to the outer surface of the corneocytes. We previously found two classes of sphingolipids, ceramides and cerebrosides, covalently bound to corneocytes in the SC of house sparrows (Passer domesticus L.); these lipids were associated with cutaneous water loss (CWL). In this study, we collected adult and nestling house sparrows from Ohio and nestlings from Saudi Arabia, acclimated them to either high or low humidity, and measured their rates of CWL. We also measured CWL for natural populations of nestlings from Ohio and Saudi Arabia, beginning when chicks were 2 days old until they fledged. We then evaluated the composition of the CBLs of the SC of sparrows using thin layer chromatography. We found that adult house sparrows had a greater diversity of CBLs in their SC than previously described. During ontogeny, nestling sparrows increased the amount of CBLs and developed their CBLs differently, depending on their habitat. Acclimating nestlings to different humidity regimes did not alter the ontogeny of the CBLs, suggesting that these lipids represent a fundamental component of SC organization that does not respond to short-term environmental change.
A buckling region in locust hindlegs contains resilin and absorbs energy when jumping or kicking goes wrong
Authors: Bayley T. G. , Sutton G. P. , Burrows M. 
Published: March 2012

SUMMARYIf a hindleg of a locust slips during jumping, or misses its target during kicking, energy generated by the two extensor tibiae muscles is no longer expended in raising the body or striking a target. How, then, is the energy in a jump (4100–4800 μJ) or kick (1700 μJ) dissipated? A specialised buckling region found in the proximal hind-tibia where the bending moment is high, but not present in the other legs, buckled and allowed the distal part of the tibia to extend. In jumps when a hindleg slipped, it bent by a mean of 23±14 deg at a velocity of 13.4±9.5 deg ms–1; in kicks that failed to contact a target it bent by 32±16 deg at a velocity of 32.9±9.5 deg ms–1. It also buckled 8.5±4.0 deg at a rate of 0.063±0.005 deg ms–1 when the tibia was prevented from flexing fully about the femur in preparation for both these movements. By experimentally buckling this region through 40 deg at velocities of 0.001–0.65 deg ms–1, we showed that one hindleg could store about 870 μJ on bending, of which 210 μJ was dissipated back to the leg on release. A band of blue fluorescence was revealed at the buckling region under UV illumination that had the two key signatures of the elastic protein resilin. A group of campaniform sensilla 300 μm proximal to the buckling region responded to imposed buckling movements. The features of the buckling region show that it can act as a shock absorber as proposed previously when jumping and kicking movements go wrong.
Ethnic and social disparity in glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes; cohort study in general practice 2004–9
Authors: D James Gareth , Baker Peter , Badrick Ellena , Mathur Rohini , Hull Sally , Robson John 
Published: March 2012

Objective To determine whether ethnic group differences in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) changed over a 5-year period in people on medication for type 2 diabetes. Design Open cohort in 2004–9. Setting Electronic records of 100 of the 101 general practices in two inner London boroughs. Participants People aged 35 to 74 years on medication for type 2 diabetes. Main outcome measures Mean HbA1c and proportion with HbA1c controlled to ≤7.5%. Results In this cohort of 24,111 people, 22% were White, 58% South Asian and 17% Black African/Caribbean. From 2004 to 2009 mean HbA1c improved from 8.2% to 7.8% for White, from 8.5% to 8.0% for Black African/Caribbean and from 8.5% to 8.0% for South Asian people. The proportion with HbA1c controlled to 7.5% or less, increased from 44% to 56% in White, 38% to 53% in Black African/Caribbean and 34% to 48% in South Asian people. Ethnic group and social deprivation were independently associated with HbA1c. South Asian and Black African/Caribbean people were treated more intensively than White people. Conclusion HbA1c control improved for all ethnic groups between 2004–9. However, South Asian and Black African/Caribbean people had persistently worse control despite more intensive treatment and significantly more improvement than White people. Higher social deprivation was independently associated with worse control.
The Influence of Body Size Descriptors on the Estimation of Kidney Function in Normal Weight, Overweight, Obese, and Morbidly Obese Adults
Authors: Park Eun Jung , Pai Manjunath P , Dong Ting , Zhang Jialu , Ko Chia-Wen , Lawrence John , Crentsil Victor , Zhang Lei , Xu Nancy N 
Published: March 2012

Background: Dosing adjustments for patients with impaired kidney function are often based on estimated creatinine clearance (eCrCI) because measuring kidney (unction is not always possible for dose adjustment. However, there is no consensus on the body size descriptor that should be used in the estimation equations. Objective: To compare the use of alternative body size descriptors (ABSDs) on the performance of kidney function estimation equations compared with measured CrCI (mCrCI). Methods: We combined 2 data sources with mCrCI: a Food and Drug Administration clinical trial database that includes subjects with body mass index (BMI) less than 40 kg/m2 and published data from those 40 kg/m2 or more. The 3 parent equations (Cockcroft-Gault [CG], Modification of Diet in Renal Disease [MDRD], Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration [CKDEPI]), and 14 ABSD-modilied equations were compared with mCrCI for accuracy, bias, agreement, goodness of (it (R2). and prediction error. These equations were also compared across mCrCI and BMI strata. Results: Subjects (n = 590) were aged 19–80 years; 33.9% were female and BMI ranged from 17.2 to 95.6 kg/m2. Compared with mCrCI, the use of total weight in the CG equation yielded low accuracy (12.5%) and significant bias (–107 mL/min) in the morbidly obese group. In contrast, the use of lean body weights (BMI ≥40 kg/m2) and total ± adjusted weights (BMI <40 kg/m2) with the CG equation yielded higher accuracy, greater than or equal to 60.7% across all BMI strata, and was unbiased. Transforming the MDRD or CKDEPI equations with body surface area improved accuracy only at mCrCI of 30–80 mL/min and increased the overall prediction error. Conclusions: No kidney function equation was consistently accurate and unbiased across weight, mCrCI. and estimate ranges. The accuracy and over-estimation bias of the CG equation in obese subjects was improved through the selective use of total, adjusted, and lean body weight by BMI strata.
Intravesicular Cidofovir for the Treatment of Polyomavirus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis
Authors: Mackey Melissa C 
Published: March 2012

Objective: To review the literature regarding the use of intravesicular cidofovir in the treatment of polyomavirus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis. Data Sources: Searches of PubMed were conducted, with key search terms including intravesicular cidofovir, polyomavirus, BK virus, JC virus, and hemorrhagic cystitis. Limits were set to include human subjects. Study Selection and Data Extraction: All articles identified were evaluated, and one was excluded due to being published only in the German language. All case studies/case series were included if patients received at least 1 dose of intravesicular cidofovir for treatment of cystitis. Data Synthesis: Polyomavirus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis is more common in immunocompromised patients, particularly those who have undergone stem cell transplantation. Early-onset cystitis is often due to chemotherapy agents, while cystitis that develops 10–14 days into therapy is often associated with infection with Polyomavirus, such as BK virus. There is no standard of therapy for polyomavirus-associated cystitis other than hyperhydration and continuous bladder irrigation, and many different therapeutic agents have been used in this setting, with mixed results. One such agent, intravenous cidofovir, provides clinical improvement but carries a risk of renal failure. Intravesicular cidofovir has been reported in case reports/series to provide positive symptomatic improvement; however, it has not been universally found to decrease urine viral load. Conclusions: At this time, it appears that intravesicular cidofovir may be used as an option to provide symptomatic relief in patients with polyomavirus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis. However, it is not definitively known whether its use significantly decreases urine virus load in these patients. Larger clinical trials need to be conducted to fully understand the role of intravesicular cidofovir in this setting.
Clinical Outcomes with Ertapenem as a First-Line Treatment Option of Infections Caused by Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Producing Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Fong Jeffrey J , Rosé Lucia , Radigan Elizabeth A 
Published: March 2012

Background: Infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing gram-negative organisms are a growing concern in hospitalized patients. Traditionally, these infections can be effectively treated by the carbapenem class of drugs. In 2005, our institution initiated a protocol (or use of ertapenem, a carbapenem, as the first-line treatment option for these infections. It is unknown whether ertapenem is associated with similar clinical response and microbiologic cure rates as those achieved with group 2 carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem, doripenem). Objective: To describe clinical response and microbiologic cure rates associated with ertapenem as first-line treatment of infections caused by ESBL-producing organisms. Methods: This case series included patients who received ertapenem for more than 48 hours to treat a documented infection with a positive culture for an ESBL-producing organism. Efficacy was determined by the clinical response and microbiologic cure rates achieved with ertapenem. Results: Seventy-three patients received ertapenem for a mean (SD) of 10.7 (5.9) days. The most common (59%) infection site was urine. The most common causative organisms were ESBL-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (47%) and Escherichia coli (48%). Clinical response was observed in 78% of patients. Microbiologic cure was achieved in 92% of the evaluable population (n = 50). There were no significant differences in clinical or microbiologic cure rates across important subgroups. Conclusions: Patients treated with ertapenem achieved favorable clinical response and microbiologic cure rates. Our data suggest that ertapenem can be used as an alternative to group 2 carbapenems (or the treatment of infections caused by ESBL-producing gram-negative organisms.
Impact of Clinical Pharmacist Intervention on Diabetes-Related Outcomes in a Military Treatment Facility
Authors: Wallgren Stephanie , Berry-Cabán Cristóbal S , Bowers Laura 
Published: March 2012

Background: Clinical pharmacist management of patients with diabetes has been well justified, but there is a lack of research that evaluates the impact of pharmacist-managed diabetes care versus standard medical care on American Diabetes Association (ADA) treatment goals other than hemoglobin A1c (A1C). Objective: To evaluate the reduction in A1C, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for patients with diabetes whose care was managed by a clinical pharmacist and compare these values to those of a cohort of patients whose care was managed by primary care providers. The difference in percentage of patients attaining ADA treatment goals between the 2 groups was also evaluated. Methods: This retrospective chart review identified 98 diabetic patients managed by a clinical pharmacist with at least 2 A1C measurements between September 15, 2008. and March 15, 2011. The Military Health System Population Health Portal was used to identify a similar group of patients with diabetes managed by their primary care provider (N = 90). The Armed Forces Health Longitudinal Technology Application was used 1o collect baseline data and the most recent measurements for A1C, blood pressure, LDL-C, and documented immunizations. Results: The pharmacist group saw positive improvements in all primary end points, including a 1.6% reduction in A1C, a 9-mm Hg and 1.4-mm Hg reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, and a 16.3-mg/dL reduction in LDL-C, Conversely, the control group had an increase of 0.8% in A1C and 1.5 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure. Reductions in systolic blood pressure and LDL-C were much less robust than in the pharmacist group (1.6 mm Hg and 5.2 mg/dL, respectively). Overall, patients in the pharmacist group were more likely to achieve ADA treatment goals. Conclusion: Pharmacist management of patients with diabetes significantly reduces A1C and allows more patients to meet ADA treatment goals. A clinical pharmacist-run diabetes clinic can provide numerous clinical benefits to patients.
Herbivory, growth rates, and habitat specialization in tropical tree lineages: implications for Amazonian beta‐diversity
Authors: Lamarre Greg P. A. , Baraloto Christopher , Fortunel Claire , Dávila Nallarett , Mesones Italo , Rios Julio Grandez , Ríos Marcos , Valderrama Elvis , Pilco Magno Vásquez , Fine Paul V. A. 
Published: March 2012

Tropical plant diversity is extraordinarily high at both local and regional scales. Many studies have demonstrated that natural enemies maintain local diversity via negative density dependence, but we know little about how natural enemies influence beta‐diversity across habitats and/or regions. One way herbivores could influence plant beta‐diversity is by driving allocation trade‐offs that promote habitat specialization across resource gradients. We therefore predicted that increasing resource availability should be accompanied by increasing herbivory rates and decreasing plant allocation to defense. Second, relative abundances within plant lineages are predicted to reflect patterns of habitat specialization and allocation trade‐offs. A phylogenetic context is vital not only to compare homologous plant traits (including defense strategies) across habitat types, but also to connect evolutionary trade‐offs to patterns of species diversification in each phylogenetic lineage.We tested these predictions for trees in white‐sand, clay terra firme, and seasonally flooded forests in Peru and French Guiana that represent the range of soil fertility, forest structure, and floristic compositions found throughout the Amazon region. We established 74 0.5‐ha plots in these habitats and sampled all trees. Within 12 representative plots we marked newly expanding leaves of 394 saplings representing 68 species, including the most abundant species in each plot in addition to species from five focal lineages: Swartzia and Inga (Fabaceae), Protieae (Burseracaeae), Bombacoideae (Malvaceae), and Micropholis (Sapotaceae). We measured total leaf production rates for each sapling and calculated relative herbivory impact as the ratio between herbivory rate and leaf production rate.Herbivory rates averaged 2.1% per month, did not correlate with leaf production rate, and were similar across habitats. Relative herbivore impacts exceeded leaf production rates for most species. Leaf production rate averaged 2.8%, was significantly higher in seasonally flooded forests than the other two habitats, and exhibited significant correlations with specific leaf area. Species with high herbivory rates exhibited significantly lower relative abundances in terra firme forests. Overall, focal species within lineages present contrasting patterns regarding their herbivory rates and leaf production rate within habitats. These results highlight why a lineage‐based approach is necessary when attempting to connect hypotheses regarding evolutionary trade‐offs to community assembly patterns.
Shocks to the system: community assembly of the oak savanna in a 40‐year fire frequency experiment
Authors: Cavender-Bares Jeannine , Reich Peter B. 
Published: March 2012

Fire is a major force driving the evolution of plants and the structure and function of ecosystems globally. It thus likely operates as an important environmental filter that selects for species that have evolved to tolerate and depend on fire. Across a 40‐year experimental fire gradient from frequently burned open savanna to unburned dense woodland in Minnesota, USA, we examined the relationships among community assembly, evolutionary history, and functional trait composition. Close relatives had similar abundance patterns across the fire gradient, providing evidence for phylogenetic conservatism in fire adaptation and highlighting the importance of shared ancestry in predicting species responses to fire.Phylogenetic beta diversity was greatest between the most extreme fire treatments across the gradient, indicating that species in the most contrasting fire regimes were most distantly related. Fire strongly influenced diversity, co‐occurrence patterns, and leaf trait means and variances within communities. The most frequently burned communities had the highest species richness, exhibited the most resource‐conservative leaf traits, and spanned the greatest number of phylogenetic lineages but harbored more close relatives within those lineages than other communities. In contrast, unburned communities had the lowest species diversity, the most acquisitive leaf traits, and the fewest phylogenetic lineages, but close relatives co‐occurred less frequently. The largest difference in abundance between treatments occurred within the Rosales, Asteraceae, Vitaceae, and the Poaceae; woody Rosales were strongly selected for in unburned communities, while composites and grasses of the Poaceae were strongly selected for under frequent burning.A major climatic perturbation of consecutive hot, dry summers in the late 1980s prompted a significant shift in the functional and phylogenetic composition of communities. Greater than expected turnover in species composition occurred following the drought years, and then again during the subsequent five‐year rebound period. Just after the drought year, turnover was greatest among recently diverged taxa, whereas during the rebound period turnover was greater among taxa that diverged deep in the phylogeny. The drought years also caused a short‐term shift in functional traits, including declines in specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen content and an increase in leaf length. These results indicate that the phylogenetic and functional trait composition of communities are responsive both to fire gradients and to shocks to the system, such as climatic perturbation.
More results in polychromatic Ramsey theory
Authors: Abraham Uri , Cummings James 
Published: March 2012

Abstract
We study polychromatic Ramsey theory with a focus on colourings of [ω
2]2. We show that in the absence of GCH there is a wide range of possibilities. In particular each of the following is consistent relative to the consistency of ZFC: (1) 2ω = ω
2 and
$\omega _2 \to ^{poly} (\alpha )_{\aleph _0 - bdd}^2 $
for every α <ω
2; (2) 2ω = ω
2 and
$\omega _2 \nrightarrow ^{poly} (\omega _1 )_{2 - bdd}^2 $
.
Fatty acid and phytosterol contents of some Romanian wild and cultivated berry pomaces
Authors: Dulf Francisc , Andrei Sanda , Bunea Andrea , Socaciu Carmen 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe total oil content and composition of fatty acids and phytosterols of five Transylvanian (Romania) pomaces of wild and cultivated blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), wild cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) and raspberry (Rubus idaeus), and cultivated black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), were determined by capillary gas chromatography. Out of the five pomace oils, the percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) ranged from 37 % to 69 %. The lipid classes analysed (PLs — polar lipids, TGs — triacylglycerols, SEs — sterol esters) were separated and identified using thin-layer chromatography. TGs showed the highest PUFAs content (ranging from 41.9 % to 72.5 %) and PUFAs/SFAs (saturated fatty acids) ratios (in the range of 5.8–33.1 %). In the case of PL and SE fractions, the levels of SFA were significantly higher than in TGs. The total amount of sterols was in the range of 101.6–168.2 mg per 100 g of lipids of the pomaces analysed. The predominant phytosterols were β-sitosterol, stigmastanol + isofucosterol, and campesterol. The results indicated that the investigated pomace oils, due to their good balance between n-6 and n-3 fatty acids (except for chokeberry) and high β-sitosterol content, could be excellent sources of PUFAs and phytosterols, thus suggesting potential value-added utilisation of berry waste oils for preparing functional foods or food supplements.
On a predictive scheme for colour image quantization
Authors: Hu Y. , Chen W. , Lo C. , Wu C. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn this paper we proposed an improved colour image quantization scheme based on predictive coding. Since the neighbouring colour pixels are quite similar in most colour images, the similarity among the encoded pixels is exploited. In the proposed scheme the encoded distinct neighbouring colours are collected to form a smaller state-palette. If the closest colour in the state-palette is quite similar to the current encoding colour pixel, the index of the closest colour in the state-palette is recorded. Otherwise, the closest colour in original colour palette for the current encoding colour pixel is searched and the corresponding index is recorded. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieves good image qualities while requiring much lower bit rates for colour image compression.
Sub-THz radiation room temperature sensitivity of long-channel silicon field effect transistors
Authors: Sizov F. , Golenkov A. , But D. , Sakhno M. , Reva V. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractRoom temperature operating n-MOSFETs (n-type metal-oxide silicon field effect transistors) used for registration of sub-THz (sub-terahertz) radiation in the frequency range ν = 53−145 GHz are considered. n-MOSFETs were manufactured by 1-μm Si CMOS technology applied to epitaxial Si-layers (d ≈15 μm) deposited on thick Si substrates (d = 640 μm). It was shown that for transistors with the channel width to length ratio W/L = 20/3 μm without any special antennas used for radiation input, the noise equivalent power (NEP) for radiation frequency ν ≈76 GHz can reach NEP ∼6×10−10 W/Hz1/2. With estimated frequency dependent antenna effective area Sest for contact wires considered as antennas, the estimated possible noise equivalent power NEPpos for n-MOSFET structures themselves can be from ∼15 to ∼103 times better in the specral range of ν ∼55–78 GHz reaching NEPpos ≈10−12 W/Hz1/2.