bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous aortic valvoplasty in congenital aortic valvar stenosis
Authors: Alva Carlos , Sánchez Agusím , David Felipe , Jiménez Santiago , Jiménez David , Ortegón José , Hernández Martha , Magaña José Antonio , Argüero Rubén , Ledesma Mariano 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjective: To evaluate immediate and midterm results with percutaneous aortic valvoplasty.Material and Methods: We reviewed the records of 141 patients undergoing percutaneous aortic valvopasty over a period of 13 years.Results: The patients were aged from 2 months to 40 years, with a mean of 10.9 ± 9.9 years. Of the total, 90 (63%) were male. The initial systolic peak-to-peak gradient decreased from 163 ± 52 mmHg to 32 ± 18 mmHg (p > 0.01) after valvoplasty in all 141 patients, while the proportional reduction ranged from 0 to 100%, with a mean of 72 ± 27%. The index of the size of the balloon to the diameter of the valvar orifice was 0.88 ± 0.19 in 128 patients. The follow-up ranged from 6 to 168 months, with a mean 51 ± 48 months in 70 patients. A significant difference was found in those failing after dilation when the initial evaluation was compared to the final evaluation of patients with follow-up. In those failing, the number of patients rose from 12 (17%) to 21 (30%) (p > 0.01). In contrast, in those in whom we achieved success, there was not such a great difference between the initial and final evaluation: 58 (83%) versus 49 (70%) (p > 0.1). The actuarial freedom curve of patients not needing new percutaneous aortic valvoplasty or surgery, by 182 months, was at 87% and 82% respectively.Conclusion: We have reviewed the largest series of patients in Latin-America reported thus far after undergoing percutaneous aortic valvoplasty, concentrating on mid term follow-up and limitations. New prospective and multicentric studies are needed from our region.
Cineangiographic aortic dimensions in normal children
Authors: Trivedi Kalyani R. , Pinzon Jorge L. , McCrindle Brian W. , Burrows Patricia E. , Freedom Robert M. , Benson Lee N. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractKnowledge of normal aortic dimensions is important in the management of children with aortic disease. So as to define such dimensions, we undertook a retrospective review of clinical data and aortic cineangiograms from 167 subjects without aortic disease having a mean age of 3.67 years, with a range from 0.01 to 14.95 years. Amongst the patients, 56 were without detectable cardiac lesions, 66 patients had mild pulmonary stenosis, 30 were seen with Kawasaki disease, and 15 with small interatrial defects within the oval fossa. Aorto-grams were available in all. No patient had any hemodynamic derangement that would have affected the aorta during intrauterine life or childhood. Systolic dimensions were measured in the ascending and descending aorta at the level of the carina, at the transverse aortic arch distal to the brachiocephalic, of the left common carotid artery at its origin, at the transverse aortic arch distal to the left common carotid artery, at the aortic isthmus, and of the aorta at the level of the diaphragm. A regression analysis model was used to establish the range of predicted normal values, with their confidence limits, standardizing the values to height as the biophysical parameter having the highest correlation to aortic dimensions. Normal ranges were established for all the levels of measurement. The data should prove useful in identifying abnormalities of the thoracic aorta during childhood, and when assessing the outcomes of interventions.
Influence of early repair of tetralogy of Fallot without an outflow patch on late arrhythmias and sudden death: a 27-year follow-up study following a uniform surgical approach
Authors: Hamada Hiromichi , Terai Masaru , Jibiki Toshiaki , Nakamura Tsunetaro , Gatzoulis Michael A. , Niwa Koichiro 
Published: July 2009

AbtsractPulmonary regurgitation and older age at the time of repair may have a large impact late after repair on subsequent mortality of patients with tetralogy of Fallot. We aimed to identify whether age at repair, and preservation of the pulmonary valve, had a favorable influence on morbidity and mortality. We also analyzed risk factors for late death subsequent to surgical repair. We identified 167 patients who, between 1965 and 1975, and at a mean age of 6 years, underwent total repair of tetralogy of Fallot by a single surgical team without use of an outflow patch. All patients were known to have survived for at least 30 days after repair, and late mortality was identified though the use of hospital records, interviews, and death certificates. The 29-year actuarial survival rate was 86%, with 24 late deaths. Of these deaths, seven occurred suddenly (4.2%). Morbidity was analyzed in 99 of the patients by means of a written questionnaire and telephone interview. It proved possible to analyze ventricular and valvar function in 50 of the patients. Survivors experienced no re-intervention, and 89% of them were in class I of the grading system of the New York Heart Association. We found evidence of 3 episodes of sustained ventricular tachycardia (3.0%), and two episodes of atrial tachycardia (2.0%). Of the 50 patients in whom serial examinations were available, 18 had pulmonary regurgitation of moderate degree or greater, and none had more than moderate tricuspid regurgitation, with a mean QRS duration of 148ms and an ejection fraction for the left ventricle of 50%. Older age at repair (p = 0.03), and longer periods of cardiac arrest during repair (p = 0.02), were associated with late mortality. Although the mortality was similar to that observed in previous reports, our operative method might have a better effect in terms of late morbidity.
Transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects in the oval fossa: is the method applicable in small children?
Authors: Bjørnstad Per G. , Holmstrøm Henrik , Smevik Bjarne , Tønnessen Tor Inge , Fosse Erik 
Published: July 2009

AbstractWe report our experience from 1996 through 1999, representing our initial experience with use of the Amplatzer device to close atrial septal defects. Of 46 patients taken to the catheter laboratory with the intention to close the defect, the device was permanently implanted in 40 (87%). They were aged between 1.4 and 71.8 years, with weights ranging from 7.8 to 90 kg. Both age and weight distributed into two peaks, demonstrating two different populations. The size of the devices, taking the biggest device if two were inserted, was between 9 and 30 mm. We underwent a short learning curve, but the time required for fluoroscopy, or the number of difficulties experienced, showed no connection with the size or age of the patient, nor the size of the defect itself. A suspicion that young age and small size would increase the risk and difficulties, and result in more interrupted procedures, could not be substantiated. In children no interruption was procedural. Our early experience, therefore, demonstrates that an experienced interventional team can use the Amplatzer occluder successfully to close atrial septal defects in patients of all ages and sizes, at least from 7.8 kg and up.
Interatrial communication through the mouth of the coronary sinus
Authors: Knauth Alison , McCarthy Karen P. , Webb Sandra , Ho Siew Yen , Allwork Sally P. , Cook Andrew C. , Anderson Robert H. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjectives: We describe the structure of, and suggest an etiology for, the interatrial communication which can occur through the mouth of the coronary sinus. Based on the study of human embryos, we propose that the defect is best explained by dissolution of the wall of the coronary sinus adjacent to the left atrium, permitting shunting between the atriums through the right atrial orifice of the sinus. Background: An interatrial communication across the mouth of the coronary sinus defect was first described in 1965 by Raghib and colleagues, its existence being predicated on the basis of incomplete formation of the left “atriovenous fold”. Their hypothesis implies that the coronary sinus never develops, and thus the atrial septum itself is incomplete. Methods: We have studied the development of the coronary sinus in a series of human embryos. Based on this work, we present the anatomical findings in 6 specimens with varying degrees of dissolution of the walls of the coronary sinus, and ten specimens with isomerism of the right atrial appendages, in which the sinus has never been formed. Results: The coronary sinus defect is not a hole within the atrial septum, but a communication between the atriums through the mouth of the sinus. There was a range of defects in our series of specimens with usual atrial arrangement, extending from complete absence of the walls which normally separate the coronary sinus from the left atrium, to small fenestrations between this vessel and the left atrial cavity. In the hearts with isomerism of the right atrial appendages, however, we never observed an orifice of the coronary sinus. Thus, a coronary sinus defect cannot exist in this setting. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the defect requires initial formation of the walls of the coronary sinus, but with subsequent dissolution of the wall adjacent to the left atrium. This produces a communication between the atriums through the mouth of the sinus.
Twisted atrioventricular valves in double inlet left ventricle
Authors: Mori Kazuhiro , Harada Masafumi , Kuroda Yasuhiro 
Published: July 2009

AbstractTwisted atrioventricular connections usually occur in hearts with biventricular artioventricular connections. Here, we describe a case of twisted atrioventricular valves associated with double inlet left ventricle and discordant ventriculo-arterial connections. Color Doppler echocardiography, and cine magnetic resonance imaging, clearly demonstrated that the right atrioventricular valve was located anterior and superior to the left atrioventricular valve, and that the axes of the two atrioventricular valves crossed each other within the dominant left ventricle.
Estimating organic premiums in the US fluid milk market
Authors: Smith T.A. , Huang C.L. , Lin B.-H. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractUsing actual retail purchases from the 2006 Nielsen Homescan panel data, we estimate a hedonic model on price premiums and discounts associated with household characteristics, market factors, and product attributes focusing on the organic attribute for fluid milk. The organic attribute carries a significant price premium, which is largest of all product attributes considered in this study. Further, additional price variations among organic milk are observed for differences in fat content, container size and branding. Specifically, the results suggest that organic price premiums for half-gallon milk range from $1.23 for whole private label organic milk (60–68% above conventional counterpart) to $1.86 for nonfat/skim-branded organic milk (89–109% above conventional counterpart). The study also found that milk sold in a discount store (i.e., supercenter or club warehouse) was price 13 cents per half gallon, or 7.4%, below milk sold through other venues, and that milk on sale was priced 26 cents per half gallon, or 14.3%, less than the regular average price. Although household characteristics exert little influence on price relative to product attributes and market factors, the study does find that unmarried households and those with children under six pay slightly higher prices for milk, possibly due to time constraints.
Water stress impacts on bacterial carbon monoxide oxidation on recent volcanic deposits
Authors: Weber Carolyn F , King Gary M 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Water availability oscillates dramatically on young volcanic deposits, and may control the distribution and activity of microbes during early stages of biological succession. Carbon monoxide (CO)-oxidizing bacteria are among the pioneering colonists on volcanic deposits and are subjected to these water stresses. We report here the effects of water potential on CO-oxidizing bacteria in unvegetated (bare) and vegetated (canopy) sites on a 1959 volcanic deposit on Kilauea Volcano (Hawai'i). Time course measurements of water potential showed that average water potentials in the surface layer (0–1 cm) of canopy soil remained between −0.1 and 0 MPa, whereas dramatic diurnal oscillations (for example, between −60 and 0 MPa) occur in bare site surface cinders. During a moderate drying event in situ (−1.7 to 0 MPa), atmospheric CO consumption by intact bare site cores decreased 2.7-fold. For bare and canopy surface samples, maximum potential CO oxidation rates decreased 40 and 60%, respectively, when water potentials were lowered from 0 to −1.5 MPa in the laboratory. These observations indicated that CO oxidation is moderately sensitive to changes in water potential. Additional analyses showed that CO oxidation resumes within a few hours of rehydration, even after desiccation at −150 MPa for 63 days. Samples from both sites exposed to multiple cycles of drying and rewetting (−80 to 0 MPa), lost significant activity after the first cycle, but not after subsequent cycles. Similar responses of CO oxidation in both sites suggested that active CO-oxidizing communities in bare and canopy sites do not express differential adaptations to water stress.
Molecular characterization of the spatial diversity and novel lineages of mycoplankton in Hawaiian coastal waters
Authors: Gao Zheng , Johnson Zackary I , Wang Guangyi 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Microbial community diversity and composition have critical biogeochemical roles in the functioning of marine ecosystems. Large populations of planktonic fungi exist in coastal ocean waters, yet their diversity and role in carbon and nutrient cycling remain largely unknown. Lack of information on critical functional microbial groups limits our understanding of their ecological roles in coastal oceans and hence our understanding of its functioning in the ocean's carbon and nutrient cycles. To address this gap, this study applied the molecular approach denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) coupled with clone library construction to investigate mycoplankton communities in Hawaiian coastal waters. Mycoplankton communities displayed distinct lateral and vertical variations in diversity and composition. Compared with the open ocean, surface (&lt;100 m) near-shore waters had the greatest diversity and species richness of mycoplankton, whereas no differences were found among stations at depths below 150 m. Vertical diversity profiles in the coastal waters suggested that diversity and species richness were positively correlated to phytoplankton biomass in the coastal waters, but not in offshore waters. A total of 46 species were identified and belonging to two phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, with the basidiomycetes as the dominant group (n=42). The majority (n=27) of the basidiomycetes are novel phylotypes showing less than 98% identity in the 18S rRNA gene with any sequence in GenBank. This study provides insight into mycoplankton ecology and is the first molecular analysis of planktonic fungi in the oceans.
Risk Factors for Spinal Surgical Site Infection, Houston, Texas
Authors: Boston Kelley M. , Baraniuk Sarah , O'Heron Shana , Murray Kristy O. 
Published: July 2009

Objective.Because of an increase in the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) following spinal procedures at the study hospital, we conducted a study to determine risk factors associated with the development of a SSI.Design.Case-control study.Setting.A community hospital in Houston, Texas, with more than 500 beds.Patients.Fifty-five case patients who developed SSI after spinal surgery and 179 control patients who did not develop SSI after spinal surgery.Methods.We examined patient- and hospital-associated risk factors for SSI by using existing data on patients who underwent spinal operations at the study hospital between December 2003 and August 2005. Multivariable analysis was conducted using logistic regression to determine significant risk factors associated with SSI.Results.The presence of comorbidities (odds ratio [OR], 3.15 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.20-8.26]) and surgical duration greater than the population median of 100 minutes (OR, 2.48 [95% CI, 1.12-5.49]) were identified as independent risk factors for SSI. The use of only povidone-iodine for preoperative skin antisepsis was found to be protective (OR, 0.16 [95% CI, 0.06-0.45]). Specific operating room, hospital staff involved in the procedures, workers' compensation status, method of hair removal, smoking status, or incontinence were not statistically significant.Conclusions.The presence of comorbidities and increased surgical duration are risks for postoperative infection. The use of only povidone-iodine was found to decrease the risk of infection.
Complexation and Toxicity of Copper in Higher Plants. I. Characterization of Copper Accumulation, Speciation, and Toxicity inCrassula helmsiias a New Copper Accumulator
Authors: Küpper Hendrik , Götz Birgit , Mijovilovich Ana , Küpper Frithjof C. , Meyer-Klaucke Wolfram 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe amphibious water plant Crassula helmsii is an invasive copper (Cu)-tolerant neophyte in Europe. It now turned out to accumulate Cu up to more than 9,000 ppm in its shoots at 10 μ m (=0.6 ppm) Cu2+ in the nutrient solution, indicating that it is a Cu hyperaccumulator. We investigated uptake, binding environment, and toxicity of Cu in this plant under emerged and submerged conditions. Extended x-ray absorption fine structure measurements on frozen-hydrated samples revealed that Cu was bound almost exclusively by oxygen ligands, likely organic acids, and not any sulfur ligands. Despite significant differences in photosynthesis biochemistry and biophysics between emerged and submerged plants, no differences in Cu ligands were found. While measurements of tissue pH confirmed the diurnal acid cycle typical for Crassulacean acid metabolism, Δ13C measurements showed values typical for regular C3 photosynthesis. Cu-induced inhibition of photosynthesis mainly affected the photosystem II (PSII) reaction center, but with some unusual features. Most obviously, the degree of light saturation of electron transport increased during Cu stress, while maximal dark-adapted PSII quantum yield did not change and light-adapted quantum yield of PSII photochemistry decreased particularly in the first 50 s after onset of actinic irradiance. This combination of changes, which were strongest in submerged cultures, shows a decreasing number of functional reaction centers relative to the antenna in a system with high antenna connectivity. Nonphotochemical quenching, in contrast, was modified by Cu mainly in emerged cultures. Pigment concentrations in stressed plants strongly decreased, but no changes in their ratios occurred, indicating that cells either survived intact or died and bleached quickly.
Thiamin Confers Enhanced Tolerance to Oxidative Stress in Arabidopsis
Authors: Tunc-Ozdemir Meral , Miller Gad , Song Luhua , Kim James , Sodek Ahmet , Koussevitzky Shai , Misra Amarendra Narayan , Mittler Ron , Shintani David 
Published: July 2009

Abstract
Thiamin and thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) are well known for their important roles in human nutrition and enzyme catalysis. In this work, we present new evidence for an additional role of these compounds in the protection of cells against oxidative damage. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants subjected to abiotic stress conditions, such as high light, cold, osmotic, salinity, and oxidative treatments, accumulated thiamin and TPP. Moreover, the accumulation of these compounds in plants subjected to oxidative stress was accompanied by enhanced expression of transcripts encoding thiamin biosynthetic enzymes. When supplemented with exogenous thiamin, wild-type plants displayed enhanced tolerance to oxidative stress induced by paraquat. Thiamin application was also found to protect the reactive oxygen species-sensitive ascorbate peroxidase1 mutant from oxidative stress. Thiamin-induced tolerance to oxidative stress was accompanied by decreased production of reactive oxygen species in plants, as evidenced from decreased protein carbonylation and hydrogen peroxide accumulation. Because thiamin could protect the salicylic acid induction-deficient1 mutant against oxidative stress, thiamin-induced oxidative protection is likely independent of salicylic acid signaling or accumulation. Taken together, our studies suggest that thiamin and TPP function as important stress-response molecules that alleviate oxidative stress during different abiotic stress conditions.
Mutations in UDP-Glucose:Sterol Glucosyltransferase in Arabidopsis Cause Transparent Testa Phenotype and Suberization Defect in Seeds
Authors: DeBolt Seth , Scheible Wolf-Rüdiger , Schrick Kathrin , Auer Manfred , Beisson Fred , Bischoff Volker , Bouvier-Navé Pierrette , Carroll Andrew , Hematy Kian , Li Yonghua , Milne Jennifer , Nair Meera , Schaller Hubert , Zemla Marcin , Somerville Chris 
Published: July 2009

AbstractIn higher plants, the most abundant sterol derivatives are steryl glycosides (SGs) and acyl SGs. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) contains two genes, UGT80A2 and UGT80B1, that encode UDP-Glc:sterol glycosyltransferases, enzymes that catalyze the synthesis of SGs. Lines having mutations in UGT80A2, UGT80B1, or both UGT80A2 and UGT8B1 were identified and characterized. The ugt80A2 lines were viable and exhibited relatively minor effects on plant growth. Conversely, ugt80B1 mutants displayed an array of phenotypes that were pronounced in the embryo and seed. Most notable was the finding that ugt80B1 was allelic to transparent testa15 and displayed a transparent testa phenotype and a reduction in seed size. In addition to the role of UGT80B1 in the deposition of flavanoids, a loss of suberization of the seed was apparent in ugt80B1 by the lack of autofluorescence at the hilum region. Moreover, in ugt80B1, scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveals that the outer integument of the seed coat lost the electron-dense cuticle layer at its surface and displayed altered cell morphology. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry of lipid polyester monomers confirmed a drastic decrease in aliphatic suberin and cutin-like polymers that was associated with an inability to limit tetrazolium salt uptake. The findings suggest a membrane function for SGs and acyl SGs in trafficking of lipid polyester precursors. An ancillary observation was that cellulose biosynthesis was unaffected in the double mutant, inconsistent with a predicted role for SGs in priming cellulose synthesis.