bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of age-specific cataract prevalence in two population-based surveys 6 years apart
Authors: Tan Ava Grace , Wang Jie Jin , Rochtchina Elena , Mitchell Paul 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
In this study, we aimed to compare age-specific cortical, nuclear and posterior subcapsular (PSC) cataract prevalence in two surveys 6 years apart.

Methods
The Blue Mountains Eye Study examined 3654 participants (82.4% of those eligible) in cross-section I (1992–4) and 3509 participants (75.1% of survivors and 85.2% of newly eligible) in cross-section II (1997–2000, 66.5% overlap with cross-section I). Cataract was assessed from lens photographs following the Wisconsin Cataract Grading System. Cortical cataract was defined if cortical opacity comprised ≥ 5% of lens area. Nuclear cataract was defined if nuclear opacity ≥ Wisconsin standard 4. PSC was defined if any present. Any cataract was defined to include persons who had previous cataract surgery. Weighted kappa for inter-grader reliability was 0.82, 0.55 and 0.82 for cortical, nuclear and PSC cataract, respectively. We assessed age-specific prevalence using an interval of 5 years, so that participants within each age group were independent between the two surveys.

Results
Age and gender distributions were similar between the two populations. The age-specific prevalence of cortical (23.8% in 1st, 23.7% in 2nd) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 6.0%) was similar. The prevalence of nuclear cataract increased slightly from 18.7% to 23.9%. After age standardization, the similar prevalence of cortical (23.8%, 23.5%) and PSC cataract (6.3%, 5.9%), and the increased prevalence of nuclear cataract (18.7%, 24.2%) remained.

Conclusion
In two surveys of two population-based samples with similar age and gender distributions, we found a relatively stable cortical and PSC cataract prevalence over a 6-year period. The increased prevalence of nuclear cataract deserves further study.
Severe airway stenosis associated with Crohn's disease: Case report
Authors: Plataki Maria , Tzortzaki Eleni , Lambiri Irene , Giannikaki Elpida , Ernst Armin , Siafakas Nikolaos M 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
Symptomatic respiratory tract involvement is not common in Crohn's disease. Upper-airway obstruction has been reported before in Crohn's disease and usually responds well to steroid treatment.

Case presentation
We report a case of a 32-year old patient with Crohn's disease who presented with progressively worsening dyspnea on exertion. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the chest and bronchoscopy revealed severe tracheal stenosis and marked inflammation of tracheal mucosa. Histopathology of the lesion showed acute and chronic inflammation and extended ulceration of bronchial mucosa, without granulomas. Tracheal stenosis was attributed to Crohn's disease after exclusion of other possible causes and oral and inhaled steroids were administered. Despite steroid treatment, tracheal stenosis persisted and only mild symptomatic improvement was noted after 8 months of therapy. The patient subsequently underwent rigid bronchoscopy with successful dilatation and ablation of the stenosed areas and remission of her symptoms.

Conclusion
Respiratory involvement in Crohn's disease might be more common than appreciated. Interventional pulmonology techniques should be considered in cases of tracheal stenosis due to Crohn's disease refractory to steroid treatment.
Performances and microbial features of an aerobic packed-bed biofilm reactor developed to post-treat an olive mill effluent from an anaerobic GAC reactor
Authors: Bertin Lorenzo , Colao Maria Chiara , Ruzzi Maurizio , Marchetti Leonardo , Fava Fabio 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackgroundOlive mill wastewater (OMW) is the aqueous effluent of olive oil producing processes. Given its high COD and content of phenols, it has to be decontaminated before being discharged. Anaerobic digestion is one of the most promising treatment process for such an effluent, as it combines high decontamination efficiency with methane production. The large scale anaerobic digestion of OMWs is normally conducted in dispersed-growth reactors, where however are generally achieved unsatisfactory COD removal and methane production yields. The possibility of intensifying the performance of the process using a packed bed biofilm reactor, as anaerobic treatment alternative, was demonstrated. Even in this case, however, a post-treatment step is required to further reduce the COD. In this work, a biological post-treatment, consisting of an aerobic biological "Manville" silica bead-packed bed aerobic reactor, was developed, tested for its ability to complete COD removal from the anaerobic digestion effluents, and characterized biologically through molecular tools.ResultsThe aerobic post-treatment was assessed through a 2 month-continuous feeding with the digested effluent at 50.42 and 2.04 gl-1day-1of COD and phenol loading rates, respectively. It was found to be a stable process, able to remove 24 and 39% of such organic loads, respectively, and to account for 1/4 of the overall decontamination efficiency displayed by the anaerobic-aerobic integrated system when fed with an amended OMW at 31.74 and 1.70 gl-1day-1of COD and phenol loading rates, respectively. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of biomass samples from the aerobic reactor biofilm revealed that it was colonized byRhodobacterales,Bacteroidales,Pseudomonadales,Enterobacteriales,Rhodocyclalesand genera incertae sedis TM7. Some taxons occurring in the influent were not detected in the biofilm, whereas others, such asParacoccus,Pseudomonas, AcinetobacterandEnterobacter, enriched significantly in the biofilter throughout the treatment.ConclusionThe silica-bead packed bed biofilm reactor developed and characterized in this study was able to significantly decontaminate anaerobically digested OMWs. Therefore, the application of an integrated anaerobic-aerobic process resulted in an improved system for valorization and decontamination of OMWs.
Do visual analogue scale (VAS) derived standard gamble (SG) utilities agree with Health Utilities Index utilities? A comparison of patient and community preferences for health status in rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Rashidi Amir Adel , Anis Aslam H , Marra Carlo A 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackgroundAssessment of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) has become increasingly important and various direct and indirect methods and instruments have been devised to measure it. In direct methods such as Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Standard Gamble (SG), respondent both assesses and values health states therefore the final score reflects patient's preferences. In indirect methods such as multi-attribute health status classification systems, the patient provides the assessment of a health state and then a multi-attribute utility function is used for evaluation of the health state. Because these functions have been estimated using valuations of general population, the final score reflects community's preferences. The objective of this study is to assess the agreement between community preferences derived from the Health Utilities Index Mark 2 (HUI2) and Mark 3 (HUI3) systems, and patient preferences.MethodsVisual analog scale (VAS) and HUI scores were obtained from a sample of 320 rheumatoid arthritis patients. VAS scores were adjusted for end-aversion bias and transformed to standard gamble (SG) utility scores using 8 different power conversion formulas reported in other studies. Individual level agreement between SG utilities and HUI2 and HUI3 utilities was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Group level agreement was assessed by comparing group means using the paired t-test.ResultsAfter examining all 8 different SG estimates, the ICC (95% confidence interval) between SG and HUI2 utilities ranged from 0.45 (0.36 to 0.54) to 0.55 (0.47 to 0.62). The ICC between SG and HUI3 utilities ranged from 0.45 (0.35 to 0.53) to 0.57 (0.49 to 0.64). The mean differences between SG and HUI2 utilities ranged from 0.10 (0.08 to 0.12) to 0.22 (0.20 to 0.24). The mean differences between SG and HUI3 utilities ranged from 0.18 (0.16 to 0.2) to 0.28 (0.26 to 0.3).ConclusionAt the individual level, patient and community preferences show moderate to strong agreement, but at the group level they have clinically important and statistically significant differences. Using different sources of preference might alter clinical and policy decisions that are based on methods that incorporate HRQL assessment. VAS-derived utility scores are not good substitutes for HUI scores.
A method for the generation of standardized qualitative dynamical systems of regulatory networks
Authors: Mendoza Luis , Xenarios Ioannis 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackgroundModeling of molecular networks is necessary to understand their dynamical properties. While a wealth of information on molecular connectivity is available, there are still relatively few data regarding the precise stoichiometry and kinetics of the biochemical reactions underlying most molecular networks. This imbalance has limited the development of dynamical models of biological networks to a small number of well-characterized systems. To overcome this problem, we wanted to develop a methodology that would systematically create dynamical models of regulatory networks where the flow of information is known but the biochemical reactions are not. There are already diverse methodologies for modeling regulatory networks, but we aimed to create a method that could be completely standardized,i.e.independent of the network under study, so as to use it systematically.ResultsWe developed a set of equations that can be used to translate the graph of any regulatory network into a continuous dynamical system. Furthermore, it is also possible to locate its stable steady states. The method is based on the construction of two dynamical systems for a given network, one discrete and one continuous. The stable steady states of the discrete system can be found analytically, so they are used to locate the stable steady states of the continuous system numerically. To provide an example of the applicability of the method, we used it to model the regulatory network controlling T helper cell differentiation.ConclusionThe proposed equations have a form that permit any regulatory network to be translated into a continuous dynamical system, and also find its steady stable states. We showed that by applying the method to the T helper regulatory network it is possible to find its known states of activation, which correspond the molecular profiles observed in the precursor and effector cell types.
Antibiotic resistance as a global threat: Evidence from China, Kuwait and the United States
Authors: Zhang Ruifang , Eggleston Karen , Rotimi Vincent , Zeckhauser Richard J 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
Antimicrobial resistance is an under-appreciated threat to public health in nations around the globe. With globalization booming, it is important to understand international patterns of resistance. If countries already experience similar patterns of resistance, it may be too late to worry about international spread. If large countries or groups of countries that are likely to leap ahead in their integration with the rest of the world – China being the standout case – have high and distinctive patterns of resistance, then a coordinated response could substantially help to control the spread of resistance. The literature to date provides only limited evidence on these issues.

Methods
We study the recent patterns of antibiotic resistance in three geographically separated, and culturally and economically distinct countries – China, Kuwait and the United States – to gauge the range and depth of this global health threat, and its potential for growth as globalization expands. Our primary measures are the prevalence of resistance of specific bacteria to specific antibiotics. We also propose and illustrate methods for aggregating specific "bug-drug" data. We use these aggregate measures to summarize the resistance pattern for each country and to study the extent of correlation between countries' patterns of drug resistance.

Results
We find that China has the highest level of antibiotic resistance, followed by Kuwait and the U.S. In a study of resistance patterns of several most common bacteria in China in 1999 and 2001, the mean prevalence of resistance among hospital-acquired infections was as high as 41% (with a range from 23% to 77%) and that among community- acquired infections was 26% (with a range from 15% to 39%). China also has the most rapid growth rate of resistance (22% average growth in a study spanning 1994 to 2000). Kuwait is second (17% average growth in a period from 1999 to 2003), and the U.S. the lowest (6% from 1999 to 2002). Patterns of resistance across the three countries are not highly correlated; the most correlated were China and Kuwait, followed by Kuwait and the U.S., and the least correlated pair was China and the U.S.

Conclusion
Antimicrobial resistance is a serious and growing problem in all three countries. To date, there is not strong international convergence in the countries' resistance patterns. This finding may change with the greater international travel that will accompany globalization. Future research on the determinants of drug resistance patterns, and their international convergence or divergence, should be a priority.
The Dunce cAMP Phosphodiesterase PDE-4 Negatively Regulates Gαs-Dependent and Gαs-Independent cAMP Pools in the Caenorhabditis elegans Synaptic Signaling Network
Authors: Charlie Nicole K , Thomure Angela M , Schade Michael A , Miller Kenneth G 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
Forward genetic screens for mutations that rescue the paralysis of ric-8 (Synembryn) reduction-of-function mutations frequently reveal mutations that cause hyperactivation of one or more components of the Gαs pathway. Here, we report that one of these mutations strongly reduces the function of the Dunce cAMP phosphodiesterase PDE-4 by disrupting a conserved active site residue. Loss of function and neural overexpression of PDE-4 have profound and opposite effects on locomotion rate, but drug-response assays suggest that loss of PDE-4 function does not affect steady-state acetylcholine release or reception. Our genetic analysis suggests that PDE-4 regulates both Gαs-dependent and Gαs-independent cAMP pools in the neurons controlling locomotion rate. By immunostaining, PDE-4 is strongly expressed throughout the nervous system, where it localizes to small regions at the outside boundaries of synaptic vesicle clusters as well as intersynaptic regions. The synaptic subregions containing PDE-4 are distinct from those containing active zones, as indicated by costaining with an antibody against the long form of UNC-13. This highly focal subsynaptic localization suggests that PDE-4 may exert its effects by spatially regulating intrasynaptic cAMP pools.
Identification and Classification of Genes That Act Antagonistically to let-60 Ras Signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans Vulval Development
Authors: Ceol Craig J , Stegmeier Frank , Harrison Melissa M , Horvitz H Robert 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
The synthetic multivulva (synMuv) genes negatively regulate Ras-mediated vulval induction in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The synMuv genes define three classes, A, B, and C, such that double mutants carrying mutations in genes of any two classes are multivulva. The class B synMuv genes include lin-35, a homolog of the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor gene, as well as homologs of genes that function with Rb in transcriptional regulation. We screened for additional synMuv mutations using a strategy different from that of previous synMuv genetic screens. Some of the mutations we recovered affect new synMuv genes. We present criteria for assigning synMuv mutations into different genetic classes. We also describe the molecular characterization of the class B synMuv gene lin-65.
Sir Epicure Mammon: A Study in 'Spiritual Fornication'
Authors: Jones Myrddin 
Published: April 2006

In his illuminating chapter on The Alchemist in The Broken Compass, Edward B. Partridge discusses the central role of the parody of religion. But he adds the surprising comment that Jonson ‘only sketches it in outline lest the impiety neutralize the comic tone’ (The Broken- Compass, Chatto & Windus, London, 1957). I wish to argue that the caricature of religion in the figure of Sir Epicure Mammon is strong and would have been recognized and condemned as such by the contemporary audience.The insane hyperbole of Mammon's language is evident immediately on his arrival at Lovewit's house. To him, the den of thieves and prostitutes in which we have just seen Dapper and Drugger pettily deluded and swindled, is ‘the novo orbe,’ ‘the rich Peru.'
When Did Machiavelli Write Mandragola*
Authors: Bertelli Sergio 
Published: April 2006

The dating of La Mandragola is one of the most difficult problems in Machiavelli scholarship. Roberto Ridolfi, first in his biography of Machiavelli (1954) and more recently in an essay in La Bibliofilia (1962), proposed a new and apparently definitive solution; the comedy must have been written between January and February 1518, for the marriage of Lorenzo de’ Medici the younger, in the short space of one month, and performed soon after, on February 16, 1518.In fact, we have very few and very late records about the performance of La Mandragola and the text of the comedy has come down to us only through an anonymous edition and one manuscript.
The Narrative Stance in ‘The Adventures of Master F.J.’: Gascoigne as Critic of His Own Poems
Authors: Schott Penelope Scambly 
Published: April 2006

Too much discussion of George Gascoigne's ‘Adventures of Master F.J.’ has bogged down in the question of whether the story is fiction or autobiography. While it is impossible now to be sure to what degree the young Master F.J. is an autobiographical portrait of the younger Gascoigne, it is not only possible but inevitable to find Gascoigne the writer in the figure of G.T.‘The Adventures’ as it first appears in the Hundreth Sundrie Flowres of 1573 is an older man's account of the misadventures of a younger man in love. The raconteur, one G.T., reports what happened to his young friend, Master F.J. Following much negative reaction, the story is transformed in the revised Posies of 1575 into ‘The Pleasant Fable of Ferdinando Jeronimi and Leonora de Valesco, translated out of the Italian riding tales of Bartello.’ This pseudo-translation becomes an anonymous omniscient narrator's account of the misadventures of a young man in love. The loss of G.T. as narrator entails with it the loss of a multitude of subtleties of attitude and tone.
M.O.A.L "What should that alphabetical position portend?" An Answer to the Metamorphic Malvolio*
Authors: Smith Peter J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThis paper is an attempt to answer the riddle set up by Malvolio's cryptic question which occurs in the box-tree scene (2.5) of Twelfth Night. The essay surveys a number of alternative solutions proposed by critics, editors, and actors. All are found, in their own ways, to be wanting: some are exposed as literal minded, too arcane, reliant upon language games that are unavailable to a theater audience or flawed by chronology. As the first step in decoding the puzzle, the paper rehearses a Renaissance view of semantics, according to which sense arises from utterances quintessentially — not, as modern linguistics would have it, approximately. Language, that is, is shown to signify inherently rather than conventionally. This linguistic veracity is shown to condemn Malvolio as he repeats an acrostic which he doesn't perceive, even while he utters it. The paper proposes that M.O.A.I. alludes to Sir John Harington's The Metamorphosis Of A Iax.
Arteriosclerotic events are less frequent in persons with chronic anemia: Evidence from families with hereditary spherocytosis
Authors: Schilling Robert F. , Gangnon Ronald E. , Traver Myrna 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBecause anemic persons have lower cholesterol and whole blood viscosity than those who are not anemic, we hypothesized that subjects with hereditary spherocytosis who have not had the spleen removed should have fewer arteriosclerotic events than unaffected family members. We defined arteriosclerotic events as myocardial infarct, stroke, coronary artery surgery, and carotid artery surgery. We compared the rate of these events in affected–not splenectomized persons to the rate in unaffected family members. The relative risk of an arteriosclerotic event in hereditary spherocytosis patients with a spleen was one fifth that in unaffected family members. These data support the hypothesis that chronic anemia retards the development of arteriosclerosis. Spherocytosis is another example of an inherited condition that conveys an advantage in one system and a disadvantage in another. Am. J. Hematol. 81:315–317, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enterovirus 71 infection induces Fas ligand expression and apoptosis of Jurkat cells
Authors: Chen Lien‐Cheng , Shyu Huey‐Wen , Chen Shun‐Hua , Lei Huan‐Yao , Yu Chun‐Keung , Yeh Trai‐Ming 
Published: April 2006

AbstractT‐cell depletion is found in enterovirus 71 (EV71)‐infected patients with pulmonary edema. However, the mechanism that causes T‐cell depletion is unclear. To address this question, the effects of EV71 infection on the cell viability of human Jurkat T cells were studied. Viable viruses were recovered from both the culture supernatant and the cell lysate of Jurkat cells after EV71 infection. Results from reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and immunofluorescence assay confirmed further the presence of EV71 negative‐strand RNA and antigen, respectively, in EV71‐infected Jurkat cells. The viability of the Jurkat cells decreased after 48 hr of EV71 infection. Both terminal transferase end labeling (TUNEL) and DNA fragmentation assays demonstrated that the apoptosis of EV71‐infected Jurkat cells had increased. In addition, the expression of Fas ligand (FasL) in EV71‐infected Jurkat cells increased at both mRNA and surface expression levels. Taken together, these results confirmed that EV71 infected T cells and induced FasL expression, which may contribute to T‐cell apoptosis during EV71 infection. J. Med. Virol. 78:780–786, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Convection in rectangular cavities with differentially heated end walls
Authors: Simpkins P. G. , Dudderar T. D. 
Published: April 2006

This paper describes an experimental study of free convection in an enclosed rectangular cavity, the end walls of which are maintained at uniform but different temperatures. The experiments are carried out for a variety of Rayleigh numbers, R = αgΔTh4/κνl, and aspect ratios, L = l/h, for fluids with Prandtl number σ ≥ 10. For R ∼ O(103) it is shown that the basic structure of the flow field is a single two-dimensional cell for 0·25 ≤ L ≤ 9. When R > O(104) the boundary layers on the vertical walls control the flow field, but the basic overall structure remains unicellular. At greater values of R secondary vortices appear for all L ≥ 0·5. As R increases the intensity and then the number of these vortices increases. Measurements of the end-wall boundary-layer profiles at different values of R and L confirm Gill's boundary-layer analysis. The effects of variations of viscosity with temperature are discussed in the context of the observed boundary-layer profiles.Core shear profiles and mass flux measurements are also reported. For L = 1 the observed shear profiles are in good agreement with numerical solutions of the Boussinesq equations. However, when L > 1 the observations suggest that the horizontal boundary layers have a significant effect on the core flow field. The stream function is demonstrated to be L-dependent in the boundary-layer regime, where variations due to R are second order. Similarities between the results of the present work and earlier observations by Elder and by Seki, Fukusaka & Inaba for tall slender cavities (L [Lt ] 1) are discussed.