bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
\( C^{1} \)-regularity of the Aronsson equation in \( R^{2} \)
Authors: Wang Changyou , Yu Yifeng 
Published: August 2007

For a nonnegative, uniformly convex

H \in C^{2}(\mathbf{R}^{2})

with

H(0) = 0

, if

u \in C(\Omega )

,

\Omega \subset \mathbf{R}^{2}

, is a viscosity solution of the Aronsson equation (1.7), then

u \in C^{1}(\Omega )

. This generalizes the

C^{1}

-regularity theorem on infinity harmonic functions in

\mathbf{R}^{2}

by Savin [O. Savin,

C^{1}

-regularity for infinity harmonic functions in dimensions two, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 176 (3) (2005) 351–361] to the Aronsson equation.

Résumé

Si

H \in C^{2}(\mathbf{R}^{2})

est une fonction uniformément convexe telle que

H(0) = 0

, et si

u \in C(\Omega ),\Omega \subset \mathbf{R}^{2}

, est une solution de viscosité de l'équation d'Aronsson (1.7), alors

u \in C^{1}(\Omega )

. Ceci généralise à l'équation d'Aronsson le théorème de

C^{1}

-régularité de Savin [O. Savin,

C^{1}

-regularity for infinity harmonic functions in dimensions two, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 176 (3) (2005) 351–361] pour les fonctions

∞

-harmoniques dans

\mathbf{R}^{2}

.
Serumn-3 long-chain PUFA differ by sex and age in a population-based survey of New Zealand adolescents and adults
Authors: Crowe Francesca L. , Murray Skeaff C. , Green Timothy J. , Gray Andrew R. 
Published: August 2007

A higher proportion ofn-3 long-chain PUFA in tissue lipids has been associated with a lower risk of CVD and some cancers. Diet is an important predictor ofn-3 long-chain PUFA composition; however, the importance of non-dietary factors such as sex and age is unclear. We measured the proportion ofn-3 long-chain PUFA in serum phospholipid, cholesterol ester and TAG of 2793 New Zealanders 15 years or older who participated in the 1997 National Nutrition Survey to determine differences by sex and age. Women had lower proportions of EPA and docosapentaenoic acid in phospholipid, by 0·07 (P = 0·004) and 0·10 (P < 0·001) mol%, respectively, and a higher proportion of DHA by 0·16 mol% (P = 0·001) compared with men. Intake of fish fat did not differ between men and women. There was a positive association between age and the proportion of EPA and DHA in phospholipid (P < 0·001). The sex differences in EPA and DHA were similar at all ages. Similar sex and age differences in serum cholesterol estern-3 long-chain PUFA were found; only age differences were found in serum TAG. Sex and age differences inn-3 long-chain PUFA occur in the general population. Men and women may need to be considered separately when examining the association between disease risk and biomarkers ofn-3 fatty acids.
Functional effects of eggs, naturally enriched with conjugated linoleic acid, on the blood lipid profile, development of atherosclerosis and composition of atherosclerotic plaque in apolipoprotein E and low-density lipoprotein receptor double-knockout mice (apoE/LDLR− / − )
Authors: Franczyk-Żarów Magdalena , Kostogrys Renata B. , Szymczyk Beata , Jawień Jacek , Gajda Mariusz , Cichocki Tadeusz , Wojnar Leszek , Chlopicki Stefan , Pisulewski Paweł M. 
Published: August 2007

The objective of this study was to evaluate potential anti-atherogenic properties of hen eggs enriched naturally with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers (cis-9,trans-11 andtrans-10,cis-12). Eighteen apoE and LDL receptor double-knockout mice (apoE/LDLR− / − ), at the age of 4 months with pre-established atherosclerosis, were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n6) and fed AIN-93G-based diets for the next 2 months. The experimental diets were: AIN-93G+ CLA-free egg-yolk powder (control); AIN-93G+ CLA-free egg-yolk powder +0·1 % CLA (CLA-supplemented eggs); and AIN-93G+ CLA-enriched egg-yolk powder, providing 0·1 % CLA (CLA-enriched eggs). For assessment of anti-atherogenic properties of CLA-enriched or CLA-supplemented eggs the following criteria were used: (1) serum lipid profile; (2) development of atherosclerosis; and (3) composition of atherosclerotic plaque. CLA-enriched eggs, compared with CLA-supplemented eggs, reduced significantly (P < 0·05) total plasma cholesterol in the mice. At the same time, both CLA-supplemented eggs and CLA-enriched eggs tended to decrease the size of atherosclerotic plaque in aortic roots of mice. Most importantly, atherosclerotic plaques of mice fed CLA-enriched eggs showed significantly (P < 0·05) reduced number of atherogenic macrophages and increased area occupied by smooth muscle cells in atherosclerotic lesions. In conclusion, CLA-enriched eggs exerted an anti-inflammatory effect more effectively than CLA-supplemented eggs. This anti-inflammatory effect can be considered their major functional claim that warrants further exploitation.
Co-supplementation of healthy women with fish oil and evening primrose oil increases plasma docosahexaenoic acid, γ-linolenic acid and dihomo-γ-linolenic acid levels without reducing arachidonic acid concentrations
Authors: Geppert Julia , Demmelmair Hans , Hornstra Gerard , Koletzko Berthold 
Published: August 2007

Fish oil supplementation during pregnancy not only improves maternal and neonatal DHA status, but often reduces γ-linolenic acid (GLA), dihomo-GLA (DGLA), and arachidonic acid (ARA) levels also, which may compromise foetal and infant development. The present study investigated the effects of a fish oil/evening primrose oil (FSO/EPO) blend (456 mg DHA/d and 353 mg GLA/d) compared to a placebo (mixture of habitual dietary fatty acids) on the plasma fatty acid (FA) composition in two groups of twenty non-pregnant women using a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel design. FA were quantified in plasma total lipids, phospholipids, cholesterol esters, and TAG at weeks 0, 4, 6 and 8. After 8 weeks of intervention, percentage changes from baseline values of plasma total lipid FA were significantly different between FSO/EPO and placebo for GLA (+49·9 %v. +2·1 %, means), DGLA (+13·8 %v. +0·7 %) and DHA (+59·6 %v. +5·5 %), while there was no significant difference for ARA ( − 2·2 %v. − 5·9 %). FA changes were largely comparable between plasma lipid fractions. In both groups three subjects reported mild adverse effects. As compared with placebo, FSO/EPO supplementation did not result in any physiologically relevant changes of safety parameters (blood cell count, liver enzymes). In women of childbearing age the tested FSO/EPO blend was well tolerated and appears safe. It increases plasma GLA, DGLA, and DHA levels without impairing ARA status. These data provide a basis for testing this FSO/EPO blend in pregnant women for its effects on maternal and neonatal FA status and infant development.
Association of fruit and vegetable intake with cardiovascular risk factors in urban south Indians
Authors: Radhika Ganesan , Sudha Vasudevan , Mohan Sathya Rangaswamy , Ganesan Anbazhagan , Mohan Viswanathan 
Published: August 2007

The study examines the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake (g/d) and CVD risk factors in urban south Indians. The study population comprised of 983 individuals aged ≥ 20 years selected from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiological Study (CURES), a population-based cross-sectional study on a representative population of Chennai in southern India. Fruit and vegetable intake (g/d) was measured using a validated semi-quantitative FFQ. Linear regression analysis revealed that after adjusting for potential confounders such as age, sex, smoking, alcohol, BMI and total energy intake, the highest quartile of fruit and vegetable intake (g/d) showed a significant inverse association with systolic blood pressure (β = − 2·6 (95 % CI − 5·92, − 1·02) mmHg; P = 0·027), BMI (β = − 2·3 (95 % CI − 2·96, − 1·57) kg/m2; P < 0·0001), waist circumference (β = − 2·6 (95 % CI − 3·69, − 1·46) cm; P < 0·0001), total cholesterol (β = − 50 (95 % CI − 113·9, − 13·6) mg/l; P = 0·017) and LDL-cholesterol concentration (β = − 55 (95 % CI − 110·8, − 11·1) mg/l; P = 0·039) when compared with the lowest quartile. A higher intake of fruit and vegetables explained 48 % of the protective effect against CVD risk factors. Increased intake of fruits and vegetables could play a protective role against CVD in Asian Indians who have high rates of premature coronary artery disease.
Characterization of actin genes inBonamia ostreaeand their application to phylogeny of the Haplosporidia
Authors: LÓPEZ-FLORES I. , SUÁREZ-SANTIAGO V. N. , LONGET D. , SAULNIER D. , CHOLLET B. , ARZUL I. 
Published: August 2007

SUMMARYBonamia ostreaeis a protozoan parasite that infects the European flat oysterOstrea edulis, causing systemic infections and resulting in massive mortalities in populations of this valuable bivalve species. In this work, we have characterizedB. ostreaeactin genes and used their sequences for a phylogenetic analysis. Design of different primer sets was necessary to amplify the central coding region of actin genes ofB. ostreae. Characterization of the sequences and their amplification in different samples demonstrated the presence of 2 intragenomic actin genes inB. ostreae, without any intron. The phylogenetic analysis placedB. ostreaein a clade withMinchinia tapetis,Minchinia teredinisandHaplosporidium costaleas its closest relatives, and demonstrated that the paralogous actin genes found inBonamiaresulted from a duplication of the original actin gene after theBonamiaorigin.
Toxoplasmosis in prey species and consequences for prevalence in feral cats: not all prey species are equal
Authors: AFONSO E. , THULLIEZ P. , PONTIER D. , GILOT-FROMONT E. 
Published: August 2007

SUMMARYToxoplasma gondiiis largely transmitted to definitive felid hosts through predation. Not all prey species represent identical risks of infection for cats because of differences in prey susceptibility, exposure and/or lifespan. Previously published studies have shown that prevalence in rodent and lagomorph species is positively correlated with body mass. We tested the hypothesis that different prey species have different infection risks by comparing infection dynamics of feral cats at 4 sites in the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen archipelago which differed in prey availability. Cats were trapped from 1994 to 2004 and anti-T. gondiiIgG antibodies were detected using the modified agglutination test (⩾1:40). Overall seroprevalence was 51·09%. Antibody prevalence differed between sites, depending on diet and also on sex, after taking into account the effect of age. Males were more often infected than females and the difference between the sexes tended to be more pronounced in the site where more prey species were available. A difference in predation efficiency between male and female cats may explain this result. Overall, our results suggest that the composition of prey items in cat diet influences the risk ofT. gondiiinfection. Prey compositon should therefore be considered important in any understanding of infection dynamics ofT. gondii.
‘It's not over when it's over’: persistent neurobiological abnormalities in recovered depressed patients
Authors: Bhagwagar Z. , Cowen P.J. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTThe tendency of major depression to recur is a leading problem in clinical management and is responsible for much of the illness burden. Until recently, biological studies of depression have focused on the mechanisms involved in acute illness but there are now many data to suggest that neurobiological abnormalities persist when depressed patients are clinically recovered and withdrawn from medication. These abnormalities encompass a number of neurochemical and neuropsychological mechanisms that could be relevant to recurrence, including changes in the availability of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) receptor subtypes, decreases in cortical γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), increases in cortisol secretion and negative biases in the processing of emotional information. Studies of groups at high risk of depression before illness onset will help to clarify which biological abnormalities precede the development of depression and which are the product of recurrent illness. Ultimately this work should lead to a better understanding of the neurobiology of vulnerability to depression and more innovative approaches to primary and secondary prevention.
A multi-data source surveillance system to detect a bioterrorism attack during the G8 Summit in Scotland
Authors: MEYER N. , McMENAMIN J. , ROBERTSON C. , DONAGHY M. , ALLARDICE G. , COOPER D. 
Published: August 2007

SUMMARYIn 18 weeks, Health Protection Scotland (HPS) deployed a syndromic surveillance system to early-detect natural or intentional disease outbreaks during the G8 Summit 2005 at Gleneagles, Scotland. The system integrated clinical and non-clinical datasets. Clinical datasets included Accident & Emergency (A&E) syndromes, and General Practice (GPs) codes grouped into syndromes. Non-clinical data included telephone calls to a nurse helpline, laboratory test orders, and hotel staff absenteeism. A cumulative sum-based detection algorithm and a log-linear regression model identified signals in the data. The system had a fax-based track for real-time identification of unusual presentations. Ninety-five signals were triggered by the detection algorithms and four forms were faxed to HPS. Thirteen signals were investigated. The system successfully complemented a traditional surveillance system in identifying a small cluster of gastroenteritis among the police force and triggered interventions to prevent further cases.
Understanding the impact of Hib conjugate vaccine on transmission, immunity and disease in the United Kingdom
Authors: McVERNON J. , RAMSAY M. E. , McLEAN A. R. 
Published: August 2007

SUMMARYA rise in invasiveHaemophilus influenzaetype b (Hib) infections occurred 8 years after vaccine introduction in the United Kingdom. Aspects of Hib vaccine delivery unique to the United Kingdom have been implicated. The authors developed a fully age-structured deterministic susceptible–infected–resistant–susceptible mathematical model, expressed as a set of partial differential equations, to better understand the causes of declining vaccine effectiveness. We also investigated the consequences of the vaccine's impact on reducing Hib transmission for maintenance of immunity. Our findings emphasized the importance of maintaining high post-immunization antibody titres among age groups at greatest risk of invasive infections. In keeping with UK population-based estimates, low direct efficacy of immunological memory against disease was found, cautioning against over-reliance on evidence of priming alone as a correlate of population protection. The contribution of herd immunity to disease control was reinforced. Possible intervention strategies will be explored in subsequent work.
Risk factors for ciprofloxacin resistance in reported Campylobacter infections in southern Alberta
Authors: JOHNSON J. Y. M. , McMULLEN L. M. , HASSELBACK P. , LOUIE M. , JHANGRI G. , SAUNDERS L. D. 
Published: August 2007

SUMMARYWe conducted a case-control study examining risk factors for ciprofloxacin resistance in Campylobacter infections that were reported in 2004 and 2005 in two health regions in southern Alberta. The study questionnaire included questions about recent travel and antibiotic use, food consumption frequency, use of household and personal hygiene products with antibacterial agents, contact with animals, and potential misuse of antibiotics. Of the 210 patients who participated, 31·0% had ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter infections. Foreign travel was the strongest predictor of resistance. Surprisingly, possession of antibiotics for future use was identified as a risk factor for resistance. We also examined the potential for participation bias and resistance misclassification to affect the resulting multivariable models. Participation bias appears to have had a substantial effect on the model results, but the estimated misclassification effect due to the use of different ciprofloxacin susceptibility testing methods was only slight.
Prevalence ofStaphylococcus aureuscarriage among dogs and their owners
Authors: BOOST M. V. , O'DONOGHUE M. M. , JAMES A. 
Published: August 2007

SUMMARYCase reports have indicated transmission ofStaphylococcus aureusbetween humans and pets. We investigated associations between level of contact between dog and owner, andS. aureuscolonization. In a cross-sectional study, nasal carriage and antibiotic susceptibility ofS. aureuswas determined for 830 dogs and 736 owners. Relatedness of isolates was investigated using antibiograms and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Associations between carriage and demographics or amount of contact between owners and dogs were documented.S. aureuswas isolated in 24% of humans and 8·8% of dogs. Antibiotic resistance was significantly more common in canine isolates. Of 17 owner/dog colonized pairs, six were indistinguishable by PFGE. Colonization of dogs was not associated with close human contact, but was strongly associated with health-care occupations (OR 3·29, 95% CI 1·49–7·26,P=0·002). In outbreak situations health-care workers' pets should be considered as a source ofS. aureus. High rates of resistance indicate increased monitoring of antibiotic use in veterinary practice is needed.
Food and trust in Australia: building a picture
Authors: Coveney John 
Published: August 2007

AbstractObjectiveTo explore consumer trust in food, especially people’s experiences that support or diminish trust in the food supply; consumer practices to strengthen trust in food; and views on how trust in the food supply could be increased.SettingAdelaide, South Australia.DesignIn-depth qualitative research interviews and focus groups.SubjectsWomen and men who are primary food providers in families (n= 24).ResultsMedia coverage of food scares and scandals and personal experience of food-borne illness challenged respondents’ trust in the food system. Poor retail food handling practices and questionable marketing ploys by food manufacturers also decreased trust. Buying ‘Made-in-Australia’ produce and following food safety procedures at home were important practices to strengthen food trust. Knowledge of procedures for local food inspection and for national food regulation to keep food safe was scanty. Having a strong regulatory environment governing food safety and quality was considered by respondents to be of prime importance for trust building.DiscussionThe dimensions of trust found in this study are consistent with key theoretical aspects of trust. The need for trust in highly complex environments, in this case the food supply, was evident. Trust was found to be integral to food choice, and negative media reports, the sources of which themselves enjoy various levels of dependability, were found to easily damage trust relationships. The lack of visibility of authoritative monitoring and surveillance, misleading food advertising, and poor retail food handling practices were identified as areas that decreased consumer trust. Respondents also questioned the probity of food labelling, especially health claims and other mechanisms designed to guide food choice. The research highlights the role trust plays in food choice. It also emphasises the importance of a visible authoritative presence in the food system to strengthen trust and provide reassurance to consumers.
Contribution of High Frequencies to Speech Recognition in Quiet and Noise in Listeners With Varying Degrees of High-Frequency Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Amos Nathan E. , Humes Larry E. 
Published: August 2007

PurposeThe contribution of audible high-frequency information to speech-understanding performance in listeners with varying degrees of high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss was examined.MethodThirty-six elderly hearing-impaired (EHI) and 24 young normal-hearing (YNH) listeners were tested in quiet (+20 dB speech-to-noise ratio [SNR]) and noise (+5 dB SNR) and under different bandpass conditions (narrow, 200–1600 Hz; midband, 200–3200 Hz; broadband, 200–6400 Hz), both without and with spectral shaping of the stimuli. Monosyllabic word-recognition performance was examined through use of both whole-word scoring and phoneme scoring. The 36 EHI listeners were divided into 3 groups of 12 listeners each, with the groups differing in the amount of high-frequency hearing loss. The 24 YNH participants were separated into 2 groups, each serving as a reference group for either the unshaped or spectrally shaped speech listening conditions.ResultsResults for spectrally shaped speech, in both quiet and noise, revealed that the 3 EHI groups performed equivalently in the different bandwidth conditions and demonstrated no change (increase or decrease) in word-recognition performance between the midband and broadband conditions. The YNH groups, however, demonstrated improved speech understanding attributable to the higher frequencies for the broadband condition in both the unshaped and shaped conditions.ConclusionsData from the EHI listeners revealed that performance for unshaped speech was correlated moderately and negatively with degree of high-frequency hearing loss. Alternatively, recognition performance for shaped speech was related to neither the performance for unshaped speech nor the amount of high-frequency hearing loss.
The Effects of Speech Presentation Level on Acceptance of Noise in Listeners With Normal and Impaired Hearing
Authors: Freyaldenhoven Melinda C. , Plyler Patrick N. , Thelin James W. , Hedrick Mark S. 
Published: August 2007

Purpose
To compare the effects of speech presentation level on acceptance of noise in listeners with normal and impaired hearing.

Method

Participants were listeners with normal (
n
= 24) and impaired (
n
= 46) hearing who were matched for conventional acceptable noise level (ANL). ANL was then measured at 8 fixed speech presentation levels (40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, and 75 dB HL) to determine if global ANL (i.e., ANL averaged across speech presentation levels) or ANL growth (i.e., the slope of the ANL function) varied between groups.

Results
The effects of speech presentation level on acceptance of noise were evaluated using global ANLs and ANL growth. Results showed global ANL and ANL growth were not significantly different for listeners with normal and impaired hearing, and neither ANL measure was related to pure-tone average for listeners with impaired hearing. Additionally, conventional ANLs were significantly correlated with both global ANLs and ANL growth for all listeners.

Conclusion
These results indicate that the effects of speech presentation level on acceptance of noise are not related to hearing sensitivity. These results further indicate that a listener’s conventional ANL was related to his or her global ANL and ANL growth.
Vocal Fold Epithelial Response to Luminal Osmotic Perturbation
Authors: Sivasankar Mahalakshmi , Fisher Kimberly V. 
Published: August 2007

PurposeDry-air challenges increase the osmolarity of fluid lining the luminal surface of the proximal airway. The homeostasis of surface fluid is thought to be essential for voice production and laryngeal defense. Therefore, the authors hypothesized that viable vocal fold epithelium would generate a water flux to reduce an osmotic challenge (150 mOsm mannitol) on the lumen. Bidirectional transepithelial water fluxes were measured in vocal folds exposed to physiologically realistic luminal osmotic perturbations in vitro.MethodThirty-six native ovine vocal folds were exposed to either luminal hyperosmotic or isosmotic perturbations. Vocal fold viability and water fluxes toward the lumen and into the mucosa were measured at prechallenge baseline and for 30 min after challenge.ResultsVocal fold electrophysiological viability was maintained for the duration of osmotic perturbation. Luminal osmotic exposure increased luminally directed transepithelial water fluxes in 60% of vocal folds. This increase was electrically silent, of short duration, and would not negate the osmotic gradient.ConclusionOvine vocal fold epithelia detect osmotic perturbations to the luminal surface in vitro. This ability to detect and respond to changes in surface composition may be important in homeostatic regulation of vocal fold surface fluid during osmotic perturbations in respiration and phonation.