bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of a 5‐HT4 receptor agonist on oesophageal function and gastro‐oesophageal reflux: studies using combined impedance‐manometry and combined impedance‐pH
Authors: TUTUIAN R. , MAINIE I. , ALLAN R. , HARGREAVES K. , AGRAWAL A. , FREEMAN J. , GALE J. , CASTELL D. O. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryBackground5‐HT4 receptor agonists are used as promotility agents of the stomach, small and large intestine. There is limited information on the influence of 5‐HT4 receptor agonists on oesophageal function and gastro‐oesophageal reflux.AimTo evaluate the effects of tegaserod, a 5‐HT4 agonist on oesophageal function using impedance‐manometry and postprandial reflux using impedance‐pH monitoring.MethodsTwenty healthy volunteers were enrolled in a double‐blind randomized three‐period crossover placebo‐controlled study. Impedance‐manometry and impedance‐pH monitoring after a refluxogenic meal were performed at baseline and after 2 days of dosing with tegaserod 6 mg b.d. or placebo. Multichannel intraluminal impedance‐EM recorded pressure and bolus transit data during standardized swallows. Multichannel intraluminal impedance‐pH monitoring recorded the number of 2‐h postprandial acid and non‐acid reflux episodes.ResultsWe found no significant difference in distal oesophageal amplitude when subjects received placebo (median 94.5; range: 53–243 mmHg) or tegaserod (93.6; 43–216 mmHg). Bolus transit time was similar during dosing with placebo (7.1; 5.3–9.4 s) and tegaserod (7.2; 5.9–11.1 s). We observed similar numbers of acid and non‐acid reflux episodes during dosing with placebo (5; 0–15 and 3; 0–18, respectively) and tegaserod (2; 0–11 and 4; 0–19, respectively).ConclusionTegaserod, a 5‐HT4 receptor agonist does not change oesophageal motility and gastro‐oesophageal reflux parameters in healthy volunteers.
Phagocytic efficacy of macrophage-like cells as a function of cell cycle and Fcγ receptors (FcγR) and complement receptor (CR)3 expression
Authors: Luo Y , Cook E , Fries B C , Casadevall A 
Published: June 2006

SummaryPrevious studies have shown that the efficiency of phagocytosis is a function of cell cycle and that phagocytosis promotes cell cycle progression. Because phagocytosis is dependent on cellular receptors we hypothesized that Fcγ receptors (FcγR) and complement receptors (CR) expression varied with cell cycle. Consequently, we used centrifugal elutriation of macrophage-like cells, fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis and receptor staining to investigate expression of FcγR and CR as a function of cell cycle. We confirmed that FcγR expression on macrophage-like cells increased as the cells progressed from G1 to G2 phases. Moreover, CR3 expression varied as a function of cell cycle in a manner similar to FcγR. Correlation of receptor expression with cell size showed that FcγR and CR3 expression on macrophages was determined largely by cell size enlargement during the cell cycle. The efficacy of both Fc- and complement-mediated phagocytosis of live Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) showed a biphasic pattern with the efficacy of phagocytosis decreasing when the cells approached the G1–S interface, which paralleled the changes in receptor surface expression when cells exited G1 phase. Live Cn cells were significantly more resistant to phagocytosis than dead cells at all stages of macrophage-like cell cycle. In contrast to live cells, the efficacy of phagocytosis of dead Cn decreased as surface receptor expression increased. Hence, the efficacy of phagocytosis in this system as function of cell cycle is not related to phagocytic receptor expression.
Bone mineral density is not reduced in HIV‐infected Caucasian men treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Bolland Mark J. , Grey Andrew B. , Horne Anne M. , Briggs Simon E. , Thomas Mark G. , Ellis‐Pegler Rod B. , Woodhouse Andrew F. , Gamble Greg D. , Reid Ian R. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryObjective   Recent studies have reported low bone mineral density (BMD) in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Frequently these findings have been attributed to treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). We sought to determine whether BMD in HIV‐infected men treated with HAART for at least 3 months is different from that in healthy controls, and, if so, what HIV‐related factors might explain this finding.Design   Cross‐sectional analysis.Patients   Fifty‐nine HIV‐infected Caucasian men treated with HAART, and 118 healthy community‐dwelling controls. Each HIV‐infected man was age‐matched (within 5 years) to two controls.Measurements   All participants had measurements of BMD and bone‐related laboratory parameters.Results   The mean duration of known HIV infection was 8·5 years, and of treatment with HAART was 52 months. There was no significant difference in mean BMD between groups at the lumbar spine (HIV group: 1·23 g/cm2, controls: 1·25 g/cm2; P = 0·53) or total body (HIV group: 1·18 g/cm2, controls: 1·20 g/cm2; P = 0·09). At the total hip the HIV‐infected group had significantly lower BMD than the control group (HIV group: 1·03 g/cm2, controls: 1·09 g/cm2; P = 0·01). The HIV‐infected group were, on average, 6·3 kg lighter than the controls. After adjusting for this weight difference, HIV infection was not an independent predictor of BMD at any site (lumbar spine P = 0·79; total hip P = 0·18; total body P = 0·76).Conclusions   HIV‐infected men treated with HAART are lighter than healthy controls. This weight difference is responsible for a small decrement in hip BMD. Overall, BMD is not significantly reduced in HIV‐infected Caucasian men treated with HAART.
Identification and functional characterization of three novel human melanocortin‐4 receptor gene variants in an obese Chinese population
Authors: Rong Rong , Tao Ya‐Xiong , Cheung Bernard M. Y. , Xu Aimin , Cheung Grace C. N. , Lam Karen S. L. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryObjective  Mutations in the melanocortin‐4 receptor gene (MC4R) are the most common monogenic form of human obesity. However, the contribution of MC4R mutations to obesity in Chinese has not been investigated. We studied the frequency of MC4R mutations in an obese southern Chinese population and the functional consequences of the novel variants identified.Methods  We screened for MC4R mutations in 227 obese [body mass index (BMI) 35·29 ± 5·75 kg/m2] and 100 lean (BMI 21·57 ± 0·29 kg/m2) southern Chinese subjects using PCR‐direct sequencing. In vitro functional studies, including cell surface expression, ligand binding, and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation, were performed to examine the functional properties of three novel missense mutations.Results  Apart from two previously reported polymorphisms, V103I and −176 A > C, three novel missense heterozygous variants (Y35C, C40R and M218T) were identified. The polymorphisms −176 A > C and Y35C were detected in both obese and normal subjects with similar frequency. C40R was identified only in an obese subject. Pedigree analysis revealed M218T carriers in both lean and obese subjects. The prevalence of V103I carriers in normal‐weight controls was significantly higher than that in obese subjects (5·3%vs. 1·3%, P < 0·05). In vitro functional studies showed that all three novel missense variants have normal functions.Conclusions  Two known polymorphisms and three novel variants of the MC4R were identified. No overt functional defects were observed for the three novel MC4R variants, suggesting that they might not be the cause of obesity in variant carriers.
Mechanisms of solute transport affect small‐scale abundance and function of soil microorganisms in the detritusphere
Authors: Poll C. , Ingwersen J. , Stemmer M. , Gerzabek M. H. , Kandeler E. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryIn the detritusphere, particulate organic matter offers new sites for microorganisms, whereas soluble substrates are transported into the adjacent soil. We investigated how mechanisms of solute transport affect microbial abundance and function in the detritusphere. In a first experiment, transport was restricted to diffusion, whereas in a second experiment it was dominated by convection. Two soil moisture contents were established in each experiment. When diffusion was the exclusive transport mechanism, the addition of maize litter induced distinct gradients in enzyme activities, soil organic C content and microbial biomass to a depth of 1.5–2.8 mm. Convection enlarged these gradients to 2.5–3.0 mm. The moisture regime modified the temporal pattern of diffusive C transport, microbial growth and enzyme release by inducing faster transport at large water contents. Convective transport seemed to be unaffected by soil moisture content. Using a convective‐diffusive transport model with first‐order decay, it was possible to simulate the observed activity profiles. The results indicate that the spatial dimension of the detritusphere is governed by the ratio between decay rate of available substrates and transport rate. Bacteria and fungi showed differing utilization strategies as revealed by coupling phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis with stable isotope techniques. Fungi assimilated C directly in the litter, whereas bacteria took up the substrates in the soil and therefore depended more on transport processes than fungi. Our results demonstrate the impact of physicochemical conditions on the abundance and function of microorganisms in the detritusphere. Furthermore, the combination of enzymatic measurements and mathematical transport modelling may offer a new way to measure substrate decay rates in soil.
Over‐expression of c‐Myb increases the frequency of hemogenic precursors in the endothelial cell population
Authors: Dai Guoyou , Sakamoto Hiroshi , Shimoda Yuri , Fujimoto Tetsuhiro , Nishikawa Shin‐Ichi , Ogawa Minetaro 
Published: June 2006

Definitive hematopoiesis has been proposed to arise from hemogenic endothelial cells during mouse embryogenesis. The c‐myb proto‐oncogene is essential for the development of definitive hematopoiesis and was reported to be activated in hemogenic endothelial cells. To investigate whether c‐Myb is involved in regulating the development of hemogenic endothelial cells, we conditionally induced c‐myb over‐expression during the in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells. VE‐cadherin+ CD45− cells inducibly expressing c‐Myb showed an increase in multilineage colony formation as well as an augmented capacity of the colony forming cells to self‐renew in vitro under the condition that only the endogenous c‐myb gene was expressed during differentiation of hematopoietic cells. Over‐expression of c‐Myb in the endothelial population led to activation of genes associated with definitive hematopoiesis such as Runx1, Hoxb4, Mll and Etv6. Our data provide evidence that c‐Myb is able to exert an effect in endothelial cells which fosters the establishment of their hemogenic potential.
Dish structures in Eocene volcanic ash layers, Denmark
Authors: PEDERSEN GUNVER KRARUP , SURLYK FINN 
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACTWell developed dish structures occur in two out of 179 numbered ash layers in a 60 m thick section of Lower Eocene marine diatomite in northern Denmark. One of the two dish‐structured ash layers also contains Type A pillar structures of Lowe (1975). The ash layers are well graded and the grain sizes fall in the range of fine sand to coarse silt. The ash was transported by wind from volcanoes located in the Skagerrak and settled grain‐by‐grain on the sea floor. The ash layers were thus laid down by rapid sedimentation compared to the relatively slow deposition of the diatomite. The two ash layers showing dish structures are among the coarsest grained and thickest of the 179 layers. Other layers, which are equally thick but significantly finer grained or equally coarse‐grained but thinner, show no water escape structures.The rapid deposition of the coarse‐grained ash on the fine‐grained, waterlogged diatom ooze may have started consolidation processes in the ooze, thereby inducing a water flow into the ash layer. This led to liquefaction and localized fluidization of the ash layer resulting in the formation of dish and pillar structures.The present study supports the interpretation of dish and pillar structures as secondary structures, formed by water escape. This occurrence represents the first description of these structures from beds not deposited by currents and indicates that dish structures are not diagnostic of any type of sediment gravity flow.
Immunohistochemical Localization of Insulin‐Like Growth Factor‐I Receptor (IGF‐IR) in the Developing and Mature Rat Testes
Authors: Yagci A. , Zik B. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryIt has been suggested that insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) plays an important role in the regulation of spermatogenesis in the testes. Its signal is mediated predominantly by the IGF‐I receptor (IGF‐IR). Signalling through IGF‐IR has been shown to have a potent survival function. IGF‐IR, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase, is widely expressed across many cell types. In this study, we demonstrated the distribution of IGF‐IR in testes of differently aged rats. Anti‐IGF‐IR is a rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against a peptide mapping at the carboxy terminus of the IGF‐IR of human origin. Testicular specimens were fixed in Bouin's solution and embedded in paraffin. The paraffin‐embedded sections were processed for standard immunohistochemistry by the labelled streptavidin–biotin technique. At postnatal day 19, IGF‐IR immunoreactivity was seen moderately in spermatogonia, and slightly both in leptotene and zygotene primary spermatocytes. At postnatal day 35, immunoreactivity was seen slightly both in the pachytene primary spermatocytes and Leydig cells. Although there was intense immunoreactivity in the Leydig cells and in the elongated spermatids on days 50 and 70, the intensity of reaction was decreased in the elongated spermatids in the 10th month. Our results suggest that IGF‐IR may play significant roles in testicular function and germ cell development.
Identification of Candida fabianii as a cause of lethal septicaemia
Authors: Valenza Giuseppe , Valenza Regine , Brederlau Jörg , Frosch Matthias , Kurzai Oliver 
Published: June 2006

SummaryInfections caused by rare fungal species of low pathogenic potential become increasingly common in hospital settings. The identification of these species presents a major challenge for the clinical mycology laboratory. We describe a case of fatal septicaemia caused by Candida fabianii. The use of common biochemical approaches led to misidentification of the isolate as Candida utilis. Sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS1 and ITS2) allowed unequivocal species identification.
In vitro susceptibilities of Malaysian clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii and Cryptococcus gattii to five antifungal drugs
Authors: Tay S. T. , Tanty Haryanty T. , Ng K. P. , Rohani M.Y. , Hamimah H. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryThe in vitro susceptibilities of Malaysian clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii and C . gattii to five antifungal drugs (amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole) were determined using the Etest method. None of the Malaysian isolates was resistant to amphotericin B and ketoconazole. Isolates resistant to flucytosine, fluconazole and itraconazole were observed in this study. Minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of ≥32 μg ml−1 against flucytosine, ≥64 μg ml−1 against fluconazole and ≥1 μg ml−1against itraconazole were noted in four (8.3%), two (4.2%) and one (2.1%) isolates respectively. There was no significant difference in the MICs for both Cryptococcus species (P > 0.05), indicating that C. gattii was as susceptible as var. grubii to all the antifungal drugs tested. No significant difference in the MICs for both Cryptococcus species collected from 1980 to 1990 and 2002 to 2004 were observed (P > 0.05).
Contact dermatitis due to ciclopiroxolamine
Authors: Romano C. , Ghilardi A. , Calò D. , Maritati E. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryWe report a case of contact dermatitis because of ciclopiroxolamine milk in a 43‐year‐old woman with tinea pedis and onychomycosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum. Ciclopiroxolamine is regarded as a weak sensitiser because of the few allergic reactions described in relation to its widespread use.
In vitro antifungal susceptibility testing of filamentous fungi with Sensititre Yeast OneTM
Authors: Carrillo‐Muñoz A. J. , Quindós G. , Ruesga M. , Del Valle O. , Pemán J. , Cantón E. , Hernández‐Molina J. M. , Santos P. 
Published: June 2006

SummarySensititre® is a colorimetric microdilution method for in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing based on the M27‐A document (National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards) for yeasts. Difference between both methods is the presence of Alamar‐blue® and RPMI 1640 (glucose 2%) as culture medium. Antifungal susceptibility to amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole and flucytosine, 100 opportunistic filamentous fungi (Aspergillus spp., Fusarium spp., Scedosporium spp.) obtained from pathological samples was determined by the Sensititre method. Induction to conidium and sporangiospore formation at 35°C was used to get inoculum and plates were covered by 1 ml of saline and suspensions were made by gently probing by a sterile loop. Optical densities of the conidial suspensions were adjusted to 80–82% transmittance for Aspergillus spp. and 68–70% for the rest of strains tested. Final inoculum concentration size was 0.4 × 104–5 × 104 CFU ml−1. Readings were made at 72 h of incubation at 35°C; amphotericin B and itraconazole was active against Aspergillus fumigatus with CMI90 1 and 0.5 μg ml−1, respectively, opposite to Scedosporium prolificans and Scedosporium apiospermum. As it was expected, a CMI90 of 256 μg ml−1 for fluconazole and CMI90 for flucytosine amounting to 64 g ml−1 were obtained. Sensititre Yeast OneTM is a useful method and an alternative to reference methods to determine antifungal susceptibility of filamentous fungi for clinical laboratory routine. Correlation with microdilution results is studied. New triazole derivatives should be included as soon as their clinical use will be feasible.
Inflammatory pseudotumor of the liver: Report of eight cases, including three unusual cases, and a literature review
Authors: Tsou Yung‐Kuan , Lin Chun‐Jung , Liu Nai‐Jen , Lin Chen‐Chun , Lin Cheng‐Hui , Lin Shi‐Ming 
Published: June 2006

AbstractBackground:  Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) of the liver is a rare but increasingly recognized tumor‐like lesion. This condition is becoming an important differential diagnosis in patients with hepatic space‐occupying lesions. This study reports the clinical features of eight cases of IPT of the liver, including the first report of three cases with an unusual associated disease or clinical course.Methods:  The study sample included cases of IPT diagnosed based on the histopathology in our institution from 1995 to 2004. Clinical events were reported and compared with reports in the literature.Results:  The age of the patients ranged from 28 to 78 years. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain, fever and bodyweight loss. Three patients were diagnosed incidentally. The initial clinical diagnoses were hepatocellular carcinoma in three cases, liver abscess in two cases, metastasis in one case and uncertain nature in two cases. Two cases were associated with preceding endophthalmitis and cholangiocarcinoma, respectively. Two patients had spontaneous lesion regression, but one of these had possible recurrence 10 months later. The other two patients experienced resolution of their lesions following antibiotic treatment. Four patients underwent surgical resection with subsequent recovery.Conclusions:  The clinical and imaging features of IPT in this small series were found to sometimes mimic those of malignant liver tumors or abscess. Surgical resection was performed in half of the cases. However, IPT of the liver could resolve spontaneously or following antibiotics treatment.
Near demise of a child with Prader–Willi syndrome during elective orchidopexy
Authors: MANTADAKIS ELPIS , SPANAKI ANNA‐MARIA , GEROMARKAKI ELSA , VASSILAKI EFROSINI , BRIASSOULIS GEORGE 
Published: June 2006

SummaryThe case of a morbidly obese 3.5‐year‐old boy, with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS), who experienced a life‐threatening episode of pulmonary edema soon after induction of general anesthesia with sevoflurane and intubation for orchidopexy is presented. The patient who had history of sleep apnea and who had an uneventful laparoscopy under general anesthesia 6 months previously was supported with mechanical ventilation with positive end expiratory pressure but developed hyperthermia, pneumonia, sepsis, and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in the intensive care unit. He recovered fully 11 days after surgery. The possible contributing factors for the development of pulmonary edema are discussed. Arrangements for monitoring in an intensive care setting after surgery are highly recommended for patients with PWS.
Online learner’s ‘flow’ experience: an empirical study
Authors: Shin Namin 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThis study is concerned with online learners’‘flow’ experiences. On the basis of Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of flow, flow was conceptualised as a complex, multimentional, reflective construct composing of ‘enjoyment’, ‘telepresence’, ‘focused attention’, ‘engagement’ and ‘time distortion’ on the part of learners. A flow model was put forward with regard to virtual class environment in a traditional university context, comprised with flow antecedents, flow and flow consequences. Based on the model, a virtual‐course flow measure was developed and administered to 525 undergraduate students engaged in virtual classes in order to examine the empirical relationships between measured flow antecedents, flow experiences and flow consequence‐course satisfaction in this case. The analysis of the data showed that: (1) students’ perceptions of their level of ‘skill’ and ‘challenge’ specific to each course are critical to determining the level of flow, (2) flow is a significant predictor of course satisfaction and (3) other than flow, individual differences such as ‘gender’ and ‘having a clear goal’ can make a significant difference in the level of flow in a virtual course. These findings are discussed along with the implications for bringing up a computer‐mediated environment more conducive to flow and learning.
Modifying the metaphor in order to improve understanding of control languages—the little‐person becomes a cast of actors
Authors: Whalley Peter 
Published: June 2006

AbstractThe instructional metaphor is an important bridge to understanding, particularly when students are undertaking tasks that are conceptually difficult and outside their previous experience. It is suggested that the limitations of the implicit metaphor of the procedural control languages are the main cause of the problems experienced with delivering the control topic within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) curriculum. These continue to dominate classroom practice despite Papert warning more than 25 years ago of the conceptual restrictions that they place on children’s thinking. It is also claimed that the procedural control languages do not provide an adequate representation of the underlying input–process–output model of control, and that this contributes to a systematic pattern of misunderstanding. Classroom trials of a graphic object‐orientated language are related to a prior study made with the procedural control language Control Logo. The relatively more sophisticated mental models developed by students working with actor‐lab are discussed in terms of the different underlying metaphors and the problem representation provided.