bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Molecular identification and characterization of two new Lepidoptera chemoreceptors belonging to the Drosophila melanogaster OR83b family
Authors: Malpel S. , Merlin C. , François M.‐C. , Jacquin‐Joly E. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractIn insect antennae, olfaction depends on olfactory receptors (ORs) that function through heterodimerization with an unusually highly conserved partner orthologue to the Drosophila melanogaster DOR83b. Here, we report the identification of two cDNAs encoding new DOR83b orthologues that represent the first members, although nonconventional, of the OR families of two noctuid crop pests, the cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis and the cabbage armyworm Mamestra brassicae. They both displayed high protein sequence conservation with previously identified DOR83b orthologues. Transcripts were abundantly detected in adult chemosensory organs as well as in fifth instar larvae heads. In adult antennae, the expression patterns of both genes revealed common features with other members of the OR83b subfamily: they appeared to be expressed at the bases of numerous olfactory sensilla belonging to different functional categories, suggesting that both receptors may be co‐expressed with yet unidentified conventional ORs. Bioinformatic analyses predicted the occurrence of seven transmembrane domains and an unusual topology with intracellular N‐termini and extracellular C‐termini, extending to Lepidoptera the hypothesis of an inverted topology for DOR83b orthologues, demonstrated to date only in D. melanogaster.
Comparative analysis of circadian clock genes in insects
Authors: Sandrelli F. , Costa R. , Kyriacou C. P. , Rosato E. 
Published: September 2008

SummaryAfter a slow start, the comparative analysis of clock genes in insects has developed into a mature area of study in recent years. Brain transplant or surgical interventions in larger insects defined much of the early work in this area, before the cloning of clock genes became possible. We discuss the evolution of clock genes, their key sequence differences, and their likely modes of regulation in several different insect orders. We also present their expression patterns in the brain, focusing particularly on Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Orthoptera, the most common non‐genetic model insects studied. We also highlight the adaptive involvement of clock molecules in other complex phenotypes which require biological timing, such as social behaviour, diapause and migration.
CAG repeat variation in the mtDNA polymerase γ is not associated with oligoasthenozoospermia
Authors: Rani Deepa Selvi , Carlus S. Justin , Poongothai J. , Jyothi Amara , Pavani Kadupa , Gupta Nalini J. , Reddy Alla G. , Rajan M. Mamtha , Rao Kamini , Chakravarty Baidyanath , Singh Lalji , Thangaraj Kumarasamy 
Published: September 2008

SummaryVariations in the trinucleotide‐CAG repeat number of the catalytic subunit of the mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma(POLG)have been speculated to be associated with male infertility. The ten CAG repeats (10/10) were found to be the most common allele (88%), absence of which was found to be associated with male infertility. As no study on Indian population was conducted so far to support this view, we investigated the distribution of thePOLG‐CAG repeats in 509 oligoasthenozoospermic and 241 normozoospermic control Indian men from the same ethnic background. Our study suggested that the distribution of common allele (10/10) was almost similar in both infertile (75%) and normozoospermic (75.5%) men. Further, we had analysed the CAG repeat number in as many as 1306 Indian men belonging to different ethnic, geographical and linguistic backgrounds and found the common allele 10/10 at a frequency of 78.4%. Our study, therefore, suggests that the 10‐CAG repeat is the most common allele present in Indian populations, but its absence and the occurrence of the other mutant homozygous (non 10/non 10) genotype should not be understood as being specific to infertility. It, thus, suggests that thePOLG‐CAG repeat variation is not associated with male infertility in Indian populations, and hence is not a useful marker for screening infertile men.
Evaluation of testicular biopsies for carcinoma in situ: immunohistochemistry is mandatory
Authors: Van Casteren N. J. , De Jong J. , Stoop H. , Steyerberg E. W. , De Bekker‐Grob E. W. , Dohle G. R. , Oosterhuis J. W. , Looijenga L. H. J. 
Published: September 2008

SummaryCarcinoma in situ (CIS) is the common precursor of all type II testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs), i.e. seminomas and non‐seminomas, which can be diagnosed using a surgical biopsy. The objective of this study was to investigate the additional value of immunohistochemistry for the diagnosis of CIS in assessing testicular biopsies taken in the context of infertility. A series of 21 infertile patients were retrieved from the Dutch pathological database (PALGA), being diagnosed with an invasive TGCT, while a matched previously obtained testicular biopsy was diagnosed as non‐malignant. From 20 patients, both the invasive tumors as well as the biopsies were revised using morphology and immunohistochemistry for OCT3/4, placental‐like alkaline phosphatase and c‐KIT, all known established markers for CIS. The presence of CIS or invasive malignancies was scored. There are no interventions. Morphological criteria alone allowed an experienced pathologist in TGCTs to diagnose CIS in five and an invasive tumor in two cases (total n = 7, 35%). Application of immunohistochemistry resulted in the identification of an additional four cases of CIS (total n = 11, 55%, additional value of 20%). The initial correct diagnosis of CIS could have prevented a second gonadectomy in four patients (20%). This study, for the first time, really shows that time of progression from CIS to seminoma is longer than to non‐seminoma. Our study demonstrates that immunohistochemistry should be performed for the diagnosis of CIS of the testis on single biopsies obtained because of infertility, resulting in an extra diagnostic yield of at least 20%. Application of this protocol will allow early diagnosis, and therefore prevent any adverse anti‐cancer treatment sequelae including gonadectomy, and requiring life long androgen supplementation in some patients.
AtCIPK8, a CBL‐interacting protein kinase, regulates the low‐affinity phase of the primary nitrate response
Authors: Hu Heng‐Cheng , Wang Ya‐Yun , Tsay Yi‐Fang 
Published: September 2008

SummaryNitrate, the major nitrogen source for most plants, is not only a nutrient but also a signaling molecule. For almost two decades, it has been known that nitrate can rapidly induce transcriptional expression of several nitrate‐related genes, a process that is referred to as the primary nitrate response. However, little is known about how plants actually sense nitrate and how the signal is transmitted in this pathway. In this study, a calcineurin B‐like (CBL) ‐interacting protein kinase (CIPK) gene, CIPK8, was found to be involved in early nitrate signaling. CIPK8 expression was rapidly induced by nitrate. Analysis of two independent knockout mutants and a complemented line showed that CIPK8 positively regulates the nitrate‐induced expression of primary nitrate response genes, including nitrate transporter genes and genes required for assimilation. Kinetic analysis of nitrate induction levels of these genes in wild‐type plants indicated that there are two response phases: a high‐affinity phase with a Km of approximately 30 μm and a low‐affinity phase with a Km of approximately 0.9 mm. As cipk8 mutants were defective mainly in the low‐affinity response, the high‐affinity and low‐affinity nitrate signaling systems are proposed to be genetically distinct, with CIPK8 involved in the low‐affinity system. In addition, CIPK8 was found to be involved in long‐term nitrate‐modulated primary root growth and nitrate‐modulated expression of a vacuolar malate transporter. Taken together, our results indicate that CBL–CIPK networks are responsible not only for stress responses and potassium shortage, but also for nitrate sensing.
Do different stakeholder groups share mental health research priorities? A four‐arm Delphi study
Authors: Owens Christabel , Ley Ann , Aitken Peter 
Published: September 2008

AbstractBackground  Despite considerable investment in research priority setting within diverse fields of healthcare, little is known about the extent to which different stakeholder groups share research priorities. Conflicting priorities may jeopardize stakeholder engagement in research.Objective  To identify the research priorities of different stakeholder groups within mental health care and examine the extent and nature of agreement between them.Design  Using a Delphi technique, we conducted parallel consultation processes within four different stakeholder groups. Each group process consisted of three rounds.Setting and participants  The study was carried out within a mental health and learning disabilities trust in southern England. Participants were recruited from the following groups: mental health service users (34), informal carers (26), mental health practitioners (35) and service managers (23).Findings  There were striking differences between the four groups in respect of their ability and willingness to make priority decisions. These differences notwithstanding, there was considerable overlap in respect of their research interests. All groups identified and attached high importance to issues relating to the promotion of independence, self‐esteem and recovery. The quality of in‐patient care, the place of psychological therapies and the relationship between physical and mental health also emerged across the board.Conclusions  The confluence of four different stakeholder groups around a number of clear themes is highly encouraging, providing a framework within which to construct a research agenda and suggesting that mental health research can be built on solid partnerships.
Non-Parametric Heteroscedastic Transformation Regression Models for Skewed Data With an Application to Health Care Costs
Authors: Zhou Xiao-Hua , Lin Huazhen , Johnson Eric 
Published: September 2008

SummaryWe develop a new non-parametric heteroscedastic transformation regression model for predicting the expected value of the outcome of a patient with given patient's covariates when the distribution of the outcome is highly skewed with a heteroscedastic variance. In our model, we allow both the transformation function and the error distribution function to be unknown. We show that under some regularity conditions the estimators for regression parameters, the expected value of the original outcome and the transformation function converge to their true values at the rate n−1/2. In our simulation studies, we demonstrate that our proposed non-parametric method is robust with little loss of efficiency. Finally, we apply our model to a study on health care costs.
Estimation of Controlled Direct Effects
Authors: Goetgeluk Sylvie , Vansteelandt Stijn , Goetghebeur Els 
Published: September 2008

SummaryWhen regression models adjust for mediators on the causal path from exposure to outcome, the regression coefficient of exposure is commonly viewed as a measure of the direct exposure effect. This interpretation can be misleading, even with a randomly assigned exposure. This is because adjustment for post-exposure measurements introduces bias whenever their association with the outcome is confounded by more than just the exposure. By the same token, adjustment for such confounders stays problematic when these are themselves affected by the exposure. Robins accommodated this by introducing linear structural nested direct effect models with direct effect parameters that can be estimated by using inverse probability weighting by a conditional distribution of the mediator. The resulting estimators are consistent, but inefficient, and can be extremely unstable when the mediator is absolutely continuous. We develop direct effect estimators which are not only more efficient but also consistent under a less demanding model for a conditional expectation of the outcome. We find that the one estimator which avoids inverse probability weighting altogether performs best. This estimator is intuitive, computationally straightforward and, as demonstrated by simulation, competes extremely well with ordinary least squares estimators in settings where standard regression is valid.
CAPITAL INFLOW UNDER VOLUNTARY EXPORT RESTRAINT
Authors: Chakraborty Brati Sankar 
Published: September 2008

ABSTRACTThis paper investigates the welfare consequence of exogenous capital inflow for the host country when the source country implements ‘voluntary export restraint’. In an imperfectly competitive market with an increasing returns to scale (IRS) sector, we show the possibility of welfare immiserization. Two channels are identified leading to immiserization. First, and this is direct, resource reallocation following capital inflow can squeeze the underproduced sector and reduce welfare. Second, contraction of the IRS sector can raise the return to capital, even when the price of the capital‐intensive importable falls unambiguously. Thus, even with an improvement in commodity terms of trade, the factor terms of trade can worsen and reduce welfare.
New Powerful Approaches for Family‐based Association Tests with Longitudinal Measurements
Authors: Ding Xiao , Lange Christoph , Xu Xin , Laird Nan 
Published: September 2008

SummaryWe discuss several new powerful family‐based approaches for testing genetic association when the traits are obtained from longitudinal or repeated measurement studies. The popular approach FBAT‐PC is based on a linear combination of the individual traits. We propose a one‐sided modification, FBAT‐PCM, which has a closed‐form expression and is always more powerful. We also present two approaches FBAT‐LC and FBAT‐LCC based on linear combination of the univariate test statistics. Furthermore, all three approaches are shown to be unified to a general form. Through simulation studies, we compare the power of these tests under different models of genetic effect sizes. Compared to original FBAT‐PC, our modification achieves a power gain of up to 50%. In addition, all three new approaches gain substantial power compared to the ordinary approach of Bonferroni correction, with the relative performance depending upon the underlying model. Application of these approaches for testing an association between Body Mass Index and a previously reported candidate SNP confirms our results.
Relationship of asymmetric dimethylarginine with flow‐mediated dilatation in subjects with newly detected severe hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Vladimirova‐Kitova L. , Deneva T. , Angelova E. , Nikolov F. , Marinov B. , Mateva N. 
Published: September 2008

SummaryBackground:  Little is know about the relationship between asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and percent flow‐mediated dilatation (%FMD) in subjects with severe hypercholesterolemia (HH).Aim:  The aim the present study was the evaluation of the relationship of ADMA to %FMD, as well as to lipid parameters and other markers of endothelial dysfunction in newly detected subjects with severe HH.Methods:  One hundred and twenty asymptomatic patients with severe, newly detected HH and 100 controls were evaluated. The plasma level of ADMA was tested by ELISA and total homocysteine (tHcy) – through fluid chromatographic analysis. The %FMD was evaluated by the diameter of brachial artery with 7·5 MHz transducer of HP SONOS 5500.Results:  Significant difference was found between patients and controls, (P<0·05) regarding lipid total cholesterol, triglycerides, high‐density lipoprotein, low‐dencity lipoprotein, atherogenic indices) and non‐lipid markers (ADMA, sICAM‐1, sVCAM‐1), as well as the endothelium dependent %FMD in contrast to flow independent vasodilation. (P>0·05) No significant difference was found between the groups with respect to tHcy, P‐selectine and E‐selectine. (P>0·05) A strong negative correlation was found between %FMD and ADMA. (rxy = −0·895; P<0·001), Apolipoprotein‐B (rxy = −0·687; P<0·0001, tHcy (rxy = −0·560; P<0·001) and Apolipoprotein index –B/A1 (rxy = −0·518; P<0·001). The subsequent linear and multiple regression analysis selected ADMA as the most significant factor in relation to %FMD.Conclusion:  It is concluded that ADMA is the basic modulator of %FMD among all tested atherogenic risk biomarkers in in newly detected subjects with severe HH.
Association of findings in flow‐volume spirometry with high‐resolution computed tomography signs in asbestos‐exposed male workers
Authors: Piirilä Päivi , Kivisaari Leena , Huuskonen Olli , Kaleva Simo , Sovijärvi Anssi , Vehmas Tapio 
Published: September 2008

SummaryIntroduction:  Disorders of pulmonary tissue and pleura are visualized by findings in high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT), and the impairment caused by these findings is assessed by pulmonary function tests. Our aim was to determine how some commonly used spirometric variables are related to certain HRCT signs, in order to find out which HRCT signs are associated with restrictive and which with obstructive ventilatory impairment.Methods:  Altogether 590 asbestos‐exposed workers, 95% of whom were smokers or ex‐smokers, were studied with HRCT; 19 pathological signs were scored. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, forced expiratory flow at 50% of FVC (MEF50) and total lung capacity (TLC) were measured, and their relationship with HRCT signs was examined with bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis.Results:  FVC and TLC were negatively correlated with fibrosis score, parenchymal bands, extent of pleural thickenings and positively with widened retrosternal space. FEV1/FVC ratio was negatively correlated with emphysema types and widened retrosternal space and positively with parenchymal bands and subpleural nodules. Thickened bronchial walls did not separate between restrictive and obstructive ventilatory function.Conclusions:  HRCT signs showed distinctive patterns in restrictive and obstructive ventilatory impairment. These results can be used to help to analyse the lung function of patients simultaneously exposed to asbestos and smoking, when this relationship requires elucidation. In addition, the results may be helpful in explaining some radiological findings.
Fixed Rehabilitation of an ACP PDI Class III Patient with Amelogenesis Imperfecta
Authors: Sadighpour Leyla , Geramipanah Farideh , Nikzad Sakineh 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThis clinical report describes the oral rehabilitation of a 19‐year‐old woman diagnosed with hypoplastic‐type amelogenesis imperfecta (AI). She presented with discolored and mutilated teeth, missing teeth, anterior open bite, and posterior short crowns. She was classified as an American College of Prosthodontists Prosthodontic Diagnostic Index (ACP PDI) class III patient. The aim of treatment was to restore esthetics and improve masticatory function. The patient's esthetic and functional expectations were successfully attained with porcelain laminate veneers and all‐ceramic and metal‐ceramic restorations after extensive crown lengthening. The patient was regularly recalled during the postoperative period. Loss of retention of one all‐ceramic crown and minimal recession of the gingiva of one laminate veneer were noted at 4‐year recall.
An Alternative Approach to the Immediate Overdenture
Authors: Gilboa Ilan , Cardash Harold S. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractA procedure is described for fabricating an immediate complete overdenture where several teeth retain an interim fixed partial denture (FPD) until the complete denture is finished. Nonessential posterior teeth were first extracted. An interim fixed restoration was fitted to five strategic teeth, and the four maxillary incisors were reduced to the gingival margin. The reduced teeth and the maxillary right molars were extracted at subsequent visits. After 3 months of healing, an immediate prosthesis was fabricated using the interim restoration as a guide. Artificial teeth were tried in the mouth and approved by the patient, and the prosthesis was completed. As no extractions were performed at this time, the prosthesis was delivered in a clean, bloodless field. The remaining five strategic teeth were fitted with dome‐shaped metal copings. This procedure allowed better control over the esthetic result and the occlusion and was less traumatic for the patient.
Reduction in adverse reactions to platelets by the removal of plasma supernatant and resuspension in a new additive solution (M‐sol)
Authors: Azuma Hiroshi , Hirayama Junichi , Akino Mitsuaki , Miura Reiko , Kiyama Yoshio , Imai Kiyotoshi , Kasai Masaharu , Koizumi Kazuki , Kakinoki Yasutaka , Makiguchi Yusuke , Kubo Koji , Atsuta Yoshiko , Fujihara Mitsuhiro , Homma Chihiro , Yamamoto Sadamitsu , Kato Toshiaki , Ikeda Hisami 
Published: September 2008

BACKGROUND: Leukodepletion reduces but does not eliminate adverse reactions to platelet concentrate (PC). As an alternative strategy, plasma reduction or washing of platelets should be considered. However, the efficacy of this strategy is still unclear.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 12 patients who experienced adverse reactions at a 29 to 100 percent reaction rate for plasma‐PC were enrolled. The reactions were allergic reactions and nonhemolytic transfusion reactions, such as chills. Plasma‐removed PC (W/R‐PC), which was suspended in a recently developed additive solution (M‐sol) containing less than 20 mL plasma, was prepared. W/R‐PCs in M‐sol were then transfused into patients after an overnight storage period; the occurrence of adverse reactions was monitored and 1‐ and 24‐hour corrected count increment (CCI) values were evaluated.RESULTS: Although plasma‐PC caused reaction in 12 patients, W/R‐PC prevented reactions in 11 of 12 patients, with 1 patient having one minor allergic reaction of 15 transfusions. There was a significant difference in the incidence of reaction (p < 0.0001, Fisher's exact test). On a per‐transfusion basis, the reaction rate for W/R‐PC (1/156, 0.64%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02%‐3.5%) was reduced significantly compared to that for plasma‐PC (117/276, 42%; 95% CI, 36%‐48%; p < 0.0001). W/R‐PC gave findings of satisfactory CCI at 1 hour (22,400 ± 8,000/µL) and 24 hours (15,400 ± 8,000/µL). No clinically evident bleeding episodes were recorded.CONCLUSIONS: W/R‐PC suspended in M‐sol in the presence of less than 20 mL plasma can be transfused safely and eliminate a wide range of adverse reactions to plasma‐PC.