bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Surgical Simulator Design and Development
Authors: Dankelman Jenny 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWith the introduction of minimally invasive surgery (MIS), it became necessary to develop training methods to learn skills outside the operating room. Several training simulators have become commercially available, but fundamental research into the requirements for effective and efficient training in MIS is still lacking. Three aspects of developing a training program are investigated here: what should be trained, how it should be trained, and how to assess the results of training. In addition, studies are presented that have investigated the role of force feedback in surgical simulators. Training should be adapted to the level of behavior: skill‐based, rule‐based, or knowledge‐based. These levels can be used to design and structure a training program. Extra motivation for training can be created by assessment. During MIS, force feedback is reduced owing to friction in the laparoscopic instruments and within the trocar. The friction characteristics vary largely among instruments and trocars. When force feedback is incorporated into training, it should include the large variation in force feedback properties as well. Training different levels of behavior requires different training methods. Although force feedback is reduced during MIS, it is needed for tissue manipulation, and therefore force application should be trained as well.
Modified Technique of Laparoscopic Intraperitoneal Hernioplasty for Irreducible Scrotal Hernias (Omentoceles): How to Remove the Hernial Contents
Authors: Palanivelu Chinnusamy , Rangarajan Muthukumaran , John Suviraj James 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIntroductionThe surgical repair of large irreducible scrotal hernias is, in general, technically difficult. Laparoscopic repair for these cases is controversial, although extraperitoneal and transperitoneal approaches have been described. We present a small series of patients with large irreducible groin hernias (omentoceles) treated by laparoscopy and a modification to facilitate complete removal of the omentum from the sac.Materials and methodsWe prefer laparoscopic transperitoneal repair for large irreducible scrotal hernias, with as much omentum as possible being excised. Then a small groin incision is made to excise the remaining omentum.ResultsAll of the patients in this study were male, and their average age was 66 years (60–72 years). Eight patients presented with seromas at the first follow‐up; three required repeated aspiration, and the rest resolved spontaneously. There were no cases of wound or mesh infection/migration or recurrence after a follow‐up of 36 months.ConclusionsAt the beginning of our experience, if these hernias could not be reduced, we converted to the open procedure. Now, using the modification with which we remove the adherent omentum from the distal sac, there are no conversions. This technique could make life easier for laparoscopic surgeons who attempt repair of large irreducible scrotal hernias, a not uncommon occurrence in developing countries.
Reversal of Diabetes in Mice by Intrahepatic Injection of Bone‐derived GFP‐murine Mesenchymal Stem Cells Infected with the Recombinant Retrovirus‐carrying Human Insulin Gene
Authors: Xu Jian , Lu Yuhua , Ding Fei , Zhan Xi , Zhu Mingyan , Wang Zhiwei 
Published: July 2007

AbstractBackgroundThe objective of this study was to assess the effect of intrahepatic injection of bone‐derived green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐transgenic murine mesenchymal stem cells (GFP‐mMSCs) containing the human insulin(ins) gene in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic mice.MethodsGFP‐mMSCs were isolated from the bone marrow of GFP transgenic mice, expanded, and transfected with a recombinant retrovirus MSCV carrying the human insulin gene. C57BL/6J mice were made diabetic by an intraperitoneal administration of 160 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ), followed by intrahepatic injection of transfected GFP‐mMSCs. The variations in body weight and the blood glucose and serum insulin levels were determined after cell transplantation. GFP‐mMSCs survival and human insulin expression in liver tissues were examined by fluorescent microscopy and immunohistochemistry.ResultsThe body weight in diabetic mice that received GFP‐mMSCs harboring the human insulin gene was increased by 6% within 6 weeks after treatment, and the average blood glucose levels in these animals were 10.40 ± 2.80 mmol/l (day 7) and 6.50 ± 0.89 mmol/l (day 42), respectively, while the average values of blood glucose in diabetic animals without treatment were 26.80 ± 2.49 mmol/l (day 7) and 25.40 ± 4.10 mmol/l (day 42), showing a significant difference (p < 0.05). Moreover, secretion of human insulin of GFP‐mMSCs in serum and animal liver was detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC).ConclusionsExperimental diabetes could be relieved effectively for up to 6 weeks by intrahepatic transplantation of murine mesenchymal stem cells expressing human insulin. This study implies a novel approach of gene therapy for type I diabetes.
One‐stage Correction of Rectovestibular Fistula by Transfistula Anorectoplasty (TFARP)
Authors: Pratap Akshay , Yadav Rohit Prasad , Shakya Vikal Chandra , Agrawal Chandra Shekhar , Singh Satyendra Narayan , Sen Ritoban 
Published: July 2007

AbstractBackgroundThe present article details a new technique for the repair of rectovestibular fistula.Materials and MethodsTwenty‐five patients with rectovestibular fistula, between 13 days and 4 years of age underwent surgical correction by transfistula anorectoplasty (TFARP). The technique, described in detail, involves mobilization of the fistula and the rectum through the fistula and creation of a new anus in the anatomically normal site by preserving both the perineal skin bridge (skin between the neo‐anus and the posterior fourchette) and the levator muscle.ResultsThe mean operating time was 85 min, and the mean hospital stay was 5 days. Moderate anal stenosis developed in 1 patient and was treated successfully by anal dilatations using Hegar dilators. A diverting colostomy was not required in any patient, and none of the patients developed rectal prolapse. Eleven patients who are now 3 years of age or older have voluntary bowel movements with good fecal continence scores. The 14 neonates and infants, who are still too young to be evaluated for continence, have symmetric anal contraction to stimulation and strong squeeze on digital rectal examination. The average number of bowel movements per day was three to five, without the need for any laxative or enema.ConclusionsTransfistula anorectoplasty is a simple surgical procedure that does not divide the levator muscle or the perineal body. Preservation of these structures contributes significantly toward improvement of the aesthetic appearance of the perineum and of fecal continence.
Randomized Clinical Trial of the Effects of Perioperative Use of Immune‐enhancing Enteral Formula on Metabolic and Immunological Status in Patients Undergoing Esophagectomy
Authors: Sakurai Yoichi , Masui Toshihiko , Yoshida Ikuo , Tonomura Shuhei , Shoji Mitsutaka , Nakamura Yasuko , Isogaki Jun , Uyama Ichiro , Komori Yoshiyuki , Ochiai Masahiro 
Published: July 2007

AbstractBackgroundAlthough perioperative immune‐enhancing enteral formula (IEEF) is effective to decrease the rate of infectious complications, it is not clear whether perioperative use of IEEF decreases the incidence of postoperative complications and improves clinical outcome in patients who have undergone esophagectomy. A prospective randomized clinical trial was performed to examine the effects of perioperative IEEF on nutritional and immunological status in patients with esophageal carcinoma who have been treated with esophagectomy.MethodsA total of 30 patients were randomly assigned to two groups, each receiving 3 days of preoperative and postoperative enteral nutrition through jejunostomy started within 24 h after operation, either with immune‐enhancing enteral formula (group IEEF, n = 16) or with regular polymeric enteral formula (group C, n = 14). Preoperative and postoperative nutritional and immunological parameters and clinical outcome were examined.ResultsA significant increase in the serum concentration of ornithine was noted in group IEEF and it peaked at 5 days after surgery. The equivalent values were significantly lower in group C. There was no difference in serum dochosahexaic acid between the two groups. The n−3/n−6 fatty acid ratio in group IEEF was significantly higher than in group C at 7 days after surgery. Peripheral percent lymphocyte fraction and total lymphocyte count in group IEEF were both significantly higher than those in group C. While T cell fraction of peripheral lymphocytes in group IEEF at 3 days after surgery, B cell fraction in group IEEF at 5 and 7 days after surgery was significantly higher than those in group C, suggesting that perioperative IEEF caused a shift towards B cell proliferation.ConclusionsPerioperative use of IEEF caused a significant increase in the total lymphocyte count at 3 and 5 days after operation and caused a shift toward B cell proliferation, which may possibly be beneficial to decrease the incidence of postoperative infectious complications.
A resource budget model to explain intraspecific variation in mast reproductive dynamics
Authors: Satake Akiko , Bjørnstad Ottar N. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractRowan,Sorbus aucupariaL., exhibits conspicuous geographic variation in its inter‐annual patterns of reproduction across southern Norway. Along the southern west coast, trees flower and produce clusters of succulent berries every other year, while in the east, trees mast every 3 years. We investigate two hypotheses for this variation: local adaptation to environmental conditions that favors different reproductive schedules at different locations or variation arising from single stereotyped reproductive strategy in the face of a geographic variation in productivity. To assess the theoretical plausibility of each of these hypotheses, we develop a refined resource budget model for mast reproduction. The refined model assumes that there is a lower bound on the amount of resource that may be allocated to reproduction, which allows the prediction of the relation between reproductive schedules and productivity. From the analysis of the model, we find that the observed geographic transition in rowan mast is caused if either productivity in the east is lower than that in the west or if plants in the eastern populations have evolved to pause reproduction until energy reserves are replenished to higher levels. The prediction by the productivity gradient hypothesis match with the empirical finding that the productivity is, in fact, likely to be lower in the east than the west, although we lack empirical data to test the likelihood of the local adaptation hypothesis. There is a need for experimental studies to clarify the validity of the local adaptation hypothesis.
Quality of US Soybean Meal Compared to the Quality of Soybean Meal from Other Origins
Authors: Thakur Maitri , Hurburgh Charles R. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractQuality of soybeans and soybean meals (SBM) from non‐US and US origins were compared. The US SBM was more consistent with higher digestibility (by KOH solubility), lower fiber and better quality of protein (by essential amino acid levels) than SBM of other major export origins (Argentina, Brazil and India). Protein quality carried through from whole soybeans to SBM, for a given origin. While the protein content was higher for the SBM from Brazil, the percentage of total digestible amino acids was highest for the SBM from the US and China. The US SBM had the highest content (total) of five essential amino acids for both poultry and swine feed uses, which when coupled with higher digestibility, would give US meal an advantage in rations balanced on amino acids. The mean particle size for all SBM from all origins was within the desirable range specified by nutritionists. The US soybeans were lower in protein than Brazilian soybeans, but higher than Argentine soybeans. The crude protein disadvantage of US soybeans was offset by higher concentrations of the essential amino acids in the lower protein soybeans. The US soybeans were lower in oil content than soybeans from either of the South American origins. Average protein and oil contents of US soybeans were consistent with the 2003 and 2004 annual soybean quality surveys. The US SBM held an advantage in digestibility and concentration of key amino acids in all three studies.
Genetik der Alopecia areata
Authors: Betz R.C. , Hillmer A.M. , Nöthen M.M. 
Published: July 2007

Zusammenfassung
Die Alopecia areata (AA) stellt mit einer Lebenszeitprävalenz von etwa 1–2% in beiden Geschlechtern die nach der androgenetischen Alopezie zweithäufigste Form von Haarausfall dar. Das klinische Erscheinungsbild ist typischerweise ein kreisrunder Ausfall des Kopfhaars, der Haarausfall kann aber auch an anderen Kopf- oder Körperstellen auftreten und im ungünstigsten Fall die ganze Körperbehaarung betreffen (Alopecia universalis). Der Verlauf der Erkrankung ist sehr variabel und die therapeutische Situation vielfach unbefriedigend. Das Wiederholungsrisiko bei Kindern wird mit etwa 5–6% angegeben. Die Genese der AA ist multifaktoriell mit einem signifikanten Beitrag genetischer Faktoren. Auf der pathophysiologischen Ebene werden Autoimmunmechanismen als ursächlich vermutet, die auf der Basis einer genetischen Disposition die Physiologie des Haarfollikels beeinflussen. In Übereinstimmung mit der Autoimmunhypothese sind replizierte Assoziationen mit Allelen des HLA-Komplexes sowie dem W620-Allel des PTPN22-Gens („protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22“) berichtet worden. Eine genomweite Kopplungsuntersuchung weist auf weitere chromosomale Regionen hin, wobei dort bislang noch keine Suszeptibilitätsgene identifiziert werden konnten. Zusätzliche Hinweise auf beteiligte Gene erhofft man sich von der Untersuchung verschiedener Nagetiermodelle. Von einer umfassenden Identifizierung der krankheitsassoziierten Gene beim Menschen erhofft man sich neue Ansatzpunkte für Therapien und Möglichkeiten der Prävention.
Detection of parasitism in diamondback moth,Plutella xylostella(L.), using differential melanization and coagulation reactions
Authors: Li D. , Schellhorn N. , Schmidt O. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractDiamondback moth (DBM),Plutella xylostella, is known for causing damage toBrassicacrops and developing resistance to chemical and biological pesticides; it has become one of the most difficult pests to manage in many regions around the world. The only way to reduce reliance on pesticides is to maximize the role of natural control agents for integrated pest management programs and be able to incorporate the mortality from control agents into pest control decision-making. More than 90 hymenopterous parasitoids are associated with DBM worldwide; among them,Diadegma semiclausum, is a major endoparasitoid ofP. xylostella. To optimize parasitism of pests in pest control decision-making, it is necessary to develop rapid and simple methods for distinguishing parasitized from non-parasitized larvae in the field. Here we report on a number of diagnostic tools to identify parasitized larvae. One is based on differential melanization reactions in hemolymph due to immune suppression in parasitized larvae. The lack of coagulation reactions in hemolymph provides a simple initial test, where squashing a non-parasitized larva onto nitrocellulose membrane traps chlorophyll-containing gut content on the membrane leaving a green dot of clotted gut material. However, in immune-suppressed parasitized larvae, the gut content was washed away in absence of coagulation reactions and the membrane lacks a green dot. This tool alone or combined with others, allows quick detection of parasitized caterpillars in the field. We further showed that the antibody MAb 9A5 can be used to detectD. semiclausumparasitized larvae of DBM in Western blots.
Effect of learning on the oviposition preference of field-collected and laboratory-reared Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) populations
Authors: Glas J.J. , van den Berg J. , Potting R.P.J. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractRecent studies show that Vetiver grass, (Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash), may have potential as a dead-end trap crop in an overall habitat management strategy for the spotted stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). Vetiver grass is highly preferred for oviposition, in spite of the fact that larval survival is extremely low on this grass. The oviposition behaviour of female Chilo partellus moths was investigated by determining the amount and size of egg batches allocated to maize and Vetiver plants and studying the effect of rearing conditions and oviposition experience on host plant selection. Two-choice preference tests were used to examine the effect of experience of maize (a suitable host plant) and Vetiver plants on the oviposition choice of C. partellus. For both field-collected and laboratory-reared moths, no significant differences were found in the preference distributions between the experienced groups. It is concluded that females do not learn, i.e. that they do not change their preference for Vetiver grass after having experienced oviposition on either maize or this grass, which supports the idea that trap cropping could have potential as a control method for C. partellus. Differences observed between field-collected and laboratory-reared moths in the amount and size of egg batches laid on maize and Vetiver grass indicate that data obtained from experiments with laboratory-reared insects should be treated with caution.
Seasonal mortality factors of the coffee leafminer,Leucoptera coffeella
Authors: Pereira E.J.G. , Picanço M.C. , Bacci L. , Crespo A.L.B. , Guedes R.N.C. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractSeasonal population fluctuation of the coffee leafminer,Leucoptera coffeella(Guérin-Méneville & Perrottet) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), led to an investigation of its natural mortality factors during the rainy season when the population level is low and during the dry season when population peaks occur. Life-table data were colleted from insecticide-free plots within a 3 ha coffee plantation on the upper, medium and lower canopy. Leafminer mortality was similar among the canopy parts but varied in the two seasons studied. During the rainy season, the generational mortality averaged 94.3%, with 50.2, 33.7 and 10.4% occurring during egg, larval and pupal stages, respectively. During the dry season, total mortality was 89%, with 13.2, 61.0 and 14.8% occurring during egg, larval and pupal stages, respectively. Marginal mortality rates during the rainy season were highest for physiological disturbances, rainfall and egg inviability; but, in the dry season, they were highest for predaceous wasps, physiological disturbances and parasitoids. Egg and larval stages accounted for most of the mortality variation in the rainy season, while the combination of larval and pupal mortality better described the generational mortality in the dry season. Variation in mortality during the rainy season was primarily associated with egg inviability, rainfall and parasitoids. In contrast, predatory wasps and physiological disturbances were the main factors associated with mortality variation during the dry season. These results suggest that weather conditions, natural enemies and plant quality attributes are the main determinants of the population dynamics ofL. coffeella.
AdultBemisia tabacibiotype B can induce silverleafing in squash
Authors: De Barro P. , Khan S. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractBemisia tabacibiotype B is one of three genetic groups able to induce silverleafing in squash. Several earlier studies had observed that this physiological change was induced only through the feeding of juvenile whiteflies. This study uses adult males only to show that after 11 days the adult males were able to begin to induce silverleafing. Further, the response was density dependant with 120 adults inducing the first signs of silverleafing in 11 days, 90 adults in 13 days and 60 adults in 15 days.
Velocity and vorticity in weakly compressible isotropic turbulence under longitudinal expansive straining
Authors: XANTHOS SAVVAS , GONG MINWEI , ANDREOPOULOS YIANNIS 
Published: July 2007

The response of homogeneous and isotropic turbulence to streamwise straining action provided by planar expansion waves has been studied experimentally in the CCNY shock tube research facility at several Reynolds numbers. The reflection of a propagating shock wave at the open endwall of the shock tube generated an expansion fan travelling upstream and interacting with the induced flow behind the incident shock wave which has gone through a turbulence generating grid.A custom-made hot-wire vorticity probe was designed and developed capable of measuring the time-dependent highly fluctuating three-dimensional velocity and vorticity vectors, and associated total temperature, in non-isothermal and inhomogeneous flows with reasonable spatial and temporal resolution. These measurements allowed the computations of the vorticity stretching/tilting terms, vorticity generation through dilatation terms, full dissipation rate of kinetic energy term and full rate-of-strain tensor. The longitudinal size of the straining zone was substantial so that measurements within it were possible. The flow accelerated from a Mach number of 0.23 to about 0.56, a value which is more than twice the initial one.Although the average value of the applied straining was only betweenS11= 130 s−1andS11= 240 s−1and the gradient Mach number was no more than 0.226, the amplitude of fluctuations of the strain rateS11were of the order of 4000 s−1before the application of straining and were reduced by about 2.5 times downstream of the interaction. This characteristic of high-amplitude bursts and the intermittent behaviour of the flow play a significant role in the dynamics of turbulence.One of the most remarkable features of the suppression of turbulence is that this process peaks shortly after the application of the straining where the pressure gradient is substantial. It was also found that the total enthalpy variation follows very closely the temporal gradient of pressure within the straining region and peaks at the same location as the pressure gradient.Attenuation of longitudinal velocity fluctuations has been observed in all experiments. It appears that this attenuation depends strongly on the characteristics of the incoming turbulence for a given straining strength and flow Mach number. The present results clearly show that in most of the cases, attenuation occurs at large times or distances from the turbulence generating grids where length scales of the incoming flow are high and turbulence intensities are low. Thus, large eddies with low-velocity fluctuations are affected the most by the interaction with the expansion waves. Spectral analysis has indicated that attenuation of fluctuations is not the same across all wavenumbers of the spectrum. The magnitude of attenuation appears to be higher in cases of finer mesh grids.