bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Permeabilization of the mycobacterial envelope for protein cytolocalization studies by immunofluorescence microscopy
Authors: Cimino Mena , Alamo Lorenzo , Salazar Leiria 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
The establishment of the cellular localization of proteins in M. tuberculosis will provide of valuable information for the identification of new drug/vaccine/diagnostic targets. Cytolocalization by inmunofluorescence microscopy has been limited in mycobacteria because to difficulties in effectively permeabilize it.

Results
A treatment combining lysozyme with triton X-100 was found to be an effective permeabilization method of the mycobacterial envelope.

Conclusion
A rapid and simple permeabilization protocol has been successfully assessed in pure cultures of both Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. This method can be successful used in the cytolocalization of proteins by immunolabeling.
An unusual cause of acute abdominal pain – A case presentation
Authors: Wunnava Rao V , Hunt Trevor M 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
In 1983, Graham Hughes described a condition of Antiphospholipid Syndrome in which there was a danger of thrombosis. The condition is readily detectable by blood tests and, once diagnosed; the risk of further thrombosis can be significantly reduced by anticoagulation treatments. Affected groups of patients can be distinguished by a specific blood test – the detection of antiphospholipid antibody (Ref-1). Patients with Hughes syndrome have hypercoaguable state with a markedly increased risk of both arterial and venous thrombosis and there is temporal persistence of antibody positivity.

Case presentation
A 44-year-old woman was admitted under the acute surgical "take" with left sided abdominal pain radiating to her back. She had a history of borderline thyrotoxicosis in the early 1990s. She was on etonogestrel-releasing implants for contraception and there was no history of previous deep venous thrombosis. She was very tender, locally, over the left side of the abdomen. Investigations showed haemoglobin of 13.2 g/dl, white cell count of 19.9 10*9/L, and platelets 214 10*9/L with neutrophilia. Amylase and renal function tests were found to be normal. Liver function tests were deranged with Gamma GT 244 u/l (twice normal). An abdominal Ultrasound Scan suggested a possible splenic infarction, which was confirmed by a CT scan of her abdomen. Tests were carried out to investigate the possibility of a post thrombotic state. Coagulation risk factors for thrombosis were within the normal limits; Protein S 67 %(60–140), Protein C 103 % (72–146), Antithrombin 3 110 %(80–120) and Activated P C Resistance was 1.9(2.0–4.3). The Hams test was negative but the Anticardiolipin antibody test was positive. IgM level was 52 (normal is up to 10) and IgG was 18.8 (normal is up to 10). She also had border line APC Sensitivity 1.9 (2 to 4.3). Kaolin time 49 sec (70–120) Ktmix 64 sec (70–120), thyroid function test revealed TSH 0.32 mu/L, fT4 20.2 pmol/L (10–25). Subsequent determination of Anticardiolipin antibody was negative. Her symptoms were settled with the use of simple analgesia and she was discharged home with long-term anticoagulation medication. The INR target for long-term anticoagulation was aimed at >3.

Conclusion
This case presented to us as an acute abdominal pain. Subsequent investigations revealed the presence of splenic infarction. Coagulation risk factors for thrombosis proved negative. Haematological investigations revealed the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies at the first instance but subsequent determinations were negative. Hence, it mimicked Hughes syndrome initially but the criteria for temporal persistence of anticardiolipin antibody was not fulfilled. Unusual surgical presentation of a thrombotic abnormality as abdominal pain due to splenic infarction.
Cataract surgery by appointment – a pilot study
Authors: Mavrikakis Ioannis , Georgiou Tassos , Paul Bobby , Liu Christopher SC 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
"Cataract Surgery by Appointment" is a new method of delivery of cataract surgery that reduces the time a patient spends in hospital by their direct arrival at the operating theatre, having self-prepared for surgery, thus avoiding admission to the ward or time spent in the Day Case Unit. The patient can stay as little as 20 minutes from their arrival to going home. We describe the process in detail, and seek to evaluate the visual outcome, safety and patient satisfaction of same.

Methods
Visual outcome and safety data were obtained from patients' medical records, prospectively. Patients were also surveyed by a questionnaire to determine their satisfaction with the service and viability as a prospect for providing a more efficient cataract surgery service.

Results
In 2002, fifty-one eyes of 39 consecutive patients underwent "Cataract Surgery by Appointment". There were 16 male and 23 female. The pre-operative best-corrected visual acuity was 6/9 or better in 17 (33%) eyes. The post-operative best-corrected visual acuity was 6/9 or better in 44 (86%) eyes. There were no per-operative complications. Post-operative complications occurred in 3 (6%) eyes. The average number of days from surgery to final discharge was 14.5 days.
Twenty-eight (72%) completed questionnaires were returned. The results show that the majority of patients were satisfied with their overall experience of this mode of delivery for cataract surgery.

Conclusion
"Cataract Surgery by Appointment" performed under local anaesthesia by a skilled ophthalmic surgeon appears to be safe and effective for highly selected cases. This method of delivery gave a high level of patient satisfaction, and is the ultimate form of day case cataract surgery. The method may gain widespread use should per-operative intracameral pupil dilatation prove to be effective and acceptable. Attention should be paid to risk-stratification, so complex cases are allocated more time on the operating list.
The North West Adelaide Health Study: detailed methods and baseline segmentation of a cohort for selected chronic diseases
Authors: Grant Janet F , Chittleborough Catherine R , Taylor Anne W , Dal Grande Eleonora , Wilson David H , Phillips Patrick J , Adams Robert J , Cheek Julianne , Price Kay , Gill Tiffany , Ruffin Richard E ,   the North West Adelaide Health Study Team
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe North West Adelaide Health Study is a population-based biomedical cohort study investigating the prevalence of a number of chronic conditions and health-related risk factors along a continuum. This methodology may assist with evidence-based decisions for health policy makers and planners, and inform health professionals who are involved in chronic disease prevention and management, by providing a better description of people at risk of developing or already diagnosed with selected chronic conditions for more accurate targeting groups for health gain and improved health outcomes. Longitudinal data will provide information on progression of chronic conditions and allow description of those who move forward and back along the continuum over time.Detailed methods are provided regarding the random recruitment and examination of a representative sample of participants (n = 4060), including the rationale for various processes and valuable lessons learnt. Self-reported and biomedical data were obtained on risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, family history, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol) and chronic conditions (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes) to classify participants according to their status along a continuum. Segmenting this population sample along a continuum showed that 71.5% had at least one risk factor for developing asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes. Almost one-fifth (18.8%) had been previously diagnosed with at least one of these chronic conditions, and an additional 3.9% had at least one of these conditions but had not been diagnosed.This paper provides a novel opportunity to examine how a cohort study was born. It presents detailed methodology behind the selection, recruitment and examination of a cohort and how participants with selected chronic conditions can be segmented along a continuum that may assist with health promotion and health services planning.
3-D reconstruction of anterior mantle-field techniques in Hodgkin's disease survivors: doses to cardiac structures
Authors: Vordermark Dirk , Seufert Ines , Schwab Franz , Kölbl Oliver , Kung Margret , Angermann Christiane , Flentje Michael 
Published: April 2006

Abstract

Background
The long-term dose-effect relationship for specific cardiac structures in mediastinal radiotherapy has rarely been investigated. As part of an interdisciplinary project, the 3-D dose distribution within the heart was reconstructed in all long-term Hodgkin's disease survivors (n = 55) treated with mediastinal radiotherapy between 1978 and 1985. For dose reconstruction, original techniques were transferred to the CT data sets of appropriate test patients, in whom left (LV) and right ventricle (RV), left (LA) and right atrium (RA) as well as right (RCA), left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (LCX) coronary arteries were contoured. Dose-volume histograms (DVHs) were generated for these heart structures and results compared between techniques.

Results
Predominant technique was an anterior mantle field (cobalt-60). 26 patients (47%) were treated with anterior mantle field alone (MF), 18 (33%) with anterior mantle field and monoaxial, bisegmental rotation boost (MF+ROT), 7 (13%) with anterior mantle field and dorsal boost (MF+DORS) and 4 (7%) with other techniques. Mean ± SD total mediastinal doses for MF+ROT (41.7 ± 3.5 Gy) and for MF+DORS (42.7 ± 7.4) were significantly higher than for MF (36.7 ± 5.2 Gy). DVH analysis documented relative overdosage to right heart structures with MF (median maximal dose to RV 129%, to RCA 127%) which was siginificantly reduced to 117% and 112%, respectively, in MF+ROT. Absolute doses in right heart structures, however, did not differ between techniques. Absolute LA doses were significantly higher in MF+ROT patients than in MF patients where large parts of LA were blocked. Median maximal doses for all techniques ranged between 48 and 52 Gy (RV), 44 and 46 Gy (LV), 47 and 49 Gy (RA), 38 and 45 Gy (LA), 46 and 50 Gy (RCA), 39 and 44 Gy (LAD) and 34 and 42 Gy (LCX).

Conclusion
In patients irradiated with anterior mantle-field techniques, high doses to anterior heart portions were partly compensated by boost treatment from non-anterior angles. As the threshold doses for coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, pericarditis and valvular changes are assumed to be 30 to 40 Gy, cardiac toxicity must be anticipated in these patients. Thus, dose distributions in individual subjects should be correlated to the corresponding cardiovascular findings in these long-term survivors, e. g. by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.
Complex Inheritance of the 5-Lipoxygenase Locus Influencing Atherosclerosis in Mice
Authors: Ghazalpour Anatole , Wang Xuping , Lusis Aldons J , Mehrabian Margarete 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
We previously mapped a locus on chromosome 6 with a large effect (LOD &gt; 6) on aortic lesion size in a (C57BL/6J × CAST/Ei) F2 cross and identified arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (5LO) as a candidate gene in this region. Subsequent studies with the 5LO knockout model showed effects on atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms. We now report detailed genetic analysis of the chromosome 6 locus. We created a panel of overlapping and reciprocal subcongenic lines from the B6.CAST Ldlr−/− chromosome 6 congenic strain (CON6.Ldlr−/−) and analyzed aortic lesion size in different subcongenic lines. Our results revealed that there are at least two subregions, designated as Ath37 and Ath38 that affect the size of aortic lesions independently of 5LO. We also showed that homozygote 5LO null mice develop smaller atherosclerotic lesions. We conclude that the relation between the mouse chromosome 6 locus and atherosclerosis is complex and is due to at least two genes with large effects within this region. This complexity should be considered when interpreting results of knockout studies.
Paradise Regained and Spenser's Legend of Holiness
Authors: Major John M. 
Published: April 2006

One of the works said to have been in Milton's mind when he wrote Paradise Regained is Book n of The Faerie Queene. According to Edwin Greenlaw, ‘the three days of temptation of Guyon concludes a series of incidents that pretty certainly influenced Paradise Regained— Mammon's proffer of riches, worldly power, fame; the three days without sleep or food, followed by exhaustion; the angel sent to care for Guyon after the trial is over; even the debates between Mammon and Guyon, which parallel Christ's rebukes of Satan.’ These likenesses seem real enough, and the evidence has support from the wellknown passage on Guyon in Areopagitica. Still I should like to suggest here—and I have not seen the idea mentioned elsewhere—that Milton's poem was also influenced, and more strongly perhaps, by the first book of The Faerie Queene, Spenser's Legend of Holiness.A good place to begin the argument is with the fact that Books i and n of The Faerie Queene themselves have many similarities of structure and episode—a fact which so admiring a reader of Spenser as John Milton would surely have noticed.
New Evidence about Burton's Melancholy
Authors: Traister Barbara H. 
Published: April 2006

I write of melancholy, by being busy to avoid melancholy… . I was not a little offended with this malady, shall I say my mistress Melancholy, my Egeria, or my malus genius [evil genius]? and for that cause, … make an antidote out of that which was the prime cause of my disease.Such teasingly self-referential passages as that quoted above have long led scholars to speculate as to the real physical and mental condition of Robert Burton. Did he suffer, as he claimed, the ravages of melancholy, or was he as a scholar simply assuming the fashionable scholars’ disease as a peg upon which to hang his encyclopedic treatise? Much of this uncertainty arises from gaps in our knowledge of Burton's biography.
Ptolemy and Strabo and Their Conversation with Appelles and Protogenes: Cosmography and Painting in Raphael's School of Athens
Authors: Joost-Gaugier Christiane L. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThis paper studies the group of men on the lower right side of Raphael's School of Athens. While the portrayal of Euclid is undisputed, the figures who are attached to him have not yet been firmly identified. In studying these figures as part of the intellectual fabric of the painting as a whole, it becomes clear that each of these figures has a meaningful role that cannot be deduced by mere guessing. The figure with his back to us is quite clearly the great mathematician-cosmographer Ptolemy of Alexandria. Not only because he wears a particular crown, but more importantly because the globe he holds is terrestrial - a symbol of his scientific contribution to the humanist curriculum - can we be certain of his presence. The man who faces him is most likely Strabo, the most famous geographer known throughout medieval times and one who was also appreciated by humanists, especially for his consideration of the sphere and the celestial aspects of the universe in his Geography. Both Ptolemy and Strabo are well placed next to Euclid, for both are concerned with geometry. The two men to the far right are, it is suggested here, two famous painters of Greek antiquity, Apelles (in the guise of Raphael) and Protogenes (in the guise of Timoteo Viti?), whose presence reflects the interests of artists in the early Cinquecento. All these heroes are appropriately placed on Aristotle's side of the painting.
Fiber‐Format Dielectric Elastomer Actuators by the Meter
Authors: Kang Zhaoqing , Yu Liyun , Nie Yi , Skowyra Magdalena , Zhang Suojiang , Skov Anne Ladegaard 
Published: February 2024

AbstractDielectric elastomers in the shape of thin films are heavily investigated, but they do not produce beneficial strains and forces comparable to that of skeletal muscles without entailing extremely complicated fabrication processes, rendering their practical use limited. Here, a silicone elastomer fiber is reported that can be produced by the meter and turned into an actuator by a simple process entailing the injection of an ionic liquid as the inner electrode and dipping in an ionogel to form the outer electrode. The fibers range from 174 to 439 µm in outer diameter with wall thicknesses from 62 to 108 µm and can be produced by the meter with regular diameter and thickness. The mechanical properties of the fibers are unaffected by the electrodes and actuation strains of 10% can be achieved, in both dry and wet environments. The fiber actuator can be bundled to mimic human skeletal muscle bundles or used in folded configurations, rendering it ideal as a building block for macroscopic actuators that can be used for many products such as body‐compliant actuators and wearables.
Design and Synthesis of Comb‐Like Bisulfonic Acid Proton Exchange Membrane with Regulated Microstructure
Authors: Wang Qian , Sang Linjian , Huang Lei , Guan Jiayu , Yu Huiting , Zheng Jifu , Zhang Qifeng , Qin Guorui , Li Shenghai , Zhang Suobo 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe design and synthesis of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) with controllable microstructure and sulfonation degree play a crucial role in enhancing their performance and expanding their application. In this study, the disulfonic acid monomer is designed and prepared to synthesize the comb‐like disulfonic PEMs with controllable ion exchange capacity. The results show that the side chain structure and more concentrated sulfonic acid groups facilitate the aggregation of sulfonic acid groups in the polymer, improve the microphase separation morphology of PEMs, and increase the ionic conductivity. The proton conductivity of the DS‐PXIDI‐60 membrane is approximately 300 mS cm−1. The PEMs with controllable microstructure are prepared by introducing comonomers, including 9,9‐dimethylxanthrene, biphenyl, and p‐terphenyl, with different reactivity, spatial structure, and solubility. Biphenyl is copolymerized to form a copolymer with an alternating structure, and 9, 9‐dimethylxanthrene is copolymerized to form a random copolymer. In addition, it is worth noting that p‐terphenyl is copolymerized to form a microblock structure of the copolymer, with more excellent comprehensive properties. DS‐PXITp‐60 exhibits better performance than Nafion 212 in redox­flow batteries and fuel cells. Therefore, such molecular design and synthesis strategies provide a reference guide for the development of high‐performance PEMs.
Wet Twisting in Spinning for Rapid and Cost‐Effective Fabrication of Superior Carbon Nanotube Yarns
Authors: Zhao Xu , Kong Derui , Tao Jinlong , Kong Na , Mota‐Santiago Pablo , Lynch Peter A. , Shao Yanqiu , Zhang Jizhen 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCarbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising blocks for building advanced yarns with unique structural and functional attributes. However, the complexity of fabrication and high cost has hindered the widespread adoption of CNT yarns. In this study, a rapid and continuous twisting wet spun yarn strategy to produce highly densified CNT yarns is presented. The method involves effectively dispersing CNTs in the surfactant dispersion, swiftly removing the surfactant in the coagulation bath and twisting treatment to effectively improve the density of yarn and the orientation of CNT. Detailed characterizations on the influence of each spinning conditions reveal that twisting treatment significantly enhances the packing density of yarns, improves the orientation of CNTs, and mitigates the impact of impurities on conductivity. The resulting CNT yarns exhibit a remarkable tensile strength of 600 MPa, a Young's modulus of ≈40 GPa, and a high conductivity of 8990 S cm−1. When utilized as a yarn heater, the CNT yarn demonstrates an ultra‐fast electrothermal response of over 1000 °C s−1 at a low operating voltage of 5 V. Impressively, the mechanical properties of CNT yarns show good stability during heating. This study provides a perspective of structural engineering for the large‐scale preparation of high‐performance CNT yarns.
Hollow Porous Structures for Improving the Sensitivity of Colorimetric Array Gas Sensors
Authors: Bai Wanqiao , Wu Ruonan , Xue Zhenjie , Song Xiaomin , Xia Zeng‐ao , Zhang Kailin , Shao Kang , Li Yan , Wang Tie 
Published: February 2024

AbstractDetecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath is a promising research area for disease diagnosis. Mass transfer behavior plays a crucial role in determining the detection performance of VOCs. However, the high mobility of exhaled breath poses a substantial challenge for the mass transfer process. Here, the distinct mass transfer behavior of mobile gaseous molecules is discovered by employing the schlieren imaging technique to visualize gas flow. The results demonstrate that hollow porous structures exhibit a higher gas flow flux than solid film and microporous structures, thereby generating a sufficient probability of contact reactions for mobile gaseous molecules. The proposed colorimetric array sensors offer enhanced sensitivity and stability for detecting mobile gaseous molecules. The discovery will serve as a foundational milestone is anticipated in elucidating the behavior of gas mass transfer and promoting its potential application in disease detection through the analysis of human exhaled breath.
Wireless Bioelectronics for In Vivo Pressure Monitoring with Mechanically‐Compliant Hydrogel Biointerfaces
Authors: Lin Jingsen , Chen Xingmei , Zhang Pei , Xue Yu , Feng Yinghui , Ni Zhipeng , Tao Yue , Wang Yafei , Liu Ji 
Published: February 2024

AbstractRecent electronics‐tissues biointefacing technology has offered unprecedented opportunities for long‐term disease diagnosis and treatment. It remains a grand challenge to robustly anchor the pressure sensing bioelectronics onto specific organs, since the periodically‐varying stress generated by normal biological processes may pose high risk of interfacial failures. Here, a general yet reliable approach is reported to achieve the robust hydrogel interface between wireless pressure sensor and biological tissues/organs, featuring highly desirable mechanical compliance and swelling resistance, despite the direct contact with biofluids and dynamic conditions. The sensor is operated wirelessly through inductive coupling, characterizing minimal hysteresis, fast response times, excellent stability, and robustness, thus allowing for easy handling and eliminating the necessity for surgical extraction after a functional period. The operation of the wireless sensor has been demonstrated with a custom‐made pressure sensing model and in vivo intracranial pressure monitoring in rats. This technology may be advantageous in real‐time post‐operative monitoring of various biological inner pressures after the reconstructive surgery, thus guaranteeing the timely treatment of lethal diseases.