bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Positive Peer Relations from Observed Parent–Child Interactions
Authors: Leve Leslie D. , Fagot Beverly I. 
Published: May 2006

AbstractThe nature of 7‐year‐old children's (n = 140) positive peer relations was examined using a multi‐method, multi‐agent approach. A confirmatory factor analysis suggested three factors clustered by reporting agent and method: teachers' perceptions of the child's positive attributes, observation of the child‐peer interaction in three play settings, and observation of the child‐peer interaction in a teaching context. Similar pathways were found for boys and girls. Once it was established that stable constructs could be developed to measure positive peer relations, earlier parent‐child characteristics were examined to assess their utility in predicting children's positive friendships. Parental scaffolding and warmth were measured at 18 months and 5 years of age. Structural equation modeling suggests that positive parent interactions were positively related to later peer relations, but this relationship was significant only for boys. Possible explanations for this sex difference are discussed.
Canadian Public Health Nurses' Job Satisfaction
Authors: Best Maureen F. , Thurston Norma E. 
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study was undertaken to test the applicability of using a standardized questionnaire for measuring public health nurse (PHN) job satisfaction and to determine whether or not scores changed over 30 months. The importance of establishing a method for ongoing measurement of PHN job satisfaction was underscored by changing directions in practice and an emphasis on building public health capacity.Method: A 30‐month interval, repeated measures descriptive survey design was used.Sample: A randomly selected sample of 87 PHNs employed within 1 Canadian regional health authority participated.Measurement: The survey questionnaire, the Index of Worklife Satisfaction, was designed to measure the importance of and satisfaction with 6 components of job satisfaction.Results: Pay and autonomy were the most important components; the order of the 4 remaining components changed from first to second surveys. Professional status, autonomy, and interaction were the most satisfying components; PHN satisfaction with professional status and interaction improved significantly over 30 months. A majority of subjects reported that direct client care/client response/making a difference were worklife aspects providing them with most satisfaction.Conclusions: A valid, reliable questionnaire suitable for ongoing measurement was tested with PHNs, and baseline levels of their job satisfaction were established.
The changes in T lymphocyte subsets following periodontal treatment in patients with chronic periodontitis
Authors: Erciyas Kamile , Orbak Recep , Kavrut Fahri , Demir Turgut , Kaya Hasan 
Published: May 2006

Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine whether there was any change in T‐lymphocyte subsets in patients with chronic periodontitis after applying different periodontal treatment methods.Patients and methods:  Twenty‐four patients with chronic periodontitis were included in the study. In every phase of the treatment (pretreatment, initial treatment, curettage and flap operations) the biopsy samples were taken from the gingival tissues at sites of chronic periodontitis. Then CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte and CD4+/CD8+ ratio values were determined using flow cytometry in the biopsy samples. At the same time, gingival pocket depth, Löe–Silness gingival index, and Silness–Löe plaque index scores were recorded to assess the periodontal status in patients. To determine the correlation between the clinical measurements and the laboratory results obtained before the treatment, after initial treatment, after curettage and after flap operations, we conducted an analysis using a paired t‐test.Results:  Flow cytometry findings in the patients with chronic periodontitis showed that CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte values before treatment were under the normal value and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio was within the normal distribution interval. The CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased postcurettage and postflap operation. This decrease was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte values were increased postcurettage and postflap operation. This increase was also statistically significant (p < 0.001).Conclusions:  These findings suggest that local immune response was poor in the patients with chronic periodontitis. CD4+ and CD8+ T‐lymphocytes could play a significant role in chronic periodontitis pathobiology.
11β‐Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Activity in Pregnancies Complicated by Hydatidiform Mole
Authors: Muneyyrici‐Delale Ozgul , Nacharaju Vijaya L. , Sidell Jon , Neil Gregory , Karacan Meric , Camilien Louis , Temkin Sarah , Abulafia Ovadia 
Published: May 2006

Problem11β‐Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β‐HSD) plays an important role in regulating active glucocorticoid reaching the fetus. In normal pregnancy, placental 11β‐HSD functions primarily in oxidative direction. Placental tissue of patients with pregnancies complicated by pre‐eclampsia exhibit significantly lower type 1 and 2 11β‐HSD activities and significantly high cortisol level in cord blood suggesting fetal exposure to higher level of active glucocorticoids. The activity of 11β‐HSD in gestational trophoblastic disease has not been determined. The objective of this study was to assess 11β‐HSD activity in tissue from normal second trimester and pregnancies complicated by hydatidiform mole.Method of studyNormal placental tissues were obtained from patients undergoing termination of pregnancy, and from patients undergoing uterine evacuation for hydatidiform mole. Both nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)‐ and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)‐dependent activities were assayed in central villous tissue. Comparison of groups was performed using Student's t‐test. A P‐value of 0.05 was considered significant. Data are presented as mean ± S.D.ResultsTissue obtained from five patients with pathology‐proven hydatidiform mole demonstrated significantly lower 11β‐HSD activities compared with placental tissue obtained from normal pregnancies. The mean NAD‐dependent 11β‐HSD activity in normal placentas was 386 ± 109 pmol/min/g placenta and in hydatidiform mole was 74 ± 54 pmol/min/g placenta (P < 0.01). The mean NADP‐dependent 11β‐HSD activity in normal placentas was 370 ± 120 pmol/min/g placenta and in trophoblastic disease was 68 ± 69 pmol/min/g placenta (P < 0.01).ConclusionOur data indicate significant impairment in the ability of hydatidiform mole tissue to inactivate glucocorticoids.
1141222744 Analysis of the relationship between ureaplasmal infection and premature delivery
Authors: Harada K , Tanaka H , Tsuji Y , Koyama K 
Published: May 2006

Aim:  Ureaplasma has recently been reported to be a pathogenic organism for sexually transmitted diseases and also for chorioamnionitis, premature delivery and neonatal pneumonia. In this study, we examined whether the ureaplasma infection is related to premature delivery.Methods:  Vaginal swabs were obtained from 85 pregnant women (including 63 of normal delivery and 23 of premature delivery), and cultured in Ureaplasma culture medium. The swabs were also analyzed for bacteria flora using the conventional culture method. DNA was extracted from ureaplasma colonies grown to determine the biotype by PCR direct sequence method.Results:  Ureaplasma infection was found in 51.6 and 52.6% of full‐term and preterm delivery women, respectively indicating that ureaplasma infection had no relation to premature delivery. The biotype of ureaplasma also had no relevance to preterm delivery. However, the interval between hospitalization due to threatened premature delivery and actual delivery was 8.4 days for ureaplasma‐infected patients as compared to 18 days for non‐infected patients. This result suggests that ureaplasma infection accelerates the process of premature delivery or shortens time to premature delivery.Conclusion:  Our study found no association between ureaplasma infection or biotype and premature delivery. However, we found that ureaplasma‐infected patients were not as readily treatable for threatened preterm delivery as non‐infected patients.
1141404284 How should data on murine spontaneous abortions be expressed and analysed?
Authors: Clark DA , Chaouat G 
Published: May 2006

Problem:  Spontaneous abortions (resorptions) in the CBAxDBA/2 are normally reported as number or resorptions/total number of implantations pooling >5 mice (R/T). The significance of differences between groups is 2 or Fisher's Exact test determined using non‐parametric methods (e.g. based on a priori predictions). Recently, it has been suggested that medians with box‐plots replace the accepted standard. This has led to reported rates of abortion of zero, where a median (that divides a population into the 50% of mice > the median and the 50% < the median) cannot logically exist. This method gives equal value to a mouse with 0/2 = 0% abortions and 0/10 = 0% abortions, and deprives readers of key data required to verify P values. The fact that there is an irreducible minimum loss due to chromosomally abnormal embryos (2–5%) is also ignored.Methods:  Raw data on 177 individual CBAxDBA/2 matings was analysed by median, mean, and geometric mean, along with R/T from 6 independent experiments with 5–10 mice per group.Result:  Individual abortion rates showed a non‐Gaussian distribution, but the mean and median differed by <0.5%. R/T data from the 6 independent experiments were normally distributed. Only mean and geometric mean enable between‐group P value calculation.Conclusion:  Although it is possible to compare individual mice (and even individual implantation sites), as the relevant question is the significance of differenced between treatments in groups of mice and reproducibility, the established classical method should continue to be used.
1141420984 Placental exosome suppression of T cell activation and differential target of T cell subsets
Authors: Taylor DD , Gercel‐Taylor C 
Published: May 2006

Problem:  One immunoregulatory pathway that has received little attention is placental exosome release. In normal pregnancy, as factors linked with early immunomodulation decline, placental exosomes become key in modulating T‐cell activation, maintaining the absence of effector T‐cells by enhancing T cell apoptosis and loss of CD3‐z.Method of Study:  Placental exosomes were isolated from the maternal peripheral circulation by a chromatographic/MACS procedure developed to specifically purify exosomes of placental origin. Exosomal FasL was identified by immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) and quantified by ELISA. Exosomal suppression of T cell signaling molecules and induction of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and DNA fragmentation, respectively. The role of FasL in these events was defined by use of FasL blocking antibody. The differential effect of exosomes on CD3‐z on T subsets was analyzed by western immunoblot (WB).Results:  When T cells were co‐incubated with placental exosomes, CD3‐z was down‐regulated, with placental exosomes treated cells expressing 18,900 ± 7,000 MESF units of zeta, while control fraction‐treated cells expressed 49,000 ± 4,800 MESF units of zeta (P < 0.001). This down‐regulation of CD3‐z was partially reversed by pre‐incubating T cells with ZB4 antibody, suggesting a role for FasL. IEM revealed FasL‐antibody complexes located on the exterior of placental exosomes; however, only 20/27 preparations were FasL+. When placental exosomes were added to T cells, the level of CD3‐z expression on CD8+ cells was 7.1%, (8.7% vs 59.7%) inhibited 1.43‐fold more than in CD4+ cells (85.5 P < 0.01). On CD4+CD25+ cells, CD3‐z was not significantly inhibited. (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  While all term placental exosome preparations tested induced apoptosis, exosomes obtained from 7/27 patients were negative for FasL but were able to induce DNA degradation. These results indicate that, while exosomal FasL is apoptogenic, additional exosome components are capable of inducing apoptosis, but these factors exhibit differential effect on T subsets.
1141478081 Cleavage of integrin by calpain in patients with recurrent miscarriage
Authors: Nozawa K , Ozaki Y , Guto S , Nakanishi T , Aoyama K , Ogasawara MS 
Published: May 2006

Problem:  In our previous study, we have been reported that calpain, a calcium‐dependent cysteine protease, activated by increasing intracellular calcium‐ion concentration in endometrial cell, cause endometrial dysfunction for implantation. In this study, we investigated the existence and contribution of calpains, their endogenous inhibitor calpastatin, and their substrate such as integrin β3 and α‐fodrin in deciduas of patients with recurrent miscarriage.Method of Study:  Deciduas were surgically collected from 31 patients with recurrent miscarriage and 23 healthy women with informed consent. Immunohistochemistry, SDS‐PAGE and western blot analysis were performed using antibodies against calpain, calpastatin, integrin β3 and α‐fodrin.Results:  Staining of μ‐calpain, m‐calpain, capastatin, integrin β3 and α‐fodrin were observed in the cytoplasm of stromal and epithelial cells in deciduas using immunohistochemistry. No significant differences were observed in staining patterns. Western blot analysis shows no significant differences in m‐calpain, calpastatin and α‐fodrin, while μ‐calpain was significantly higher and integrin β3 was lower in subject.Conclusions:  The result provided that cleavage of integrin β3 by μ‐calpain may cause adverse effect in the mechanism of early pregnancy.
1141584386 Cell type specific regulation of human placenta growth factor
Authors: Chang M , Groesch KA , Mukherjea D , Torry DS 
Published: May 2006

Background:  Maternal serum levels of PlGF are significantly lower in preeclamptic patients than in normal pregnant women. PlGF mRNA expression is cell type specific with high levels in trophoblast but comparatively low levels in most nontrophoblast. Despite two consensus hypoxia response elements (HREs), PlGF expression is down regulated by hypoxia in trophoblast, but increased in other cell types. These observations suggest unique regulatory mechanisms control PlGF expression. We sought to characterize PlGF promoter regions which function to regulate transcription rates in different cell types and under hypoxia.Methods:  Regions of human PlGF gene (−1521/+34), (−828/+34), (−698/+34) were cloned into a reporter vector and (−844/−677) was cloned into a minimal TK promoter containing expression vectors. Trophoblast (JEG3 and JAR), and nontrophoblast (HeLa and hEK‐293) were transiently transfected to determine functional responsiveness of the regions. A PlGF gene region containing two HREs was cloned upstream of a TK containing vector to determine hypoxia (1% O2) responsiveness.Results:  PlGF (−1521/+34), (−828/+34) regions showed high promoter activity in trophoblast cells, but little activity in nontrophoblast cells. PlGF (−844/−677) cloned downstream of the TK reporter, augmented promoter activity in trophoblast but not nontrophoblast cells. When cloned upstream to the TK promoter, this region significantly decreased activity in nontrophoblast cells. Surprisingly, the PlGF region containing HREs produced little increase in minimal promoter activity during hypoxia in any of the cells.Conclusions:  PlGF transcription is cell type specific and a region of PlGF (−828/−698) may act as an enhancer in trophoblast yet mediates repressor activity in nontrophoblast. The putative HREs in PlGF 5’UTR do not seem to increase PlGF transcription under hypoxia suggesting that they are not essential for governing PlGF expression. Further understanding of transcriptional regulation of PlGF in trophoblast may facilitate approaches to increase expression during preeclampsia.
1139687336 Which thrombophilic gene mutations are risk factors for recurrent pregnancy loss?
Authors: Goodman CS , Coulam CB , Jeyendran RS , Fishel LA , Roussev RG 
Published: May 2006

Objective:  We have previously reported that when 10 thrombophilic genes were investigated, more than three gene mutations among the 10 genes were observed significantly more frequently among women experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss than fertile control women. The question then arose as to which of the 10 mutations were necessary to identify the risk of recurrent pregnancy loss. The present study was undertaken to answer this question.Materials and Methods:  550 women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss had buccal swabs taken for DNA analyses of 10 gene mutations (Factor V G1691A, Factor V H1299R (R2), Factor V Y1702C, Factor II Prothrombin G20210A, Factor XIII V34L, beta‐Fibrinogen ‐455G>A, PAI‐1 4G/5G, HPA1 a/b (L33P), MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C). The frequency of these mutations were compared with controls published in the literature.Results:  When examined individually, three out of the ten mutations studied correlated significantly with recurrent pregnancy loss compared with controls, including PAI‐1 4G/5G (P = 0.0037), Factor XIII V34L (P < 0.0001), and homozygous MTHFR C667T (P = 0.04). The frequency of the Factor V Y1702C mutation was extremely low in patients and controls; thus, this gene was removed from further calculations. The remaining six mutated genes, when analyzed cumulatively, also corresponded with recurrent pregnancy loss with total number of mutations significantly increased among patients compared with controls (P < 0.0001).Conclusion:  A panel of thrombogenic gene mutations consisting of Factor V G1691A, Factor V H1299R (R2), Factor II Prothrombin G20210A, Factor XIII V34L, beta‐Fibrinogen‐455G>A, PAI‐1 4G/5G, HPA1 a/b (L33P), MTHFR C677T, and MTHFR A1298C can identify individuals at risk for recurrent pregnancy loss.
1140918593 Altered expression of cell surface CD200 tolerance‐signaling molecule on human PBL stored at 4°C or 37°C correlates with reduced or increased efficacy in controlled trials of treatment of recurrent miscarriages
Authors: Clark DA , Banwatt D 
Published: May 2006

Problem:  The CD200 molecule is required for prevention of abortions in mice by allogeneic lymphomyeloid cells bearing paternal antigen, and storage of at 4°C overnight causes loss of cell‐surface CD200 and loss of efficacy. Human PBL stored at 4°C overnight also lose CD200 and were ineffective in a randomized controlled trial RCT, odds ratio for live birth with stored cells = 0.55 (95% CI 0.27–1.14) versus 1.68 (95% CI 1.04–2.70) with freshly isolated PBL. A recent published RCT utilizing paternal PBL stored at 37°C overnight reported a dramatic reduction in abortion rate, odds ratio for live birth with treatment = 10.2 (95% CI 3.97–26.08). Does storage at 37°C increase expression of cell‐surface CD200?Methods:  Hypaque‐ficoll‐purified human PBL were analysed by flow cytometry using PE‐anti‐huCD200 before and after storage in PBS for 18 hr at 4°C, 22°C, or 37°C.Results:  Purified PBL stored at 4°C showed reduced expression of CD200, whereas at 37°C, CD200 expression was dramatically increased.Conclusions:  The protective effect of paternal PBL against recurrent spontaneous abortion may be altered by storage conditions, and level of expression of cell‐surface CD200 appears to be a key correlate of efficacy.
Advances in Rapid
Distortion Theory: From Rotating Shear Flows to the Baroclinic
Instability
Authors: Salhi Aziz , Cambon Claude 
Published: May 2006

Abstract
The essentials of rapid distortion theory (RDT) are briefly recalled for homogeneous turbulence subjected to rotational mean flows, including its linkage to stability analysis. The latter “linkage” is of particular importance from our viewpoint, since it also attracted the attention of Charles Speziale, resulting in at least two papers [Speziale, C. G., Abid, R., and Blaisdell, G. A., 1996, “On the Consistency of Reynolds Stress Turbulence Closures With Hydrodynamic Stability Theory,” Phys. Fluids, 8, pp. 781–788 and Salhi, A., Cambon, C., and Speziale, C. G., 1997, “Linear Stability Analysis of Plane Quadratic Flows in a Rotating Frame,” Phys. Fluids, 9(8), pp. 2300–2309] with particular emphasis on rotating flows. New analytical solutions and related RDT results are presented for shear flows including buoyancy forces, with system rotation or mean density stratification. Finally, combining shear, rotation and stratification, RDT is shown to be pertinent to revisiting the baroclinic instability. This instability results from the tilting of mean isopycnal surfaces under combined effects of vertical shear and system rotation, in a vertically (stably) stratified medium rotating around the vertical direction. In addition, the challenge of reproducing RDT dynamics in single-point closure models is briefly discussed, from the viewpoint of structure-based modeling [Cambon C., Jacquin, L., and Lubrano, J.-L., 1992, “Towards a New Reynolds Stress Model for Rotating Turbulent Flows,” Phys. Fluids A, 4, pp. 812–824 and Kassinos, S. C., Reynolds, W. C., and Rogers, M. M., 2000, “One-Point Turbulence Structure Tensors,” J. Fluid Mech., 428, pp. 213–248.
Stress Intensity Factors for Internal Straight and Curved-Fronted Cracks in Thick Cylinders
Authors: Parker Anthony P. , Tan Choon-Lai 
Published: May 2006

AbstractFatigue and leak-before-break calculations for a pressure vessel require knowledge of the stress intensity factor at the deepest point of a straight- or curved-fronted (semi-elliptical) surface crack emanating from the bore of an internally pressurized, autofrettaged thick cylinder. A limited number of available solutions is curve fitted. The concept of a tube equivalent plate (TEP), which exhibits crack-constraint characteristics matching those of a thick cylinder, is developed, and the resulting equations are curve fitted. Ratios of the TEP stress intensity factor results are then used to interpolate between certain existing solutions. This provides wide-ranging solutions covering radius ratios from 1.8 to 3.0, autofrettage overstrain from 0 to 100% and crack shapes from straight fronted to semi-circular. The calculation procedure is described using worked examples.