bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Theoretical Comparison of How Soil Processes Affect Uptake of Metals by Diffusive Gradients in Thinfilms and Plants
Authors: Lehto N. J. , Davison W. , Zhang H. , Tych W. 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACTThe theoretical basis for using measurements of metal uptake by the technique of diffusive gradients in thinfilms (DGT) to mimic processes in soils that affect uptake of metals by plants is examined. The uptake of metals by plants and DGT were compared conceptually and quantitatively by using the classic Barber model of plant uptake and the DIFS (DGT‐induced fluxes in soils) model of uptake by DGT. For most metals and plants considered, uptake fluxes were similar to those induced by DGT using the most common gel layer thicknesses of 0.2 to 2mm. Consequently DGT perturbs the chemical equilibrium of metals in the soil solution and between soil solution and solid phase, to a similar extent to plants, and therefore induces a similar balance in supply by diffusion and by release from the solid phase. DIFS was used to show that desorption kinetics, which are not considered by the plant uptake model, are likely important for uptake when the capacity of the soil solid phase is large. Model calculations showed that mass flow into a plant root would only contribute appreciably to the total flux of metal under circumstances when the solid phase reservoir of metal was very low. Generally, however, DGT is likely to emulate supply processes from the soil that govern uptake of metal by plants. Exceptions are likely to be found in poorly buffered soils (typically sandy and/or low pH), and at very high concentrations of metals in soil solution, such that the soil solution concentration at the plant root interface is higher than the Michaelis‐Menten constant (Km).
Solute Response to Changing Nutrient Loads in Soil and Walled Ceramic Cup Samplers under Continuous Extraction
Authors: Lentz R. D. 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACTThis report evaluates a vacuum‐assisted walled percolation sampler preconditioned in soil, and examines the dynamic response of leachate solutes. The 20‐cm walled percolation sampler extracted soil water under continuous tension via a ceramic cup collector embedded in a silica flour layer, whose upper surface interfaced with field soil. In the laboratory, alternating solutions with high and low NO3‐N (232 or 3.6 mg L−1), molybdate‐reactive P (MRP) (1.75 or 0.0 mg L−1), K+ (568 or 3.6 mg L−1), and Br− (9.6 or 0.0 mg L−1) concentrations were delivered directly to the (i) sampler ceramic cup; (ii) silica flour bed surface, or (iii) 12‐mm soil layer placed over the silica flour bed. For alternating input solutions delivered to the silica‐flour bed surface, (i) solute breakthrough (95% equivalency) occurred in 4 pore volumes and was the same for both the high and low concentration input phases of the application, and (ii) concentrations of NO3‐N, Br−, and MRP in cumulative extracted water volumes were within 5% of those in corresponding input volumes. Alternating nutrient loads from high to low levels in the fixed flow rate input waters caused excess MRP (1.6 times that in the high concentration MRP solution) to leach from the calcareous soil. The dynamic character of P transport in K‐fertilized soils deserves further study and may have important environmental implications.
Response of Spinach and Komatsuna to Biogas Effluent Made from Source‐Separated Kitchen Garbage
Authors: Furukawa Yuichiro , Hasegawa Hiroshi 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACTRecycling of kitchen garbage is an urgent task for reducing public spending and environmental burdens by incineration and/or landfill. There is an interesting regional effort in Ogawa, Saitama prefecture, Japan, in which source‐separated kitchen garbage is anaerobically fermented with a biogas plant and the resultant effluent is used as a quick‐release organic fertilizer by surrounding farmers. However, scientific assessments of fertilizer values and risks in the use of the effluent were lacking. Thus, a field experiment was conducted from 2003 to 2004 in Tohoku National Agricultural Research Center to grow spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and komatsuna (Brassica rapa var. perviridis L. H. Bailey) for evaluating the fertilizer value of the kitchen garbage effluent (KGE), nitrate, coliform group (CG), Escherichia coli, fecal streptococci (FS), and Vibrio parahaemolyticus concentrations of KGE and in the soil and the plant leaves. A cattle manure effluent (CME) and chemical fertilizers (NPK) were used as controls. Total nitrogen (N) and ammonium N concentrations of the KGE were 1.47 and 1.46 g kg−1, respectively. The bacteria tested were detected in both biogas effluents in the order of 2 to 3 log CFU g−1, but there was little evidence that the biogas effluents increased these bacteria in the soil and the plant leaves. At the rate of 22 g N m−2, yield, total N uptake, apparent N recovery rate, and leaf nitrate ion concentration at harvest of spinach and komatsuna in the KGE plot were mostly comparable to those in the NPK and CME plots. We conclude that the KGE is a quick‐release N fertilizer comparable to chemical fertilizers and does not cause contamination of CG, E. coli, FS, or V. parahaemolyticus in the soil and spinach and komatsuna leaves.
Evaluation of the association between microalbuminuria and the urine albumin-creatinine ratio and systemic disease in dogs
Authors: Whittemore Jacqueline C. , Gill Virginia L. , Jensen Wayne A. , Radecki Steven V. , Lappin Michael R. 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Objective—To evaluate semiquantitative and quantitative assays for microalbuminuria and determination of the urine albumin-creatinine (UAC) ratio in detection of systemic disease in dogs without overt proteinuria.
Design—Prospective study.
Animals—408 dogs.
Procedures—Urine samples that had been obtained from dogs for which a complete medical record was available and in which results of a dipstick test for urine protein were negative were evaluated. Urine protein-creatinine ratios (cutoff values, 0.5 and 0.1), semiquantitative and quantitative microalbuminuria values (cutoff value, 1 mg/dL), and UAC ratios (cutoff values, 100 and 200 mg/g) were determined. Clinical diagnoses rendered within 3 months of enrollment in the study were recorded. Sensitivity and specificity were determined with disease status serving as the standard. Associations with clinical diagnosis, sex, age, BUN and serum creatinine concentrations, blood pressure, results of bacterial culture of urine, temperature, pyuria, hematuria, and bacteriuria were evaluated by use of logistic regression analysis.
Results—48 dogs were healthy, and 360 had at least 1 disease. Significant associations were detected between age, presence of disease, presence of neoplastic disease, BUN and serum creatinine concentrations, and hematuria and results of 1 or both of the microalbuminuria assays.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Microalbuminuria was associated with underlying disease. The sensitivity and specificity of the semiquantitative microalbuminuria test for detection of systemic disease were superior to those of other tests. Microalbuminuria testing in conjunction with other screening procedures may increase diagnosis of subclinical disease, but a prospective study in which the predictive values of screening tests are evaluated, with and without microalbuminuria determination, is needed.
Toggle rod stabilization for treatment of hip joint luxation in dogs: 62 cases (2000–2005)
Authors: Demko Jennifer L. , Sidaway Brian K. , Thieman Kelley M. , Fox Derek B. , Boyle Carolyn R. , McLaughlin Ron M. 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Objective—To determine outcome of open toggle rod stabilization in dogs with luxation of the hip joint.
Design—Retrospective case series.
Animals—62 dogs.
Procedures—Information on signalment, surgical procedure, and postoperative care was obtained from the medical records. A questionnaire was sent to all owners to solicit follow-up information.
Results—The distribution for time between luxation and surgery was bimodal, with 24 (39%) dogs examined ≤ 2 days after injury and 23 (37%) examined > 7 days after injury. Postoperative complications developed in 16 of the 62 (26%) dogs, with complications developing within 1 week after surgery in 10 of the 16. The most common complication was reluxation, which occurred in 7 dogs. Dogs in which surgery time was < 2 hours were significantly less likely to have a reluxation (2/40 [5%]) than were dogs in which surgery time was ≥ 2 hours (5/22 [23%]). When asked to rate current limb function (0 = no lameness and 5 = non–weightbearing lame) a minimum of 6 months after surgery, 23 of 27 (85%) owners indicated a score of 0 or 1.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results of the present study suggest that toggle rod stabilization is an effective treatment for hip joint luxation in dogs. However, complications, particularly reluxation, were common.
Performance of three PCR methods targeting different regions of viral genome for the detection of TTV in Non A-E hepatitis, chronic B and C hepatitis and healthy blood donors
Authors: Ergunay Koray , Sivri Bulent , Karabulut Erdem , Ustacelebi Semsettin , Bayraktar Yusuf 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
TT virus (TTV) was suggested to be the etiologic agent for non A-E hepatitis but this could not yet be proven due to high detection rates not only in hepatitis but also in healthy persons and sensitivity differences of PCR methods employed. The aim of this study was to evaluate TTV DNA positivity in non A-E hepatitis cases, chronic HBV and HCV hepatitis cases and healthy blood donors via PCR systems that target all regions of the viral genome used for viral detection. 23 non A-E hepatitis, 28 chronic HCV, 21 chronic HBV cases and 56 healthy blood donors were included in the study and evaluated by PCR protocols that target 5′-UTR, 3′-UTR and N22 (ORF1) regions. As a result, 3′-UTR and 5′-UTR PCR had comparable detection rates that were higher than N22 PCR. Differences in detection rates among study groups were not statistically significant for any PCR method. Hepatic enzyme levels of the patients were not correlated with the presence of TTV DNA. Detection rate was significantly higher for Non A-E hepatitis group when positivity rates from all methods were combined. These results suggest an alteration of viral genotypes in Non A-E hepatitis which might be associated with pathogenesis.
Concomitant Graves’ disease and primary hyperparathyroidism: clinical implications and preoperative localization of parathyroid adenoma by fine needle biopsy
Authors: Thalhammer Michael , Cuk Amra , Pitzl Heinz , Palitzsch Klaus-Dieter 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
A 53-year old female patient, who presented with retrosternal pain, which could be ascribed to reflux oesophagitis and gastritis, furthermore stated recurrent palpitations, sweating and the feeling of uneasiness. In routine laboratory investigation hyperthyroidism and hypercalcaemia were detected. Further testing revealed elevated TSH receptor antibodies and a parathyroid hormone level within the normal range. Scintigraphically a homogeneous, but increased uptake was found. In ultrasonography guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of a nodule parathyroid hormone was verifiable by immunochemical means.
Under thyrostatic treatment with carbimazole the patient became euthyroid, simultaneous a decrease of serum calcium levels could be observed. Parathyroid hormone level remained in normal range. After confirmation of Graves’ disease and adenoma of the parathyroid gland parathyroidectomy in combination with near total resection of the thyroid gland was performed. In conclusions concomitant Graves’ disease and primary hyperparathyroidism is rare, but should be considered in case of persisting hypercalcaemia after the patient became euthyroid again, when parathyroid hormone level is in normal range or elevated. Thus a potentially required second operation can be avoided. By ultrasonography guided fine needle aspiration biopsy and immunochemical processing adenomas of parathyroid glands can be localized preoperatively.
Robustness of an Odds‐ratio Test in a Stratified Group Sequential Trial with a Binary Outcome Measure
Authors: Srivastava Deo Kumar , Rai Shesh N. , Pan Jianmin 
Published: September 2006

AbstractMany clinical trials compare two or more treatment groups by using a binary outcome measure. For example, the goal could be to determine whether the frequency of pain episodes is significantly reduced in the treatment group (arm A) as compared to the control group (arm B). However, for ethical or regulatory reasons, group sequential designs are commonly employed. Then, based on a binomial distribution, the stopping boundaries for the interim analyses are constructed for assessing the difference in the response probabilities between the two groups. This is easily accomplished by using any of the standard procedures, e.g., those discussed by Jennison and Turnbull (2000), and using one of the most commonly used software packages, East (2000). Several factors are known to often affect the primary outcome of interest, but their true distributions are not known in advance. In addition, these factors may cause heterogeneous treatment responses among individuals in a group, and their exact effect size may be unknown. To limit the effect of such factors on the comparison of the two arms, stratified randomization is used in the actual conduct of the trial. Then, a stratified analysis based on the odds ratio proposed in Jennison and Turnbull (2000, pages 251–252) and consistent with the stratified design is undertaken. However, the stopping rules used for the interim analyses are those obtained for determining the differences in response rates in a design that was not stratified. The purpose of this paper is to assess the robustness of such an approach on the performance of the odds ratio test when the underlying distribution and effect size of the factors that influence the outcome may vary. The simulation studies indicate that, in general, the stratified approach offers consistently better results than does the unstratified approach, as long as the difference in the weighted average of the response probabilities across strata between the two groups remains closer to the hypothesized values, irrespective of the differences in the (allocation) distributions and heterogeneous response rate. However, if the response probabilities deviate significantly from the hypothesized values so that the difference in the weighted average is less than the hypothesized value, then the proposed study could be significantly underpowered. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Estimating Treatment Effect Heterogeneity for Binary Outcomes via Dirichlet Multinomial Constraints
Authors: Mascha Edward J. , Albert Jeffrey M. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractIn a randomized two‐group parallel trial the mean causal effect is typically estimated as the difference in means or proportions for patients receiving, say, either treatment (T) or control (C). Treatment effect heterogeneity (TEH), or unit‐treatment interaction, the variability of the causal effect (defined in terms of potential outcomes) across individuals, is often ignored. Since only one of the outcomes, either YT or YC, is observed for each unit in such studies, the TEH is not directly estimable. For convenience, it is often assumed to be minimal or zero. We are particularly interested in the ‘treatment risk’ for binary outcomes, that is, the proportion of individuals who would succeed on C but fail on T. Previous work has shown that the treatment risk can be bounded (Albert, Gadbury and Mascha, 2005), and that the confidence interval width around it can be narrowed using clustered or correlated data (Mascha and Albert, 2006). Without further parameter constraints, treatment risk is unidentifiable. We show, however, that the treatment risk can be directly estimated when the four underlying population counts comprising the joint distribution of the potential outcomes, YT and YC, follow constraints consistent with the Dirichlet multinomial. We propose a test of zero treatment risk and show it to have good size and power. Methods are applied to both a randomized as well as a non‐randomized study. Implications for medical decision‐making at the policy and individual levels are discussed. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Nanomechanical force measurements of gliadin protein interactions
Authors: Paananen A. , Tappura K. , Tatham A. S. , Fido R. , Shewry P. R. , Miles M. , McMaster T. J. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe strength and nature of interactions between monomeric gliadin proteins involving α–α, ω–ω, and α–ω interactions in 0.01M acetic acid, and the effect of urea has been investigated. It was shown by means of nanomechanical force measurements that the stretching events in the separation curve after adhesive phenomena originated from proteins. These stretching events displayed different responses of the α‐ and ω‐gliadins to urea. While 2M urea caused the more globular α‐gliadins to unfold, the β‐turn‐rich ω‐gliadins remained fairly stable even in 8M urea. This suggests different roles for gliadins in the formation of dough; while the ω‐gliadins are still in a compact structure being responsible for the viscous flow, the α‐gliadins have already started to participate in forming the network in dough.© 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 83: 658–667, 2006This article was originally published online as an accepted preprint. The “Published Online” date corresponds to the preprint version. You can request a copy of the preprint by emailing the Biopolymers editorial office at biopolymers@wiley.com
Effect of heat‐shock proteins for relieving physiological stress and enhancing the production of penicillin acylase in Escherichia coli
Authors: Wu Ming‐Shen , Pan Kao‐Lu , Chou C. Perry 
Published: September 2006

AbstractHigh‐level expression of recombinant penicillin acylase (PAC) using the strong trc promoter system in Escherichia coli is frequently limited by the processing and folding of PAC precursors (proPAC) in the periplasm, resulting in physiological stress and inclusion body formation in this compartment. Periplasmic heat‐shock proteins with protease or chaperone activity potentially offer a promise for overcoming this technical hurdle. In this study, the effect of the two genes encoding periplasmic heat‐shock proteins, that is degP and fkpA, on pac overexpression was investigated and manipulation of the two genes to enhance the production of recombinant PAC was demonstrated. Both ΔdegP and ΔfkpA mutants showed defective culture performance primarily due to growth arrest. However, pac expression level was not seriously affected by the mutations, indicating that the two proteins were not directly involved in the pathway for periplasmic processing of proPAC. The growth defect caused by the two mutations (i.e., ΔdegP and ΔfkpA) was complemented by either one of the wild‐type proteins, implying that the function of the two proteins could partially overlap in cells overexpressing pac. The possible role that the two heat‐shock proteins played for suppression of physiological stress caused by pac overexpression is discussed. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96:956–966. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Performance of brush‐type HPLC chiral stationary phases with tertiary amide in the connecting tether
Authors: Forjan Davorka Moslavac , Kontrec Darko , Vinković Vladimir 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe replacement of the NH hydrogen of the secondary amide‐tethered Pirkle‐concept N‐(3,5‐dinitrobenzoyl)‐L‐leucine derived chiral stationary phase with various π‐basic or aliphatic groups improved the chiral discrimination ability of new chiral stationary phases, based on the leucine‐ or alanine‐derived chiral selector, for the enantiomers of various racemic neutral analytes with amide functional groups. Retention times decreased while separation and resolution factors increased, thus proving the role of π‐donor aromatic unit as an electron‐rich shield in the front of a silica surface. In general, chiral stationary phase (CSP) 5 with the 3,5‐dimethylphenyl unit showed best performance, while CSP 3, with phenyl unit, and CSP 7, with 1‐naphthyl unit in the tertiary amide connecting tether, were less efficient. Chirality, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nonlinear chiral interactions in resolutions with benzylamine derivatives
Authors: Pálovics Emese , Fogassy Elemér , Schindler József , Nógrádi Mihály 
Published: September 2006

AbstractN‐formylphenylalanine was subjected to optical resolution using a chiral agent such as phenylethylamine enantiomer, (R)‐phenylglycine methyl ester, (S)‐N‐benzyl‐2‐aminobutanol, alone or in a mixture with each other or in a mixture with benzylamine. Chirality, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality‐of‐Life questionnaire cervical cancer module
Authors: Greimel Elfriede R. , Kuljanic Vlasic Karin , Waldenstrom Ann‐Charlotte , Duric Vlatka M. , Jensen Pernille T. , Singer Susanne , Chie Weichu , Nordin Andy , Bjelic Radisic Vesna , Wydra Dariusz ,   on behalf of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality‐of‐Life Group
Published: September 2006

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe authors report on the development and validation of a cervical cancer module for the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality‐of‐Life (QoL) questionnaire (QLQ), which was designed to assess disease‐specific and treatment‐specific aspects of QoL in patients with cervical cancer.METHODSThe cervical cancer module (EORTC QLQ‐CX24) was developed in a multicultural, multidisciplinary setting to supplement the EORTC QLQ‐C30 core questionnaire. The QLQ‐C30 and the cervical cancer module were administered to 346 patients with cervical cancer who underwent radical hysterectomy and received radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Psychometric analyses were performed by using data from 2 independent samples.RESULTSThe QLQ‐CX24 consists of 3 multiitem scales and 5 single‐item scales. Multitrait scaling analyses revealed high internal consistencies for the subscales with Cronbach α coefficients ranging from .72 to .87 (Symptom Experience, .72; Body Image, .86; Sexual/Vaginal Functioning, .87). Convergent and discriminant validity were fulfilled with scaling errors below 3%. The QLQ‐CX24 was capable of discriminating between clinical subgroups. All items exhibited good compliance with <3% missing values. Most patients completed the EORTC QLQ‐C30 and the QLQ‐CX24 in <15 minutes (86%), and many did not require any assistance to complete the questionnaires (65%).CONCLUSIONSThe current psychometric analyses supported the content and construct validity and the reliability of the EORTC QLQ‐CX24 module. This newly developed module is a useful instrument for assessing the QoL of patients who are treated for cervical cancer both in clinical trials and in clinical practice. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.