bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Collagen types I, III, and V constitute the thick collagen fibrils of the mouse decidua
Authors: Spiess Karin , Zorn Telma Maria Tenório 
Published: October 2006

AbstractA mammal's endometrium is deeply remodeled while receiving and implanting an embryo. In addition to cell proliferation and growth, endometrial remodeling also comprises synthesis and degradation of several molecular components of the extracellular matrix. All of these events are orchestrated by a precise sequence of ovarian hormones and influenced by several types of cytokines. As we have previously reported, an intriguing and rapid increase in collagen fibril diameter occurs in the decidualized areas of the endometrium, surrounding the implantation crypt, whereas collagen fibrils situated far from the embryo remain unchanged. Collagen fibrilogenesis is a complex molecular process coordinated by a number of factors, such as the types and amounts of glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans associated with collagen molecules. Collagen genetic type, mechanical stress, aging, and other factors not yet identified also contribute to this development. A recent study suggests that thick fibrils from mouse decidua are formed, at least in part, by aggregation of thin fibrils existing in the stroma before the onset of decidualization. In the present ultrastructural study using single and double immunogold localization, we showed that both thin and thick collagen fibrils present in the mouse pregnant endometrium endometrium are heterotypic structures formed at least by type I, type III, and type V collagens. However, type V collagen predominates in the thick collagen fibrils, whereas it is almost absent of the thin collagen fibrils. The putative role of type V homotrimer in the rapid increase of the diameter of collagen fibrils of the mouse decidua is discussed. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ischemia leads to delayed union during fracture healing: A mouse model
Authors: Lu Chuanyong , Miclau Theodore , Hu Diane , Marcucio Ralph S. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractVascular damage accompanying skeletal injury leads to an ischemic environment, and in clinical settings the extent of vascular damage is directly correlated with failure of skeletal repair. However, the exact mechanism(s) underlying ischemia‐related defects in bone healing are not well understood. To better understand the mechanism and to facilitate development of novel interventions to treat ischemic fractures, a mouse model of long bone fracture healing in an ischemic environment was created. Ischemia was induced by femoral artery resection prior to tibia fracture. Fractures were left unstabilized or were stabilized with custom‐designed external fixators. Animals with intact femoral vessels served as controls. Tissues from non‐stabilized fractures were analyzed at various times from 3 to 28 days after injury (n = 5/time point). Femoral artery resection severely impaired blood supply to the fractured limbs, and perfusion to the fracture sites did not recover until 14 days post‐injury. Ischemia significantly decreased the callus size (p < 0.05), and decreased bone (p < 0.05) and cartilage (p < 0.05) matrix production during healing of non‐stabilized fracture. The decreased formation of skeletal tissues in ischemic limbs was accompanied by decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis at early time points, and increased fibrous and fatty tissues adjacent to the fracture site during the third and fourth week after injury. These alterations led to a delayed‐union. Complete fracture healing was not achieved in the majority (day 21 = 4/5; day 28 = 5/5) of ischemic animals, while all control mice (n = 5/5) had evidence of bony bridging by day 21. The ratio of cartilage to bone was similar in ischemic and control limbs at days 7 and 10 in non‐stabilized fractures. In stabilized fractures, which healed through direct bone formation in the nonischemic controls, ischemia decreased the amount of bone formation at days 10 and 14 (n = 5/time point) but did not induce cartilage formation. These data reveal that an ischemic insult in the hind limb prior to fracture leads to a delayed union or a nonunion, but does not favor formation of cartilage over bone. This model will be useful for testing novel therapeutic regimens to stimulate fracture healing. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 25:51–61, 2007
Nonidentical and outlier duty cycles as factors accelerating UHMWPE wear in THA: A finite element exploration
Authors: Lundberg Hannah J. , Stewart Kristofer J. , Pedersen Douglas R. , Callaghan John J. , Brown Thomas D. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractWear rate and wear direction vary considerably within total hip arthroplasty (THA) patient cohorts. Third body effects and wide‐ranging differences in patient activity levels are two factors suspected of contributing to wear variability. A sliding‐distance‐coupled contact finite element formulation was used to test the hypothesis that nonidentical duty cycles (differing activities, or change of third body challenge) produce accelerations in polyethylene wear. Effects of nonidentical duty cycles, time‐variant femoral head roughening, and outlier gait inputs were investigated. Without femoral head roughening, combination walk/stair‐climb wear simulations did not result in appreciably higher volumetric wear than a walk‐only simulation, but when a roughened zone was included, walk/stair‐climb volumetric wear increased by approximately 57% above that of a similarly roughened walk‐only simulation. To investigate time‐variant femoral head roughening, wear simulations were begun with femoral head roughening at one location on the femoral head, switching to another location halfway through the simulation. Results varied depending on roughening sites, but cases of substantial increase in wear involved a transient jump in wear rate shortly after the change of head roughening location. Outlier duty cycles were simulated by increasing or decreasing the joint contact force and range of motion inputs, to levels at the 97.5th and 2.5th percentiles of a population of normal subjects. The resulting wear showed an increase or decrease closely proportional to the percentage by which each input (force or range of motion) was changed. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 25:30–43, 2007
Quantitative and topographical evaluation of ankle articular cartilage using high resolution MRI
Authors: Millington Steven A. , Li Bing , Tang Jinshan , Trattnig Siegfried , Crandall Jeff R. , Hurwitz Shepard R. , Acton Scott T. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThe objectives of this study were to quantitatively evaluate the articular cartilage layers of the ankle and describe the cartilage topographical distribution across the joint surfaces using high resolution MRI and image segmentation. An anisotropic diffusion noise reduction algorithm and a directional gradient vector flow (dGVF) snake segmentation algorithm were applied to cartilage sensitive MR images. Eight cadaveric ankles were studied. Six repeated data sets were acquired in five of the ankles. Quantitative parameters were calculated for each cartilage layer; coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated from the six repeated data sets; and 3D thickness distribution maps were generated. The noise reduction algorithm produced marked image enhancement. Mean cartilage thickness ranged from 0.91 ± 0.08 mm in the fibula to 1.34 ± 0.14 mm in the talus. Mean cartilage volume was 3.32 ± 0.55 ml, 1.72 ± 0.25 ml, and 0.35 ± 0.06 ml for the talus, tibia, and fibula, respectively. Mean CV ranged 2.82%–5.04% for quantitative parameters in the talus and tibia. The reported noise reduction and segmentation technique allow precise extraction of ankle cartilage and 3D reconstructions show that the thickest cartilage occurs over the talar shoulders, where osteochondritits dissecans (OCD) lesions commonly occur. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 25:143–151, 2007
Molecular mechanism of emodin action: Transition from laxative ingredient to an antitumor agent
Authors: Srinivas Gopal , Babykutty Suboj , Sathiadevan Priya Prasanna , Srinivas Priya 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAnthraquinones represent a large family of compounds having diverse biological properties. Emodin (1,3,8‐trihydroxy‐6‐methylanthraquinone) is a naturally occurring anthraquinone present in the roots and barks of numerous plants, molds, and lichens, and an active ingredient of various Chinese herbs. Earlier studies have documented mutagenic/genotoxic effects of emodin, mainly in bacterial system. Emodin, first assigned to be a specific inhibitor of the protein tyrosine kinase p65lck, has now a number of cellular targets interacting with it. Its inhibitory effect on mammalian cell cycle modulation in specific oncogene overexpressed cells formed the basis of using this compound as an anticancer agent. Identification of apoptosis as a mechanism of elimination of cells treated with cytotoxic agents initiated new studies deciphering the mechanism of apoptosis induced by emodin. At present, its role in combination chemotherapy with standard drugs to reduce toxicity and to enhance efficacy is pursued vigorously. Its additional inhibitory effects on angiogenic and metastasis regulatory processes make emodin a sensible candidate as a specific blocker of tumor‐associated events. Additionally, because of its quinone structure, emodin may interfere with electron transport process and in altering cellular redox status, which may account for its cytotoxic properties in different systems. However, there is no documentation available which reviews the biological activities of emodin, in particular, its growth inhibitory effects. This review is an attempt to analyze the biological properties of emodin, a molecule offering a broad therapeutic window, which in future may become a member of anticancer armamentarium. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 27, No. 5, 591–608, 2007
Drained and undrained pullout capacity of a stiff inclusion in a saturated poroelastic matrix
Authors: Bobet Antonio , Lee Hong‐Sung , Santagata Maria C. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractShear‐lag analysis is used to obtain closed‐form solutions for the problem of a stiff inclusion embedded in a poroelastic soil matrix. The following assumptions are made: the soil matrix and the inclusion are elastic; plane strain conditions apply; and shear stresses at the soil‐inclusion interface follow Coulomb's friction law. Two solutions are obtained, the first one for drained conditions where no excess pore pressures are generated, and the second one for undrained conditions where excess pore pressures are produced and the soil does not change volume during pullout. The solutions are verified by comparing analytical predictions with numerical results obtained using a finite element method. Predictions from the analytical solutions are also compared with results from experiments conducted in a large‐scale pullout box. Both comparisons show good agreement. The analytical solution shows that the pullout capacity in drained and undrained conditions is overall independent of the relative stiffness of the soil and the inclusion. The most important factor controlling the pullout capacity is the coefficient of friction between the soil and the inclusion. Both drained and undrained pullout capacities increase with the coefficient of friction; although the drained capacity shows a proportional increase, it is not so for the undrained capacity. The ratio of undrained to drained pullout capacity is about 0.9 for friction coefficients smaller than 0.2, but can be as small as 0.6 for a coefficient of friction of 1.0. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relationship for the different processing properties of polyolefin homopolymers and copolymers
Authors: Halász L. , Vorster O. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractAn important method of the modification of the properties of poly(ethylene) and poly(propylene) is the copolymerization with α‐olefins. The α‐olefin behaves as a short branch in the structure, and the rheological and thermal properties of copolymers change significantly. A new method is suggested to evaluate the rheological and thermal properties of copolymers on the basis of homopolymer properties, by introducing a short branch degree parameter. The zero shear viscosity, characteristic relaxation time plateau modulus, fractional free volume, glass transition temperature and thermodynamical melting point were calculated. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Crystal structures of E. coli CcmG and its mutants reveal key roles of the N‐terminal β‐sheet and the fingerprint region
Authors: Ouyang Nan , Gao Yong‐Guang , Hu Hong‐Yu , Xia Zong‐Xiang 
Published: October 2006

AbstractCcmG, also designated DsbE, functions as a periplasmic protein thiol:disulfide oxidoreductase and is required for cytochrome c maturation. Here we report the crystal structures of Escherichia coli CcmG and its two mutants, P144A and the N‐terminal fifty seven‐residue deletion mutant, and two additional deletion mutants were studied by circular dichroism. Structural comparison of E. coli CcmG with its deletion mutants reveals that the N‐terminal β‐sheet is essential for maintaining the folding topology and consequently maintaining the active‐site structure of CcmG. Pro144 and Glu145 are key residues of the fingerprint region of CcmG. Pro144 is in cis‐configuration, and it makes van der Waals interactions with the active‐site disulfide Cys80–Cys83 and forms a CH…O hydrogen bond with Thr82, helping stabilize the active‐site structure. Glu145 forms a salt‐bridge and hydrogen‐bond network with other residues of the fingerprint region and with Arg158, further stabilizing the active‐site structure. The cis‐configuration of Pro144 makes the backbone nitrogen and oxygen of Ala143 exposed to solvent, favorable for interacting with binding partners. The key role of cis‐Pro144 is verified by the P144A mutant, which contains trans‐Ala144 and displays redox property changes. Structural comparison of E. coli CcmG with the recently reported structure of CcmG in complex with the N‐terminal domain of DsbD reveals that Tyr141 undergoes conformational changes upon binding DsbD. A cis‐proline located at the N‐terminus of the first β‐strand of the ββα motif of the thioredoxin‐like domain is a conserved structural feature of the thioredoxin superfamily. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Properties of analysis methods that account for clustering in volume–outcome studies when the primary predictor is cluster size
Authors: Panageas Katherine S. , Schrag Deborah , Russell Localio A. , Venkatraman E. S. , Begg Colin B. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractIn recent years health services researchers have conducted ‘volume–outcome’ studies to evaluate whether providers (hospitals or surgeons) who treat many patients for a specialized condition have better outcomes than those that treat few patients. These studies and the inherent clustering of events by provider present an unusual statistical problem. The volume–outcome setting is unique in that ‘volume’ reflects both the primary factor under study and also the cluster size. Consequently, the assumptions inherent in the use of available methods that correct for clustering might be violated in this setting. To address this issue, we investigate via simulation the properties of three estimation procedures for the analysis of cluster correlated data, specifically in the context of volume–outcome studies. We examine and compare the validity and efficiency of widely‐available statistical techniques that have been used in the context of volume–outcome studies: generalized estimating equations (GEE) using both the independence and exchangeable correlation structures; random effects models; and the weighted GEE approach proposed by Williamson et al. (Biometrics 2003; 59:36–42) to account for informative clustering. Using data generated either from an underlying true random effects model or a cluster correlated model we show that both the random effects and the GEE with an exchangeable correlation structure have generally good properties, with relatively low bias for estimating the volume parameter and its variance. By contrast, the cluster weighted GEE method is inefficient. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimation of the proportion of overweight individuals in small areas—a robust extension of the Fay–Herriot model
Authors: Xie Dawei , Raghunathan Trivellore E. , Lepkowski James M. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractHierarchical model such as Fay–Herriot (FH) model is often used in small area estimation. The method might perform well overall but is vulnerable to outliers. We propose a robust extension of the FH model by assuming the area random effects follow atdistribution with an unknown degrees‐of‐freedom parameter. The inferences are constructed using a Bayesian framework. Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) such as Gibbs sampling and Metropolis–Hastings acceptance and rejection algorithms are used to obtain the joint posterior distribution of model parameters. The procedure is used to estimate the county‐level proportion of overweight individuals from the 2003 public‐use Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. We also discuss two approaches for identifying outliers in the context of this application. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bayesian analysis of structural equation models with multinomial variables and an application to type 2 diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Song Xin‐Yuan , Lee Sik‐Yum , Ng Maggie C. Y. , So Wing‐Yee , Chan Juliana C. N. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractThere is now increasing evidence proving that many complex diseases can be significantly influenced by correlated phenotype and genotype variables, as well as their interactions. Effective and rigorous assessment of such influence is difficult, because the number of phenotype and genotype variables of interest may not be small, and a genotype variable is an unordered categorical variable that follows a multinomial distribution. To address the problem, we establish a novel nonlinear structural equation model for analysing mixed continuous and multinomial data that can be missing at random. A confirmatory factor analysis model with Kronecker product is proposed for grouping the manifest continuous and multinomial variables into latent variables according to their functions; and a nonlinear structural equation is formulated to assess the linear and interaction effects of the independent latent variables to the dependent latent variables. Bayesian methods for estimation and model comparison are developed through Markov chain Monte Carlo techniques and path sampling. The newly developed methodologies are applied to a case–control cohort of type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pain and falls in older people
Authors: Blyth Fiona M. , Cumming Robert , Mitchell Paul , Wang Jie Jin 
Published: October 2006

AbstractPain and falling both affect substantial segments of the older population. Despite the presence of several plausible mechanisms for pain to contribute to falling, very few studies have investigated this relationship in older people. If pain is a falls risk factor, this represents a potentially important point of intervention for falls prevention. Falls are a major cause of disability and loss of independent living status in older people. We examined the relationship between pain, pain‐related interference with activities and falls in a cross‐sectional analysis of 3509 people aged 49 years or more in two postal code areas in New South Wales, Australia (the Blue Mountains Eye Study). We found that subjects reporting pain with moderate to severe level of pain‐related interference with activities were more likely to report any falls or multiple falls in the past 12 months than subjects not reporting pain (adjusted prevalence ratios 1.42, p=0.0001 and 1.62, p=0.0156, respectively). We also found a significant trend in the association indicating an increasing likelihood of self‐reported falls associated with increasing level of pain‐related interference with activities. The association was stronger for multiple falls than for any falls. Excluding subjects with recent fractures did not alter the findings. Given the high prevalence and public health importance of both conditions, further investigation of this association in prospective studies is recommended.
Interannual variation in the moult cycle and size at double breeding of mature female western rock lobster (Panulirus cygnus)
Authors: de Lestang Simon , Melville-Smith Roy 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
The moult cycle of mature female Panulirus cygnus was examined from data recorded over 32 years at four sites along the coast of Western Australia. A repeating trend for mature females was inferred from samples taken between 15 November and 15 August. Setae were present on the endopodites of all large females from June until February–March; between March and June the proportions of females with setae declined sharply as about 80% moulted into a non-setose phase. Females that did not undergo this moult in February remained setose throughout the “normal” non-setose period before moulting and producing a new set of setae by midwinter. New or eroded spermatophores were present on most large females between November and January, but their presence declined sharply during the February–March moult, to be absent by May. The percentage of mature females that bypassed the non-setose moult varied markedly from 1% to 40%, and was well correlated with mean water temperatures in January and February. The proportion that did not undergo a moult increased when these months were cool but decreased when they were warm. The size (carapace width) at which females carry two batches of eggs in one breeding season (double breeder) declined progressively from 96.6 mm to 84.1 mm with decreasing latitude (32°S to 28°S), and further declined at the offshore Abrolhos Islands (29°S) to 78.7 mm. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to management measures designed to protect females in a setose condition.
PAGING THE ORACLE: INTERPRETATION, IDENTITY AND PERFORMANCE IN HERODOTUS' HISTORY
Authors: BARKER ELTON 
Published: October 2006

In his early Byzantine Chronicle, Johannes Malalas fills out the figure of Cyrus, Croesus' silent antagonist in Herodotus. While Croesus is consulting the Delphic oracle, Cyrus enjoys a quite different divine audience:And the prophet Daniel came to the King of the Persians, Cyrus. And Cyrus says to him: ‘Tell me, am I going to conquer Croesus King of the Lydians?’When the Christian prophet hesitates, Cyrus throws him to the lions – only swiftly to repent. Daniel returns the favour by confirming that Cyrus will defeat Croesus because God breaks the ‘might of kings’. Malalas' version of divine counselling clearly draws on Christian moralizing traditions; but it also flags up the confrontation between the powerful king and the word of god in Herodotus' narrativisation of Croesus' downfall. At the same time, however, it offers a radically different interpretative model. Here we don't just have a Croesus consulting the oracle and failing to comprehend it; Cyrus is told what will happen – and why – by the prophet Daniel! From Croesus (mis)reading the oracle to Cyrus receiving instruction from God, narrative dynamics have undergone a fundamental shift. It's now the gospel…Scholarship on Croesus testing Delphi, and on oracles more generally, has tended to focus on reconstructing the ‘original’ oracular texts and assessing Herodotus' role as a historian (in the modern sense of the word) in the light of how accurate his record is deemed to be. Notwithstanding the fact that such positivist approaches to historical writing have been challenged and that recent studies have been far more nuanced, the oracles themselves remain the focus of investigation. In tracing their ‘changing representations’ I want to look exclusively at how they function within Herodotus' narrative.