bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Moxonidine improves glycaemic control in mildly hypertensive, overweight patients: a comparison with metformin
Authors: Chazova Irina , Almazov Vladimir A. , Shlyakhto Evgeny 
Published: June 2006

Aim: To compare the effects of moxonidine and metformin on glycaemic control in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and signs of the metabolic syndrome.Methods: A multicentre, prospective, randomized, open‐label study design was adopted with blinded endpoint evaluation. Patients ≥40 years old, with impaired glucose tolerance (or diabetes mellitus treated with diet alone) and a body mass index (BMI) of at least 27 kg/m2were treated twice daily with moxonidine 0.2 mg or metformin 500 mg for 16 weeks. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at baseline and end‐of‐study; plasma insulin and plasma glucose levels were measured at 0, 60, 120 and 180 min after administration.Results: With regard to effects on insulin [mean area under the curve (AUC) for insulin], the primary efficacy endpoint of the study, both drugs did not show equivalence. On the contrary, in the per protocol (PP) population, moxonidine statistically significantly (p = 0.025) decreased the AUC for insulin from baseline in the PP population; for metformin, the treatment effect on insulin was a small, net increase resulting in a statistically significant between‐group difference of 16.2% (95% CI = 0.1–35.0). The change in mean insulin AUC was most marked in the subgroup of patients with higher sympathetic activity (heart rate >80 bpm). Mean fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and HbA1clevels were largely unchanged by moxonidine treatment but significantly decreased by metformin treatment. The difference between the groups was 14.7% (p = 0.0523) in the intent‐to‐treat (ITT) sample. By study end, both treatments had significantly increased the Matsuda Insulin Sensitivity Index (ISI) from baseline to a comparable extent: moxonidine by reducing plasma insulin after a glucose challenge, metformin by reducing FPG. BMI fell significantly in both groups and blood pressure normalized; both drugs were well tolerated.Conclusions: Moxonidine improved insulin sensitivity in response to glucose challenge in patients with evidence of metabolic syndrome. This improvement resulted from a reduction in plasma insulin levels and was most marked in patients with high sympathetic drive at baseline. By enhancing insulin sensitivity, moxonidine treatment may help prevent the development of diabetes and thereby ameliorate the risk for cardiovascular disease.
Marker‐free transgenic (MFT) near‐isogenic introgression lines (NIILs) of ‘golden’ indica rice (cv. IR64) with accumulation of provitamin A in the endosperm tissue
Authors: Baisakh Niranjan , Rehana Sayda , Rai Mayank , Oliva Norman , Tan Jing , Mackill David J. , Khush Gurdev S. , Datta Karabi , Datta Swapan K. 
Published: June 2006

SummaryWe have developed near‐isogenic introgression lines (NIILs) of an elite indica rice cultivar (IR64) with the genes for β‐carotene biosynthesis from dihaploid (DH) derivatives of golden japonica rice (cv. T309). A careful analysis of the DH lines indicated the integration of the genes of interest [phytoene synthase (psy) and phytoene desaturase (crtI)] and the selectable marker gene (hygromycin phosphotransferase,hph) in two unlinked loci. During subsequent crossing, progenies could be obtained carrying only the locus withpsyandcrtI, which was segregated independently from the locus containing thehphgene during meiotic segregation. The NIILs (BC2F2) showed maximum similarity with the recurrent parent cultivar IR64. Further, progenies of two NIILs were devoid of any fragments beyond the left or right border, including the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) antibiotic resistance gene of the transformation vector. Spectrophotometric readings showed the accumulation of up to 1.06 µg total carotenoids, including β‐carotene, in 1 g of the endosperm. The accumulation of β‐carotene was also evident from the clearly visible yellow colour of the polished seeds.
High accumulation of bioactive peptide in transgenic rice seeds by expression of introduced multiple genes
Authors: Wakasa Yuhya , Yasuda Hiroshi , Takaiwa Fumio 
Published: June 2006

SummaryWe have developed a simple binary vector construction system for the simultaneous expression of multiple genes in plants. Up to three independent gene cassettes can be easily integrated into one binary vector using the MultiSite Gateway System. Using this system, we produced transgenic rice plants that accumulated high levels of the hypocholesterolaemic peptide lactostatin (IIAEK) in endosperm. Binary vectors were constructed that could accommodate up to three independent modified glutelin gene cassettes encoding multimer lactostatin in the variable regions. Eight construct permutations were used for rice transformation. We measured the accumulation of lactostatin expressed as a glutelin fusion protein in the mature seeds of 105 independent transgenic rice lines. A general correlation was observed between accumulation level and gene number in the vector constructs, indicating that a higher accumulation of lactostatin was obtained from transgenic rice plants containing the maximum number of gene inserts. These results indicate that this strategy is applicable for the selection of transgenic lines containing large amounts of bioactive peptides in rice seeds.
AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF THE HANGOVER EFFECT OF IRREVERSIBILITY ON INVESTMENT
Authors: Bo Hong 
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACTIrreversibility does not only raise the user cost of capital and discourage new investment but also hinders disinvestment because of the hangover effect. This paper derives a theoretical model that separates the impact of conventional convex adjustment costs from the impact of irreversibility, based on which we test the hangover effect of irreversibility by using a panel of Dutch listed firms during 1985–2000. We find that the sample firms cut both the capital stock and the inventory stock facing shocks to sales and cash flow, but they cut the inventory stock by a larger magnitude than they cut the capital stock. Given that fixed investment is more irreversible than inventory investment, the result suggests that the diminished impact of irreversibility provides the firm with more flexibility in responding to uncertainty, which lends support for the hangover effect of irreversibility on investment.
Do female green turtles (Chelonia mydas) exhibit reproductive seasonality in a year‐round nesting rookery?
Authors: Yasuda T. , Tanaka H. , Kittiwattanawong K. , Mitamura H. , Klom‐in W. , Arai N. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractIn circumglobal populations of sea turtles, little nesting activity occurs during cold seasons when the sand temperature on a nesting beach is inappropriate for successful egg incubation. However, it is not known whether reproductive seasonality also occurs in year‐round nesting rookeries where the sand temperature may be suitable throughout the year. Therefore, we examined the hypothesis that female turtles exhibit reproductive seasonality even in a year‐round nesting population. To determine whether the time of nesting of individuals fluctuates between successive nesting seasons, a year‐round nesting rookery of green turtles Chelonia mydas at Huyong Island, Thailand, was patrolled on foot every night for 3190 consecutive days, and nesting females were identified using microchips and metal tags. The date of first nesting within a season for an individual (nesting date) was considered the nesting season of each individual. We identified 94 females and 463 nests (including 47 unidentified nests) during the survey. Nesting dates were distributed throughout the year. Nineteen turtles remigrated to the nesting beach, and the nesting dates of the remigrated females occurred in the same seasons. This indicates that females have a fixed individual nesting season even in a year‐round nesting rookery. The year‐round nesting of green turtles may be attributed to a wide variation in the nesting seasons of individuals. Satellite tracking revealed that the mean travelling duration of post‐nesting migrations in this population was 13.5±6.1 days. The proximity of locations for reproduction and feeding may also play an important role in sustaining year‐round nesting in this population.
Prey preferences of the leopard (Panthera pardus)
Authors: Hayward M. W. , Henschel P. , O'Brien J. , Hofmeyr M. , Balme G. , Kerley G. I. H. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractLeopards Panthera pardus have a catholic diet and are generally thought to prey on medium‐sized ungulates; however, knowledge on which species are actually preferred and avoided is lacking, along with an understanding of why such preferences arise. Twenty‐nine published and four unpublished studies of leopard diet that had relative prey abundance estimates associated with them were analysed from 13 countries in 41 different spatial locations or temporal periods throughout the distribution of the leopard. A Jacobs' index value was calculated for each prey species in each study and the mean of these was then tested against a mean of 0 using t or sign tests for preference or avoidance. Leopards preferentially prey upon species within a weight range of 10–40 kg. Regression plots suggest that the most preferred mass of leopard prey is 25 kg, whereas the mean body mass of significantly preferred prey is 23 kg. Leopards prefer prey within this body mass range, which occur in small herds, in dense habitat and afford the hunter minimal risk of injury during capture. Consequently, impala, bushbuck and common duiker are significantly preferred, with chital likely to also be preferred with a larger sample size from Asian sites. Species outside the preferred weight range are generally avoided, as are species that are restricted to open vegetation or that have sufficient anti‐predator strategies. The ratio of mean leopard body mass with that of their preferred prey is less than 1 and may be a reflection of their solitary hunting strategy. This model will allow us to predict the diet of leopards in areas where dietary information is lacking, also providing information to assist wildlife managers and conservation bodies on predator carrying capacity and predator–prey interactions.
Variable nuclear markers for Melanoplus oregonensis identified from the screening of a genomic library
Authors: CARSTENS B. C. , KNOWLES L. L. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractWe report the isolation of seven single‐copy nuclear loci from the montane grasshopper Melanoplus oregonensis. With an average length of approximately 930 bp and between five and 67 variable sites, these loci are useful for population genetic analyses within M. oregonensis. Amplification of nuclear loci in additional species of western Melanoplus grasshoppers suggests that they will also be useful for a variety of population genetic, phylogeographic and phylogenetic studies.
The creation of longitudinal cracks in shrinking soils to enhance seedling emergence. Part II. The effect of surface micro‐relief
Authors: Taki O. , Godwin R. J. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractCrusting and hardsetting phenomena are major problems in the emergence of delicate seedlings through weak structured soils. When a hard layer develops on the surface, it can retard seedling emergence and the trapped seedlings may perish unless the hard layer is broken or weakened. The development of natural desiccation cracks on the soil surface creates a route by which seedlings can emerge. The work conducted by the same authors suggested that the compaction of soil strips over the seed rows creates longitudinal cracks along the planting lines to improve seedling emergence. This study is an attempt to develop an alternative method to create the linear cracks using the effect of surface micro‐relief. Preliminary experiments showed that the creation of small furrows (50 mm deep) on the soil surface caused the appearance of cracks mainly at the bottom of the furrows. Monitoring the movement of aggregates during drainage, where small depressions are formed on the soil surface, revealed that the aggregates on either side of the turning point of the depression move in opposite directions as a result of the greater water tension developed in the ridges causing development of cracks at the turning point. Laboratory experiments indicated that the radius of curvature at the turning point of the depression, the spacing between depressions and the shape of ridges either side of the depressions are key factors influencing crack development at the bottom of depressions. A field experiment in semi‐arid central Iran confirmed the feasibility of the technique by the use of a backward raked shaper to develop small ridge and furrows on the surface of the seedbed which resulted in the creation of longitudinal cracks in the furrow bottoms, coincident with the seed row. An outline design of a press wheel is given.
Rediscovering Christianity After the Postmodern Turn*
Authors: DeVries Jacqueline 
Published: June 2006

AbstractAfter decades of both benign and hostile neglect, feminist historians appear to be rediscovering religion as an important site in the historical construction of gender. This review of ten recent books on religion and gender in Modern Britain outlines the methodological and thematic shifts of the last several decades, which have steered feminist historians away from analyses of religion that emphasize victimization and oppression and toward more nuanced readings of the ways in which faith, belief, religion and spirituality informed women’s (and men’s) roles, values, self‐definitions and struggles for emancipation in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Detection of Maternal Alcohol Use Problems in the Pediatric Emergency Department
Authors: Flynn Heather A. , Cain Sarah A. , O'Mahen Heather A. , Davis Matthew M. 
Published: June 2006

Background: Maternal alcohol use problems may impact the health and well‐being of children, but often remain unrecognized. Mothers of young children seldom seek outpatient care for themselves; thus, pediatric settings may present an opportunity for the detection of maternal alcohol use problems. This study examines the feasibility of screening for and prevalence of alcohol use problems in mothers of young children in the context of seeking pediatric emergency care. We also examined the relationship of maternal alcohol use problems with use of pediatric emergency care.Methods: A total of 361 English‐speaking mothers of children aged 7 and younger completed screening measures during their child's emergency care visit. TWEAK was used to screen for alcohol use problems. The screening survey also included information on children's health status and health care use, demographics, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.Results: Of the women approached, 90% agreed to complete the screening measure. On the basis of cutoff score of 2 or more, 7% of women had elevated TWEAK scores. Those women with a TWEAK score >2 reported greater use of the pediatric emergency department (PED) than women scoring below the cutoff. On the basis of multivariate analyses, significant predictors of recent PED use included the presence of child chronic illness, younger maternal age, and TWEAK score.Conclusions: Screening for alcohol use problems among mothers of young children using the TWEAK appears to be feasible in a busy PED setting. The PED setting is promising for identifying risk drinking among women who may be less likely to be otherwise detected and for whom alcohol use may be impacting child outcomes.
Developing an Oral Communication Strategy Inventory
Authors: NAKATANI YASUO 
Published: June 2006

This study focuses on how valid information about learner perception of strategy use during communicative tasks can be gathered systematically from English as a foreign language (EFL) learners. First, the study attempted to develop a questionnaire for statistical analysis, named the Oral Communication Strategy Inventory (OCSI). The research project consisted of 3 stages: an open‐ended questionnaire to identify learners' general perceptions of strategies for oral interaction (N= 80); a pilot factor analysis for selecting test items (N= 400); and a final factor analysis to obtain a stable self‐reported instrument (N= 400). The resulting OCSI includes 8 categories of strategies for coping with speaking problems and 7 categories for coping with listening problems during communication.The applicability of the survey instrument was subsequently examined in a simulated communicative test for EFL students (N= 62). To validate the use of the instrument, participant reports on the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) were compared with the result of the OCSI. When combined with the oral test scores, it was revealed that students with high oral proficiency tended to use specific strategies, such as social affective strategies, fluency‐oriented strategies, and negotiation of meaning.
Gingival crevicular fluid laminin‐5 γ2‐chain levels in periodontal disease
Authors: Emingil Gülnur , Kuula Heidi , Pirilä Emma , Atilla Gül , Sorsa Timo 
Published: June 2006

AbstractAim: Our study aimed to examine the molecular forms and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of laminin‐5 γ2‐chain in patients with different periodontal disease, and compare the effects of P.gingivalis trypsin‐like proteinase on intact laminin‐5 γ2‐chain species.Methods: Eighteen patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis (G‐AgP), 29 patients with chronic periodontitis (CP), 20 with gingivitis and 20 periodontally healthy subjects were included. Probing depth, clinical attachment loss, presence of bleeding on probing and plaque were recorded. Molecular forms and GCF laminin‐5 γ2‐chain levels and the effects of P. gingivalis trypsin‐like proteinase on intact laminin‐5 γ2‐chain were analysed by computer‐quantitated Western immunoblotting.Results: Laminin‐5 γ2‐chain 40 and 70 kDa fragments could be detected in all groups, in varying levels.The CP group had elevated GCF laminin‐5 γ2‐chain fragment levels compared with the gingivitis and healthy groups (p<0.008).The G‐AgP group had GCF laminin‐5 γ2‐chain fragment levels similar to the gingivitis and healthy groups (p>0.008). GCF laminin‐5 γ2‐chain fragments differed clearly from the multiple lower molecular size fragments of P.gingivalis trypsin‐laminin‐5 γ2‐chain proteinases.Conclusion: Increased GCF laminin‐5 γ2‐chain fragments in periodontitis sites with deep periodontal pocket suggest that these cleaved 40 and 70 kDa fragments could reflect the extent of the inflammatory reaction in CP.
Investigation of periodontal destruction patterns in smokers and non‐smokers
Authors: Baharin Badiah , Palmer Richard M. , Coward Paula , Wilson Ron F. 
Published: June 2006

AbstractBackground: Previous work has suggested that tobacco smoking has a local as well as a systemic effect on the severity of periodontal disease.Objective: To test the hypothesis that smokers have more disease in the upper anterior region.Methods: A retrospective stratified random sample of 49 non‐smokers and 39 heavy smokers (20 cigarettes/day) was obtained from a total of 3678 referred patients with adult periodontitis. Probing depth data were collected from clinical records and radiographic measurements were carried out on existing dental panoramic tomographs to assess the inter‐proximal bone levels.Results: The proportion of sites with “bone loss” 4.5 mm or greater was higher in smokers, the greatest difference being observed in upper anterior sites (smokers: 73.3±25.5%, non‐smokers: 48.3±31.2%, p<0.001). A difference was also observed when the number of palatal sites probing 4 mm or greater in the upper anterior region was expressed as a proportion of all such sites in the mouth (smokers: 12.3±6.8%, non‐smokers: 9.8±8.8%; p=0.050).Conclusion: The overall pattern of tissue destruction was consistent with a systemic effect of smoking. The suggestion of a marginal local effect of the smoking habit in maxillary anterior palatal sites requires further investigation.
Lack of beneficial effects of platelet‐rich plasma on sinus augmentation using a fluorohydroxyapatite or autogenous bone: an explorative study
Authors: Klongnoi Boworn , Rupprecht Stephan , Kessler Peter , Zimmermann Robert , Thorwarth Michael , Pongsiri Sumitra , Neukam Friedrich‐Wilhelm , Wiltfang Joerg , Schlegel Karl Andreas 
Published: June 2006

AbstractBackground: Maxillary sinus augmentation is frequently necessary before placement of dental implants in the posterior maxilla. Besides autogenous bone graft, various bone substitutes have been used, with favourable results. Although platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) has been used in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery for years, its beneficial effects on osseous regeneration still remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short and long time effects of PRP on single‐stage sinus augmentation using autogenous bone or a fluorohydroxyapatite (Algipore®) in a randomized prospective animal study.Methods: After extraction of maxillary premolars of sixteen minipigs, the wounds were allowed to heal for 2 months. Then, sinus augmentations were performed bilaterally using one of the following grafting materials: autogenous bone and Algipore® with or without PRP. Three dental implants (Ankylos®) were installed in each sinus simultaneously. Four animals were euthanized at each period of observation (1, 2, 8 and 12 months). Implant‐bearing specimens were sectioned bucco‐lingually along the long axis of implants and undecalcified ground specimens were prepared. The bone‐implant‐contact (BIC) was measured by means of microradiographic examination. For histological evaluation, the specimens were stained with toluidin blue, and the percentage of the newly formed bone and the remaining bone substitute were evaluated.Results: The grafting materials chosen showed increasing levels of BIC and newly formed bone throughout the period of observation in both PRP and non‐PRP groups. Adding PRP resulted in lower BIC and newly formed bone compared with autogenous bone grafts or Algipore® alone. However, a statistical significance was not found. The percentages of the remaining bone substitute in both the PRP and non‐PRP groups were closely comparable in all observation periods.Conclusions: The application of PRP could not reveal significant beneficial effects on the BIC, the percentage of the newly formed bone and the remaining bone substitute in this study.
Prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a case–control study
Authors: Grössner‐Schreiber Birte , Fetter Thomas , Hedderich Jürgen , Kocher Thomas , Schreiber Stefan , Jepsen Søren 
Published: June 2006

AbstractAim: Previous reports suggest a higher incidence of dental caries in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and similarities in the immunopathogenesis of IBD and periodontitis. This study assessed the prevalence of periodontal disease and caries in patients with IBD.Methods: In the present case–control study, 62 patients seeking treatment of IBD and 59 matched healthy controls of a dental practice were clinically examined. Oral soft‐tissue alterations, the decayed, missing and filled tooth surface (DMF‐S) index, dentine caries, plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were evaluated in each patient and in the controls.Results: Patients with IBD showed a significantly higher number of oral manifestations compared with controls. The DMF‐S index showed no significant differences, but there was a significantly higher number of subjects with dentine caries in patients with IBD. The mean PPD in patients with IBD was 2.08 versus 2.23 mm in controls (p=0.014). Compared with controls, patients with IBD had more sites with CAL of at least 4 mm (81%versus 64% in controls, p=0.07) and 5 mm (63%versus 46%, p=0.07), respectively.Conclusions: The results of this case–control study demonstrate a higher frequency of dentine caries in patients with IBD but the periodontal findings showed no distinct differences between cases and controls.