bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Solar active region emergence and flare productivity
Authors: Dalla Silvia C. , Fletcher Lyndsay , Walton Nicholas A. 
Published: December 2007

AbstractWe use the workflow capabilities of the AstroGrid Virtual Observatory system (<http://www.astrogrid.org>) to analyse the relation between flare productivity and location of Active Region (AR) emergence on the Sun. Specifically, we investigate whether emergence of a new region near existing ones results in increased productivity of the new and/or pre-existing AR. To address this question, we build a series of workflows that perform queries to catalogues of regions and flares, and operations on the results of the queries. There is a strong East-West asymmetry in the location of emergence of new regions. We do not find a significant difference between the flaring rate of paired and isolated regions, when we choose a value of 12° as the cutoff between the two populations.
Special Session 6 Astronomical data management
Authors: Norris Raymond P. , Andernach Heinz J. , Eichhorn Güenther , Genova Françoise , Griffin R. Elizabeth , Hanisch Robert J. , Kembhavi Ajit K. , Kennicutt Robert C. , Richards Anita M.S. 
Published: December 2007

AbstractWe present a summary of the major contributions to the Special Session on Astronomical Data Management held at the IAU XXVI General Assembly in Prague in 2006. While recent years have seen enormous improvements in access to astronomical data, and the Virtual Observatory aims to provide astronomers with seamless access to on-line resources, more attention needs to be paid to ensuring the quality and completeness of those resources. For example, data produced by telescopes are not always made available to the astronomical community, and new instruments are sometimes designed and built with insufficient planning for data management, while older but valuable legacy data often remain undigitised. Data and results published in journals do not always appear in the data centres, and astronomers in developing countries sometimes have inadequate access to on-line resources. To address these issues, an ‘Astronomers' Data Manifesto’ has been formulated with the aim of initiating a discussion that will lead to the development of a ‘code of best practice’ in astronomical data management.
The IceCube neutrino observatory: latest results on the search for point sources and status of IceCube construction
Authors: Castermans Thierry P.A. , Karle Albrecht 
Published: December 2007

AbstractThe AMANDA neutrino telescope, prototype instrument of the IceCube neutrino observatory at South Pole, has collected data since 2000 in its final configuration. A period of 1001 days of livetime between 2000 and 2004 has been analysed in order to find evidence of a neutrino signal coming from point-like sources such as microquasars, active galactic nuclei, supernovae remnants or gamma ray bursts. A sensitivity to fluxes of νμ + νμ + ντ + ντ of dΦ/dE =1.0 · 10−10 (E/TeV)−2 · TeV−1 cm−2 s−1 was reached in the energy range between 1.6 TeV and 1.6 PeV. No significant excess over the background has been found so far. Flux upper limits infered from this study can constrain certain neutrino emission models of X-ray binaries. IceCube will have a substantially higher sensitivity. Currently at 10% of its final extension, it will comprise 4800 optical sensors deployed along 80 strings by early 2011, instrumenting one cubic kilometre volume of ice and 1 km2 at the surface.
Impairing and Monitoring Glucose Catabolite Repression in l‐Carnitine Biosynthesis
Authors: Sevilla A. , Cánovas M. , Keller D. , Reimers S. , Iborra J. L. 
Published: December 2007

AbstractSignal transduction pathways are usually avoided when optimizing a biotransformation process because they require complex mathematical formulations. The aim of this work was to use a Systems Biology approach to optimize and monitor the biotransformation of l‐carnitine using signal transduction pathways. To this end, a dynamic model was constructed, integrating the metabolic pathways of l‐carnitine biosynthesis as well as the expression of this metabolism by means of its regulation by transcription factors such as cAMP‐CRP and CaiF. The model was validated using different C‐sources as well as different reactor feeding approaches. A linear relationship between the external cellular cAMP and the l‐carnitine production levels was predicted before being experimentally confirmed in several scenarios. Moreover, results of the model simulations and subsequent experimental findings demonstrated that the addition of exogenous cAMP was able to restore the l‐carnitine production when glucose was used as C‐source. Additionally, a way to monitor the l‐carnitine biosynthesis by using the level of cAMP as a marker of the biotransformation state was in silico and experimentally demonstrated.
Co-evolving residues in membrane proteins
Authors: Fuchs Angelika , Martin-Galiano Antonio J. , Kalman Matan , Fleishman Sarel , Ben-Tal Nir , Frishman Dmitrij 
Published: December 2007

AbstractMotivation: The analysis of co-evolving residues has been exhaustively evaluated for the prediction of intramolecular amino acid contacts in soluble proteins. Although a variety of different methods for the detection of these co-evolving residues have been developed, the fraction of correctly predicted contacts remained insufficient for their reliable application in the construction of structural models. Membrane proteins, which constitute between one-fourth and one-third of all proteins in an organism, were only considered in few individual case studies.Results: We present the first general study of correlated mutations in α-helical membrane proteins. Using seven different prediction algorithms, we extracted co-evolving residues for 14 membrane proteins having a solved 3D structure. On average, distances between correlated pairs of residues lying on different transmembrane segments were found to be significantly smaller compared to a random prediction. Covariation of residues was frequently found in direct sequence neighborhood to helix–helix contacts. Based on the results obtained from individual prediction methods, we constructed a consensus prediction for every protein in the dataset that combines obtained correlations from different prediction algorithms and simultaneously removes likely false positives. Using this consensus prediction, 53% of all predicted residue pairs were found within one helix turn of an observed helix–helix contact. Based on the combination of co-evolving residues detected with the four best prediction algorithms, interacting helices could be predicted with a specificity of 83% and sensitivity of 42%.Availability: http://webclu.bio.wzw.tum.de/helixcorr/Contact: d.frishman@wzw.tum.deSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Diabetes mellitus following gestational diabetes: role of subsequent pregnancy
Authors: Russell C , Dodds L , Armson BA , Kephart G , Joseph KS 
Published: December 2007

Objective  This study was designed to determine the rate of diabetes up to 13 years after pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes and to identify risk factors for developing diabetes. The role of a subsequent pregnancy, with and without gestational diabetes, was also examined.Design  This was a retrospective cohort study of women with gestational diabetes.Population and setting  Women who had gestational diabetes in their first pregnancy between 1989 and 2002 were identified through a population‐based perinatal database in Nova Scotia, Canada.Methods  Subsequent diagnoses of diabetes, up to 13 years after the first pregnancy, were obtained from physician billing and hospital discharge databases. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals.Main outcome measures  Diagnosis of diabetes after pregnancy.Results  Of the 1401 nulliparous women with gestational diabetes, 251 women (17.9%) developed diabetes in the follow‐up period. The cumulative incidence at 1, 5, and 10 years was 5.9, 14.8, and 22.2%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus included a pre‐pregnancy weight of ≥86 kg (RR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.2–2.9), insulin therapy during the index pregnancy (RR = 4.1, 95% CI 2.1–7.9), neonatal hypoglycaemia (RR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.6–4.2), and a subsequent pregnancy with gestational diabetes (RR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.6–3.4).Conclusion  Indicators of the severity of gestational diabetes, defined by insulin use, neonatal hypoglycaemia, and recurrent gestational diabetes in a subsequent pregnancy, are important in predicting a subsequent diagnosis of diabetes. Our findings do not support the theory that subsequent pregnancy, per se, increases the risk of developing diabetes.
Obstetric outcomes subsequent to intrauterine death in the first pregnancy
Authors: Black M , Shetty A , Bhattacharya S 
Published: December 2007

Objective  To compare obstetric outcomes in the pregnancy subsequent to intrauterine death with that following live birth in first pregnancy.Design  Retrospective cohort study.Setting  Grampian region of Scotland, UK.Population  All women who had their first and second deliveries in Grampian between 1976 and 2006.Methods  All women delivering for the first time between 1976 and 2002 had follow up until 2006 to study their next pregnancy. Those women who had an intrauterine death in their first pregnancy formed the exposed cohort, while those who had a live birth formed the unexposed cohort.Main outcome measures  Maternal and neonatal outcomes in the second pregnancy, including pre‐eclampsia, placental abruption, induction of labour, instrumental delivery, caesarean delivery, malpresentation, prematurity, low birthweight and stillbirth.Results  The exposed cohort (n = 364) was at increased risk of pre‐eclampsia (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.7–5.7); placental abruption (OR 9.4, 95% CI 4.5–19.7); induction of labour (OR 3.2, 95% CI 2.4–4.2); instrumental delivery (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4–3.0); elective (OR 3.1, 95% CI 2–4.8) and emergency caesarean deliveries (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.5–3.0); and prematurity (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.9–4.2), low birthweight (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.7–4.5) and malpresentation (OR 2.8, 95% CI 2.0–3.9) of the infant as compared with the unexposed cohort (n = 33 715). The adjusted odds ratio for stillbirth was 1.2 and 95% CI 0.4–3.4.Conclusion  While the majority of women with a previous stillbirth have a live birth in the subsequent pregnancy, they are a high‐risk group with an increased incidence of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Impact of the use of antenatal corticosteroids on mortality, cerebral lesions and 5‐year neurodevelopmental outcomes of very preterm infants: the EPIPAGE cohort study
Authors: Foix‐L’Hélias L , Marret S , Ancel P‐Y , Marchand L , Arnaud C , Fresson J , Picaud J‐C , Rozé J‐C , Theret B , Burguet A , Larroque B , Kaminski M ,   the EPIPAGE Study Group
Published: December 2007

Objective To assess the impact of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) on neonatal mortality, cerebral lesions and 5‐year neurodevelopmental outcome of infants born at 24–27 and 28–32 weeks of gestational age (GA).Design Observational population‐based study including all births at GAs between 22 and 32 weeks in 1997 in nine regions of France. Survivors were assessed at the age of 5 years.Sample and methods The population enrolled in the follow up comprised 2323 infants; there were 23 deaths before age 5 years and outcome at 5 years was available for up to 1781 subjects. Two GA subgroups (24–27 and 28–32 weeks of GA) were analysed separately. Propensity scores were used to reduce bias in the estimation of the association between ACS treatment and outcomes.Main outcome measures Neonatal death, neonatal white matter injury, cerebral palsy, mental processing composite (MPC) of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children test and behavioural difficulties at 5 years.Results In the 28‐ to 32‐week GA subgroup, there was a significant association between ACS and a decreased risk of both neonatal death (OR = 0.61 [0.41–0.91]) and white matter injury (OR = 0.60 [0.46–0.79]) but only a nonsignificant trend for improved 5‐year outcome (cerebral palsy, MPC < 70). In the 24‐ to 27‐week GA subgroup, ACS was associated with a significant decrease risk of neonatal death (OR = 0.43 [0.27–0.68]) but there was only a trend for a lower risk of white matter injury and no beneficial impact on outcome at 5 years. Limiting the analysis to only those who received complete courses of ACS did not modify the results.Conclusion The study shows that ACS therapy greatly increases the survival of very preterm infants, including the most immature, but there is little evidence that ACS affects long‐term neurodevelopmental and behavioural outcome in 28‐ to 32‐week survivors, and none in <28‐week survivors.
A 2‐year follow‐up study of anxiety and depression in women referred for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear
Authors: Hellsten C , Sjöström K , Lindqvist PG 
Published: December 2007

Objectives  The aim of this study was to determine if there were any long‐lasting elevated anxiety levels in women attending colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear.Design  Prospective study.Setting  Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden.Population  One hundred consecutive women were invited to participate when referred for colposcopy.Methods  Women in the study group completed the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale—self‐rate (MADRS‐S) and had a psychosocial interview prior to colposcopy at their two follow‐up visits.Main outcome measures  State anxiety levels and depression scores at first visit, 6 months and 2 years.Results  At follow up, levels of state anxiety and the depression scores of the women studied had decreased and were comparable to those of Swedish normative data. Two variables from the MADRS‐S, ‘ability to focus on different activities’ and ‘emotional involvement with others and in activities’ were the most prominent for women with moderate to severe depression. At the 2‐year visit, 30% of the women still had a fear of cancer.Conclusions  Referral for colposcopy after an abnormal cervical smear does not seem to result in long‐lasting anxiety and depression. However, a subgroup of women, with the initially highest depression scores, still had at 2‐year state anxiety levels and depression scores significantly higher than normal. Almost one‐third of the women still had a fear of cancer in spite of lower 2‐year state anxiety levels.
Genome of the Epsilonproteobacterial Chemolithoautotroph
Sulfurimonas denitrificans
Authors: Sievert Stefan M. , Scott Kathleen M. , Klotz Martin G. , Chain Patrick S. G. , Hauser Loren J. , Hemp James , Hügler Michael , Land Miriam , Lapidus Alla , Larimer Frank W. , Lucas Susan , Malfatti Stephanie A. , Meyer Folker , Paulsen Ian T. , Ren Qinghu , Simon Jörg ,   the USF Genomics Class
Published: December 2007

ABSTRACT

Sulfur-oxidizing epsilonproteobacteria are common in a variety of sulfidogenic environments. These autotrophic and mixotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria are believed to contribute substantially to the oxidative portion of the global sulfur cycle. In order to better understand the ecology and roles of sulfur-oxidizing epsilonproteobacteria, in particular those of the widespread genus
Sulfurimonas
, in biogeochemical cycles, the genome of
Sulfurimonas denitrificans
DSM1251 was sequenced. This genome has many features, including a larger size (2.2 Mbp), that suggest a greater degree of metabolic versatility or responsiveness to the environment than seen for most of the other sequenced epsilonproteobacteria. A branched electron transport chain is apparent, with genes encoding complexes for the oxidation of hydrogen, reduced sulfur compounds, and formate and the reduction of nitrate and oxygen. Genes are present for a complete, autotrophic reductive citric acid cycle. Many genes are present that could facilitate growth in the spatially and temporally heterogeneous sediment habitat from where
Sulfurimonas denitrificans
was originally isolated. Many resistance-nodulation-development family transporter genes (10 total) are present; of these, several are predicted to encode heavy metal efflux transporters. An elaborate arsenal of sensory and regulatory protein-encoding genes is in place, as are genes necessary to prevent and respond to oxidative stress.
Studies on antihypertensive and antispasmodic activities of Andropogon muricatus Retz.This article is one of a selection of papers published in this special issue (part 1 of 2) on the Safety and Efficacy of Natural Health Products.
Authors: Gilani Anwar H. , Shah Abdul J. , Janbaz Khalid H. , Ahmed Shahida P. , Ghayur Muhammad N. 
Published: December 2007

The aqueous-methanolic crude extract of Andropogon muricatus (Am.Cr) was investigated pharmacologically to determine some of its medicinal uses in cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders. A series of in vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to evaluate dose-dependent effects of Am.Cr on mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac and vascular contractions, and to further investigate the potential mechanism of action. Intravenous administration of Am.Cr (10–50 mg/kg) caused a fall (18%–56%) in MAP in normotensive rats under anesthesia. When tested in isolated guinea pig atria, Am.Cr (0.03–5.0 mg/mL) exhibited a cardiodepressant effect on the rate and force of spontaneous contractions. In isolated rabbit aorta, Am.Cr caused inhibition of K+ (80 mmol/L)-induced contractions at a lower concentration than of phenylephrine. In isolated rabbit jejunum preparations, Am.Cr (0.01–0.10 mg/mL) caused relaxation of spontaneous and high K+ (80 mmol/L)-induced contractions, suggesting that the spasmolytic effect is mediated possibly through calcium channel blockade (CCB). The CCB activity was confirmed when pretreatment of the tissue with Am.Cr (0.03–0.1 mg/mL) shifted the Ca2+ dose–response curves to the right, similar to that caused by verapamil. These data indicate that the blood pressure-lowering and spasmolytic effects of Am.Cr are mediated possibly through a calcium channel blocking activity. Phytochemical screening of Am.Cr revealed the presence of phenols, saponins, tannins, and terpenes, which may be responsible for the observed vasodilator, cardiodepressant, and antispasmodic activities. This study shows potential with respect to its medicinal use in cardiovascular and gut disorders.
Antiatherogenic activity of extracts of Argania spinosa L. pericarp: beneficial effects on lipid peroxidation and cholesterol homeostasisThis article is one of a selection of papers published in this special issue (part 1 of 2) on the Safety and Efficacy of Natural Health Products.
Authors: Berrougui Hicham , Cherki Mounia , Koumbadinga Geremy Abdull , Isabelle Maxim , Douville Jasmin , Spino Claude , Khalil Abdelouahed 
Published: December 2007

Prevention of lipoprotein oxidation by natural compounds may prevent atherosclerosis via reducing early atherogenesis. In this study, we investigated for the first time the beneficial properties of methanolic extract of argania pericarp (MEAP) towards atherogenesis by protecting human low-density lipoprotein (LDL) against oxidation while promoting high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-mediated cholesterol efflux. By measuring the formation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and conjugated diene as well as the lag phase and the progression rate of lipid peroxidation, the MEAP was found to possess an inhibitory effect. In addition, MEAP reduced the rate of disappearance of α-tocopherol as well as the apoB electrophoretic mobility in a dose-dependent manner. These effects are related to the free radical scavenging and copper-chelating effects of MEAP. In terms of cell viability, MEAP has shown a cytotoxic effect (0–40 μg/mL). Incubation of3H-cholesterol-loaded J774 macrophages with HDL in the presence of increasing concentrations of MEAP enhanced HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux independently of ABCA1 receptor pathways. Our findings suggest that argania seed pericarp provides a source of natural antioxidants that inhibit LDL oxidation and enhance cholesterol efflux and thus can prevent development of cardiovascular diseases.
Protein-source tryptophan as an efficacious treatment for social anxiety disorder: a pilot studyThis article is one of a selection of papers published in this special issue (part 1 of 2) on the Safety and Efficacy of Natural Health Products.
Authors: Hudson Craig , Hudson Susan , MacKenzie Joan 
Published: December 2007

Until recently, intact protein that is rich in tryptophan was not seen as an alternative to pharmaceutical-grade tryptophan because protein also contains large neutral amino acids (LNAAs) that compete for transport sites across the blood–brain barrier. Recent evidence indicates that when deoiled gourd seed (a rich source of tryptophan with approximately 22 mg/g protein) is combined with glucose (a carbohydrate that reduces serum levels of competing LNAAs) a clinical effect similar to that of pharmaceutical-grade tryptophan is achieved. Objective and subjective measures of anxiety in those suffering from social phobia (also known as social anxiety disorder) were employed to measure changes in anxiety in response to a stimulus as part of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study with a wash-out period of 1 week between study sessions. Subjects were randomly assigned to start with either (i) protein-source tryptophan (deoiled gourd seed) in combination with carbohydrate or (ii) carbohydrate alone. One week after the initial session, subjects returned for a follow-up session and received the opposite treatment of that received at the first session. All 7 subjects who began the study completed the 2-week protocol. Protein-source tryptophan with carbohydrate, but not carbohydrate alone, resulted in significant improvement on an objective measure of anxiety. Protein-source tryptophan combined with a high glycemic carbohydrate is a potential anxiolytic to those suffering from social phobia.
Antidiabetic potential of oleanolic acid from Ligustrum lucidum Ait.This article is one of a selection of papers published in this special issue (part 2 of 2) on the Safety and Efficacy of Natural Health Products.
Authors: Gao Dawei , Li Qingwang , Li Ying , Liu Zhihua , Liu Zhiwei , Fan Yusheng , Han Zengsheng , Li Jian , Li Kun 
Published: December 2007

Ligustrum lucidum Ait. has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 1000 years because of its anti-tumor, antimutagenic, antidiabetic, and hepatoprotective properties. The aim of this study was to determine whether oleanolic acid (OA) is the principal active compound of L. lucidum responsible for its antidiabetic properties, and to examine its effect on the expression of thyroid hormones and insulin secretion, thus revealing the mechanism by which L. lucidum modulates insulin levels in diabetes. When rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes were treated with OA (100 and 200 mg/kg body mass per day, for 40 days), the changes in blood glucose levels and in oral glucose tolerance tests showed that hypoglycemia was more pronounced in OA-treated groups than in the diabetic control rats, and that the levels of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoportein cholesterol in OA-treated rats were lower than those in the diabetic control rats, whose high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased. OA-treated rats also gained weight, and exhibited increased serum insulin levels. In contrast, OA treatment did not effect the levels of thyroid hormone or TSH in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. These results indicate that OA has hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects. OA treatment might stimulate insulin release, and consequently, results in the modulation of glucose levels and regulation of lipid metabolism.