bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Oral Versus Rectal Administration of Acetaminophen With Codeine in Postoperative Pediatric Adenotonsillectomy Patients
Authors: Owczarzak Vicki , Haddad Joseph 
Published: August 2006

AbstractObjective: To examine whether acetaminophen with codeine administered per rectum is an effective alternative for pain control compared with oral administration after an adenotonsillectomy.Study Design: A prospective, randomized control study.Methods: Seventy‐five children aged 1 to 5 were recruited for this study. Each child was assigned randomly to receive either rectal or oral postoperative pain medication. A journal with eight questions was kept for 10 days after the operation, and an overall survey of five questions was filled out at the first postoperative visit.Results: Postoperative pain was adequately controlled in those patients receiving suppositories when compared with those patients receiving oral pain medication. Adverse effects and total number of doses given per day were similar. Parents found the suppositories easy to administer, and more parents would switch or consider switching from oral pain medication to suppositories if given the choice.Conclusions: The suppositories achieved equivalent pain control as oral medication with few side effects and good tolerance. Furthermore, many parents preferred the suppositories to oral medication in maintaining postoperative pain control because of ease of administration. If given the choice for future surgeries, many parents would switch or consider switching from oral pain medication to suppositories.
Electrical Resistivity Measurements in the Mammalian Cochlea After Neural Degeneration
Authors: Micco Alan G. , Richter Claus‐Peter 
Published: August 2006

AbstractObjectives/Hypothesis: In the present series of experiments, the effect of neural degeneration on the cochlear structure electrical resistivities was evaluated to test if it alters the current flow in the cochlea and if increased current levels are needed to stimulate the impaired cochlea. In cochlear implants, frequency information is encoded in part by stimulating discrete populations of spiral ganglion cells along the cochlea. However, electrical properties of the cochlear structures result in shunting of the current away from the auditory neurons. This consumes energy, makes cochlear implants less efficient, and drastically reduces battery life. Models of the electrically stimulated cochlea serve to make predictions on current paths using modified and improved cochlear implant electrodes. However, one of the model's shortcomings is that most of the values for tissue impedances are not direct measurements. They are derived from bulk impedance measurements, which are fitted to lumped‐element models.Study Design: The four‐electrode reflection–coefficient technique was used to measure resistivities in the gerbil cochlea. In vivo and in vitro (the hemicochlea) models were used. Measurements were made in normal and in deafened animals. Cochlear damage was induced by neomycin injection into the animals' middle ears. Neural degeneration was allowed to occur over 2 months before performing the measurements in the deafened animals.Results: The resistivity values in deafened animals were smaller than in the normal‐hearing animals, thus altering the current flow within the cochlea.Conclusions: Resistivity changes and subsequent changes in current path should be considered in future designs of cochlear implants.
The evolution of large ocean waves: the role of local and rapid spectral changes
Authors: Gibson R.S , Swan C 
Published: August 2006

This paper concerns the formation of large-focused or near-focused waves in both unidirectional and directional sea-states. When the crests of wave components of varying frequency superimpose at one point in space and time, a large, transient, focused wave can occur. These events are believed to be representative of the largest waves arising in a random sea and, as such, are of importance to the design of marine structures. The details of how such waves form also offer an explanation for the formation of the so-calledfreakorroguewaves in deep water. The physical mechanisms that govern the evolution of focused waves have been investigated by applying both the fully nonlinear wave model of Batemanet al. (Batemanet al. 2001J. Comput. Phys.174, 277–305) and the Zakharov's evolution equation (Zakharov 1968J. Appl. Mech. Tech. Phys.9, 190–194). Aspects of these two wave models are complementary, and their combined use allows the full nonlinearity to be considered and, at the same time, provides insights into the dominant physical processes.In unidirectional seas, it has been shown that the local evolution of the wave spectrum leads to larger maximum crest elevations. In contrast, in directional seas, the maximum crest elevation is well predicted by a second-order theory based on the underlying spectrum, but the shape of the largest wave is not. The differences between the evolution of large waves in unidirectional and directional sea-states have been investigated by analysing the results of Batemanet al. (2001) using a number of spectral analysis techniques. It has been shown that during the formation of a focused wave event, there are significant and rapid changes to the underlying wave spectrum. These changes alter both the amplitude of the wave components and their dispersive properties. Importantly, in unidirectional sea-states, the bandwidth of the spectrum typically increases; whereas, in directional sea-states it decreases.The changes to the wave spectra have been investigated using Zakharov's equation (1968). This has shown that the third-orderresonanteffects dominate changes to both the amplitude of the wave components and the dispersive properties of the wave group. While this is the case in both unidirectional and directional sea-states, the consequences are very different. By examining these consequences, directional sea-states in which large wave events that are higher and steeper than second-order theory would predict have been identified. This has implications for the types of sea-states in whichroguewaves are most likely to occur.
Two crystal structures of Trichoderma reesei hydrophobin HFBI—The structure of a protein amphiphile with and without detergent interaction
Authors: Hakanpää Johanna , Szilvay Géza R. , Kaljunen Heidi , Maksimainen Mirko , Linder Markus , Rouvinen Juha 
Published: August 2006

AbstractHydrophobins are small fungal proteins that are highly surface active and possess a unique ability to form amphiphilic membranes through spontaneous self‐assembly. The first crystal structure of a hydrophobin, Trichoderma reesei HFBII, revealed the structural basis for the function of this amphiphilic protein—a patch consisting of hydrophobic side chains on the protein surface. Here, the crystal structures of a native and a variant T. reesei hydrophobin HFBI are presented, revealing the same overall structure and functional hydrophobic patch as in the HFBII structure. However, some structural flexibility was found in the native HFBI structure: The asymmetric unit contained four molecules, and, in two of these, an area of seven residues was displaced as compared to the two other HFBI molecules and the previously determined HFBII structure. This structural change is most probably induced by multimer formation. Both the native and the N‐Cys‐variant of HFBI were crystallized in the presence of detergents, but an association between the protein and a detergent was only detected in the variant structure. There, the molecules were arranged into an extraordinary detergent‐associated octamer and the solvent content of the crystals was 75%. This study highlights the conservation of the fold of class II hydrophobins in spite of the low sequence identity and supports our previous suggestion that concealment of the hydrophobic surface areas of the protein is the driving force in the formation of multimers and monolayers in the self‐assembly process.
Leptin, insulin, insulin‐like growth factors and their binding proteins in cord serum: insight into fetal growth and discordancy
Authors: Davidson S. , Hod M. , Merlob P. , Shtaif B. 
Published: August 2006

SummaryObjective  Singleton infants with intrauterine growth restriction have an adaptive hormonal profile characterized by decreased levels of IGF‐1, IGF‐2, IGFBP‐3 and insulin and elevated levels of IGFBP‐1 and IGFBP‐2. This study examined the association between cord serum levels of six growth factors and anthropometric features at birth in twins in order to determine the intrauterine growth factor interactions and to characterize the specific hormonal profile of small discordant twins.Design  Prevalent case‐control study.Patients  Twenty pairs of discordant twins (5 monozygotic, 15 dizygotic) and 20 pairs of concordant twins (6 monozygotic, 14 dizygotic) matched for gestational age.Measurements  Cord blood levels of IGF‐1, IGF‐2, IGFBP‐1, IGFBP‐3, insulin, leptin and anthropometric measurements at birth. Intra‐ and inter‐pair differences and correlation coefficients were calculated, and the data were fitted to multivariate regression models.Results  In both discordant and concordant groups, the smaller twins had a significantly lower level of IGF‐1 (P < 0·03) and significantly higher level of IGFBP‐1 (P < 0·02) than their larger cotwins. IGFBP‐1 was inversely correlated with IGF‐1 (P < 0·05). Insulin levels were significantly higher in the smaller discordant than the smaller concordant twins (P < 0·001) and in the larger discordant than the larger concordant twins (P < 0·004). Among the monozygotic twins, the leptin level was significantly higher in the larger discordant than the larger concordant twins (P < 0·025). Percentage birth weight discordancy was statistically correlated with twin‐pair differences in IGF‐1 and IGFBP‐1.Conclusions  Of the six factors studied, IGF‐1 appears to be the main indicator of intrauterine growth. Twin discordancy may involve compensatory rather than adaptive mechanisms or a multihormone relative resistance syndrome.
Identification of adiponectin and its receptors in human osteoblast‐like cells and association of T45G polymorphism in exon 2 of adiponectin gene with lumbar spine bone mineral density in Korean women
Authors: Lee Won Young , Rhee Eun Jung , Oh Ki Won , Kim Se Yeon , Jung Chan Hee , Yun Eun Joo , Baek Ki Hyun , Kang Moo Il , Kim Sun Woo 
Published: August 2006

SummaryObjective  The role of adiponectin in bone metabolism has been recently reported in in vitro and in vivo studies. There has been no report on the association of adiponectin gene polymorphism and bone mineral density (BMD). Therefore, we investigated whether two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), T45G and G276T, in the adiponectin gene were related to BMD in Koreans. We also report on the identification of adiponectin and its receptors 1 and 2 in human osteoblast‐like cell lines.Patients and measurements  MG‐63 cells were cultured and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiations from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were performed. RNA was then extracted from the cultured cells and reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was performed using primers for adiponectin and for the adiponectin receptor genes. In 249 female and 80 male subjects, measurements were made of their lumbar spine and femoral neck BMDs, and biochemical markers of bone turnover. The genotyping of the T45G polymorphism in exon 2 and the G276T polymorphisms in intron 2 in the adiponectin gene was performed using an allelic discrimination assay with a TaqMan probe. Analyses were performed separately in each cohort.Results  We found that the mRNAs for adiponectin and for adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and 2 (AdipoR2) were expressed in the MG‐63 cells. Sequencing of the PCR products revealed that they were identical to human adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, respectively. mRNAs for adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were also expressed in the osteoblastic and adipogenic cell lines differentiated from hMSCs. For the polymorphism study, the frequencies of T45G and G276T in the adiponectin gene were in compliance with Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and the two polymorphisms were in complete linkage disequilibrium (D′ = −1·0, P < 0·001). In the female cohort, subjects with G alleles at the T45G locus had significantly lower lumbar spine BMD than those subjects with the TT genotype. Although BMD levels showed no association with the G276T locus, the GT genotype group showed significantly higher urine deoxypyridinoline levels than other genotype groups. In the male cohort, no association was observed between adiponectin genotypes and BMD levels.Conclusions  We observed the expression of adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 in the MG‐63 cell line and the osteoblastic cell line differentiated from hMSCs. T45G polymorphism in exon 2 of the adiponectin gene is associated with lumbar spine BMD and G276T polymorphism in intron 2 of the adiponectin gene is associated with the urine deoxypyridinoline level in Korean women. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the precise contribution of adiponectin to bone mineral metabolism.
Hydraulic conductivity profiles of two clay soils
Authors: YOUNGS E. G. , GOSS M. J. 
Published: August 2006

SUMMARYThe profiles of hydraulic conductivity for an Evesham Series and a Denchworth Series soil were measured for saturated conditions in the field when the water‐table was near to the soil surface, making use of existing piezometers installed horizontally from inspection pits. The hydraulic conductivity profiles of both soils were found to be practically the same, decreasing from about 100 mm d−1 at a depth of 0.5m to about 0.01 mm d−1 at 1.5m. At any depth the variation in the measured hydraulic conductivity obtained from different piezometer installations in both soils was as great as that between the two soils. Hydraulic conductivity values of the Evesham soil obtained using piezometers agreed with other published results obtained with the auger‐hole method on the same site. Also the hydraulic conductivity profile to 1 m depth obtained for this soil was the same as that found for a monolith, 0.8 m in diameter, taken from an Evesham soil some 100 km away. The results give encouragement to the possibility of inferring hydraulic conductivity values from soil morphological descriptions.
Stimulation of leaf litter decomposition and associated fungi and invertebrates by moderate eutrophication: implications for stream assessment
Authors: GULIS V. , FERREIRA V. , GRAÇA M. A. S. 
Published: August 2006

Summary1. We investigated the effect of moderate eutrophication on leaf litter decomposition and associated invertebrates in five reference and five eutrophied streams in central Portugal. Fungal parameters and litter N and P dynamics were followed in one pair of streams. Benthic invertebrate parameters that are considered useful in bioassessment were estimated in all streams. Finally, we evaluated the utility of decomposition as a tool to assess stream ecosystem functional integrity.2. Decomposition of alder and oak leaves in coarse mesh bags was on average 2.3–2.7× faster in eutrophied than in reference streams. This was attributed to stimulation of fungal activity (fungal biomass accrual and sporulation of aquatic hyphomycetes) by dissolved nutrients. These effects were more pronounced for oak litter (lower quality substrate) than alder. N content of leaf litter did not differ between stream types, while P accrual was higher in the eutrophied than in the reference stream. Total invertebrate abundances and richness associated with oak litter, but not with alder, were higher in eutrophied streams.3. We found only positive correlations between stream nutrients (DIN and SRP) and leaf litter decomposition rates in both fine and coarse mesh bags, associated sporulation rates of aquatic hyphomycetes and, in some cases, total invertebrate abundances and richness.4. Some metrics based on benthic invertebrate community data (e.g. % shredders, % shredder taxa) were significantly lower in eutrophied than in reference streams, whereas the IBMWP index that is specifically designed for the Iberian peninsula classified all 10 streams in the highest possible class as having ‘very good’ ecological conditions.5. Leaf litter decomposition was sufficiently sensitive to respond to low levels of eutrophication and could be a useful functional measure to complement assessment programmes based on structural parameters.
Architectural and physiological mechanisms of reduced size inequality in CO2‐enriched stands of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
Authors: STINSON KRISTINA A. , TRAN JIMMY H. , PETZOLD JENNIFER L. , BAZZAZ F. A. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractTesting whether and how subordinate individuals differ from dominants in the utilization of enriched CO2 atmospheres is important for understanding future stand and community structure. We hypothesized that subordinate and dominant Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae) (common ragweed) plants growing in dense stands would not equally acquire or utilize carbon gains from CO2‐enrichment, and that the resulting disproportionate growth gains to subordinates would reduce size inequalities in competing stands. We grew experimental stands of A. artemisiifolia in either ambient (360 μL L−1) or twice ambient (720 μL L−1) levels of atmospheric CO2. We compared the relative growth, photosynthetic capacity, and architecture of subordinate and dominant plants in each treatment, and assessed size inequalities using the stand‐level coefficient of variation (CV). In elevated CO2, plants grew larger, but subordinate plants shifted more mass to upper stem allocation than dominants. Dominant plants demonstrated reduced leaf‐level photosynthetic gains in elevated CO2 compared with subordinate plants. Reduced CVs in plant size reflected smaller proportional growth gains by dominants over subordinates in elevated vs. ambient stands. We conclude that differences in the architectural and physiological responses of subordinate and dominant ragweed plants reduce competition and allow subordinate plants to catch up to dominants in elevated CO2 conditions.
A novel association between clustered NF‐κB and C/EBP binding sites is required for immune regulation of mosquito Defensin genes
Authors: Meredith J. M. , Munks R. J. L. , Grail W. , Hurd H. , Eggleston P. , Lehane M. J. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractA comparative analysis identified key cis‐acting regulatory elements responsible for the temporal control of mosquito Defensin gene expression. The promoters of Anopheles gambiae Defensin 1 and two isoforms of Aedes aegypti Defensin A are up‐regulated by immune challenge. This stimulated activity depends upon a cluster of three NF‐κB binding sites and closely associated C/EBP‐like motifs, which function as a unit for optimal promoter activity. Binding of NF‐κB and C/EBP like transcription factors is confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, including supershifts with antibodies to C/EBP. κB‐like motifs are abundant within antimicrobial peptide gene promoters and most are very closely associated with putative C/EBP binding sites. This novel association between NF‐κB and C/EBP binding sites may, therefore, be of widespread significance.
Genome‐wide analysis of phenobarbital‐inducible genes inDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Sun W. , Margam V. M. , Sun L. , Buczkowski G. , Bennett G. W. , Schemerhorn B. , Muir W. M. , Pittendrigh B. R. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractAn oligoarray analysis was conducted to determine the differential expression of genes due to phenobarbital exposure inDrosophila melanogaster(w1118strain) third instar larvae. Seventeen genes were observed to be induced with increased expression by a statistical analysis of microarrays approach with aq ≤ 0.05. Atq ≤ 0.12, four more genes (Cyp12d1, DmGstd4, and two genes with unknown function) were found to be up‐regulated, and 11 genes with unknown function were found to be down‐regulated. Fifteen of these genes,Cyp4d14, Cyp6a2,Cyp6a8,Cyp12d1,Cyp6d5,Cyp6w1, CG2065,DmGstd6, DmGstd7, Amy‐p/Amy‐d,Ugt86Dd, GC5724, Jheh1, Jheh2 and CG11893, were verified using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction. Some of these genes have been shown to be over‐transcribed in metabolically DDT‐resistantDrosophilastrains.
Differential expression of the detoxification genes in the different life stages of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae
Authors: Strode C. , Steen K. , Ortelli F. , Ranson H. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe diverse habitats and diets encountered during the life cycle of an Anopheles mosquito have necessitated the development of extensive families of detoxification enzymes. Expansion of the three detoxification enzyme families (cytochrome P450s, carboxylesterases and glutathione transfereases), has occurred in mosquitoes compared with Drosophila, however, very little is known regarding the developmental expression of theses genes. Using a custom made microarray we determined the expression profile of the detoxification genes in adults, larvae and pupae of the malaria vector A. gambiae. The expression of approximately one quarter of these genes was developmentally regulated. The expression profile of each of these genes and the information this data provides on putative functions of the mosquito detoxification enzymes is discussed.
Crystal structure of the apo‐PerR‐Zn protein from Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Traoré Daouda A. K. , El Ghazouani Abdelnasser , Ilango Sougandi , Dupuy Jérôme , Jacquamet Lilian , Ferrer Jean‐Luc , Caux‐Thang Christelle , Duarte Victor , Latour Jean‐Marc 
Published: August 2006

SummaryBacteria adapt to elevated levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by increasing the expression of defence and repair proteins, which is regulated by ROS responsive transcription factors. In Bacillus subtilis the zinc protein PerR, a peroxide sensor that binds DNA in the presence of a regulatory metal Mn2+ or Fe2+, mediates the adaptive response to H2O2. This study presents the first crystal structure of apo‐PerR‐Zn which shows that all four cysteine residues of the protein are involved in zinc co‐ordination. The Zn(Cys)4 site locks the dimerization domain and stabilizes the dimer. Sequence alignment of PerR‐like proteins supports that this structural site may constitute a distinctive feature of this class of peroxide stress regulators.