bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A framework for analysis of contamination on human and ecological receptors at DOE hazardous waste site buffer lands
Authors: Burger Joanna 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThis article discusses a framework and tools for evaluating ecological resources and the effects of cleanup on hazardous waste sites, particularly those with ecological buffer lands. Environmental professionals are faced with assessing the risks of contamination to humans and ecological receptors (organisms and ecosystems) at hazardous waste sites. While exposure assessment has focused largely on human receptors, environmental managers have recently taken a broader view, recognizing the intrinsic value and aesthetic importance of ecological resources and services, and of including a range of stakeholders in remediation decisions. The assessment process involves understanding exposure pathways from source to receptor, and determining how best to interdict these pathways. Environmental characterization and exposure assessment, indicator and biomarker identification, and biomonitoring and surveillance are the major components of ecological assessments. Using the Department of Energy as a case study, this article offers a framework for ecological exposure assessment, recognizing that humans are important components of ecosystems and, like other biota, are exposed to contaminants that move through environmental media. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Destruction of Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum, Stachybotrys chartarum, and Cladosporium cladosporioides spores using chemical oxidation treatment process
Authors: Yaari Galia , Tachiev Georgio , Dean Timothy R. , Betancourt Doris , Long Stephanie 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe survival of aqueous suspensions of Penicillium chrysogenum, Stachybotrys chartarum, Aspergillus versicolor, and Cladosporium cladosporioides spores was evaluated using various combinations of hydrogen peroxide and Fe2+ as catalyst. Spore concentrations of 106–107 colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) were suspended in water and treated with initial hydrogen peroxide and iron concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 10 percent and 100 to 200 ppm, respectively. After four hours of reaction time, samples were plated on agar plates, and the viable fraction of spores was determined by the number of colonies formed. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations above 50,000 ppm resulted in greater than 6‐log10 reduction of viable spores for both catalyzed and noncatalyzed reactions. Iron had a strong catalytic effect when added to solutions with hydrogen peroxide concentration above 5,000 ppm and resulted in two to three orders of magnitude greater reduction compared to hydrogen peroxide alone. Additional samples taken after 24 hours of reaction time showed that the effect of the addition of 100 and 200 ppm of Fe2+ catalyst was mostly kinetic, and noncatalyzed hydrogen peroxide had sporicidal effects similar to catalyzed hydrogen peroxide. This study identified initial reagent concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and Fe2+ that accomplish a 6‐log10 reduction of viable mold spores within reaction times of 4 and 24 hours. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Conversion of phenolics to lignans: Sinapic acid to thomasidioic acid
Authors: Rubino M. I. , Arntfield S. D. , Charlton J. L. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractChanges in sinapic acid when exposed to aqueous alkaline conditions were elucidated. Sinapic acid was exposed to a volatile buffer (pH 8.5) for 24 h, lyophilized, acidified, extracted, and characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy. The product obtained was identified as the lignan thomasidioic acid. This identification was confirmed by comparison with a synthesized authentic sample of thomasidioic acid. Conversion of sinapic acid to thomasidioic acid under alkaline conditions previously has not been reported. Thomasidioic acid was present after exposure of sinapic acid to pH 8.5 for as few as 6 h. Thomasidioic acid also was formed at pH 7.
New utilization of vegetable oils
Authors: Nag A. , Bhattacharya S. , De K. B. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractEnergy crisis and growing fuel shortage is a global concern. This phenomenon is more conspicuous in the populous, developing countries. In order to look for alternatives and extenders to the conventional fuels, studies were performed on the seed oil of some relatively unknownPutranjiva roxburghii, a plant that is abundantly available in the Indian tropical subcontinent. In a prototype experiment, the physicochemical properties of theP. roxburghii seed oil were found to be suitable for blending with diesel up to 50% without any sacrifice in performance of an internal combustion engine. Another industrially useful material, factice (vulcanized oil), was also prepared from the same oil. It was found to be suitable for blending with rubber, improving its strength, hardness, viscosity, and scorch time, and also increased its degradation temperature. This oil is not commercially traded in the market and has not yet been recommended as edible; hence industrial exploitation will not affect consumer market directly. A few more preliminary experiments indicated that the by‐product oilcake is a good plant nutrient and the oil exerts profound antifungal activity. These properties need to be investigated more extensively. This plant and its oilseed deserve further attention and investigation, particularly in the tropical, coastal developing countries.
Effect of dietary n−3 and n−6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on lipid‐metabolizing enzymes in obese rat liver
Authors: Niot Isabelle , Gresti Joseph , Boichot Jacqueline , Semporé Georges , Durand Georges , Bézard Jean , Clouet Pierre 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThis study was designed to examine whether n−3 and n−6 polyunsaturated fatty acids at a very low dietary level (about 0.2%) would alter liver activities in respect to fatty acid oxidation. Obese Zucker rats were used because of their low level of fatty acid oxidation, which would make increases easier to detect. Zucker rats were fed diets containing different oil mixtures (5%, w/w) with the same ratio of n−6/n−3 fatty acids supplied either as fish oil or arachidonic acid concentrate. Decreased hepatic triacylglycerol levels were observed only with the diet containing fish oil. In mitochondrial outer membranes, which support carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity, cholesterol content was similar for all diets, while the percentage of 22∶6n−3 and 20∶4n−6 in phospholipids was enhanced about by 6 and 3% with the diets containing fish oil and arachidonic acid, respectively. With the fish oil diet, the only difference found in activities related to fatty acid oxidation was the lower sensitivity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase I to malonyl‐CoA inhibition. With the diet containing arachidonic acid, peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity were markedly depressed. Compared with the control diet, the diets enriched in fish oil and in arachidonic acid gave rise to a higher specific activity of aryl‐ester hydrolase in microsomal fractions. We suggest that slight changes in composition of n−3 or n−6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in mitochondrial outer membranes may alter carnitine palmitoyltransferase I activity.
Risk and protective factors for urban African‐American youth
Authors: Li Susan Tinsley , Nussbaum Karin M. , Richards Maryse H. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe present study investigated risk and resilience processes in a sample of urban African‐American youth. Risk and protective factors were assessed across ecological levels including individual, family and community. Both externalizing and internalizing symptomatology were included as measures of child adjustment. Youth and parental reports as well as various methods, such as the Experience Sampling Method, were used to capture the daily experiences of the adolescents from different perspectives. Poverty, hassles, and exposure to violence predicted higher rates of externalizing and internalizing symptoms. Individual and family protective variables emerged as powerful sources of resilience. An inner sense of confidence and helpful family support were associated with reductions in the deleterious effects of community poverty. Two main patterns, protective‐stabilizing and overwhelming‐risk, seemed to characterize most of the risk by protective factor interactions. The present findings are important for understanding the complex experiences of urban youth and furthering the literature on sources of risk and protection for African‐Americans.
Neuronal blockade with morphine
Authors: SANCHEZ R. , NIELSEN H. , HESLET L. , IVERSEN A. D. 
Published: March 2007

SummaryA patient with an apical lung tumour invading the brachial plexus (Pancoast's tumour) suffered from unbearable pain unmodified by daily treatment with morphine 180 mg subcutaneously. An interscalene brachial plexus block was performed using a solution containing 5 mg morphine hydrochloride in 10 ml isotonic saline. Complete analgesia was obtained after 20 minutes, an effect which lasted for the next 36 hours. Neuro‐axonal transport of morphine to the spinal cord may be the explanation of the effect, an hypothesis which ought to be subjected to controlled trials.
Postoperative morbidity following gynaecological outpatient Iaparoscopy. A reappraisal of the service
Authors: Collins K.M. , Docherty P.W. , Plantevin O.M. 
Published: March 2007

SummaryFifty‐six women having out‐patient gynaecological laparoscopies were studied to determine anasthetic problems and postoperative morbidity. It is concluded that the procedure is safe, and although the postoperative morbidity appears high it is very acceptable to the patient.
Anasthesia in Marfan's syndrome
Authors: Verghese Chandy 
Published: March 2007

SummaryThirteen patients with Marfan's syndrome who underwent surgery between 1968 and 1983 were studied to document the anasthetic morbidity in this rare disorder. One of the 13 patients studied died intra‐operatively, one died in the immediate postoperative period and one patient developed postoperative complications and further surgery was postponed indefinitely. This represents a high mortality l morbidity rate and the findings are recorded. The two deaths were unexpected and could not be explained.
Comparison of atracurium and alcuronium in day‐case gynaecological surgery
Authors: Collins K.M. , Plantevin O.M. , Docherty P.W. 
Published: March 2007

SummaryAlcuronium and atracurium were used on a randomised basis as part of the anaesthetic technique for out‐patient gynaecological laparoscopy. Conditions for intubation and relaxation were similar but there was a marked decrease in the incidence of minor postoperative sequelae in the atracurium group.
NK Cell‐mediated Destruction of Influenza A Virus‐infected Peripheral but not Central Neurones
Authors: Backström E. , Ljunggren H.‐G. , Kristensson K. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractPeripheral neurones have the potential to transmit infectious agents to the central nervous system (CNS). This raises the possibility of existing host defence mechanisms that may prevent such spread. Natural killer (NK) cells can target infected cells, and by this ability serve to limit spread of infection prior to the development of adaptive immune responses. To address directly if NK cells can target infected peripheral neurones, we examined the expression of NK cell‐activating ligands and susceptibility to NK cell‐mediated cytolytic effects in ex vivo cultures of mouse peripheral dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurones prior to and after infection with a neurotropic strain of influenza A virus, WSN/33. In infected DRG cultures, retinoic acid early inducible gene‐1 (RAE‐1) transcripts were induced and exposure to interleukin (IL)‐2‐activated NK cells resulted in a total destruction of neurites. Studies on cultures from interferon (IFN)‐α/βR‐deficient mice suggest that the infection engages an IFN‐α/β‐dependent signalling pathway to induce RAE‐1 transcripts. In contrast, induction of RAE‐1 transcripts or NK cell‐mediated neurite destructions was not observed in central hippocampal neurones. This reveals distinct properties between peripheral DRG and central hippocampal neurones with respect to the ability to signal for immune destruction following infection.
A method for mapping the distribution of willow at a catchment scale using bi‐seasonal SPOT5 imagery
Authors: NOONAN M , CHAFER C 
Published: March 2007

SummaryThis study showed that seasonal imagery acquired at specific stages of phenology can be used to improve the mapping accuracy of invasive willow at a catchment scale. SPOT5 XI (10 m) satellite imagery was acquired for early autumn and winter to represent the phenological stages of leaf cover and leaf fall respectively. Four classification regimes were evaluated using single‐ and bi‐seasonal composite imagery to determine the most accurate method. Significant spectral noise was found in willow populations, especially in the winter image, due to the effects of undergrowth exposure, shadowing, topography and boundary‐mixed pixels. Two noise reduction techniques were applied to the bi‐seasonal composite image to improve the classification results. The noise‐reduced bi‐seasonal composite image was classified using the spectral angle mapper (SAM) algorithm before importation into a geographical information system. Aerial photography was used to reduce the errors of commission associated with misclassification of pastures. The class accuracy achieved for willow using the method described in this study was 77.5% (Kappa =0.87). The high cost of eradicating willow means that managers must establish priorities for control; this technique can provide a powerful tool for prioritizing control programmes and for monitoring results at a catchment scale.
Molecular phylogenetics of strains morphologically identified as Fonsecaea pedrosoi from clinical specimens
Authors: Yaguchi Takashi , Tanaka Reiko , Nishimura Kazuko , Udagawa Shun‐ichi 
Published: March 2007

SummaryA phylogenetic study based on sequence analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1, 5.8S and ITS2 region was performed in 33 strains morphologically identified as Fonsecaea pedrosoi from clinical specimens and living environments, preserved at the Research Center for Pathogenic Fungi and Microbial Toxicoses, Chiba University. The strains of Fonsecaea were divided into two major clades: Group A, representing F. pedrosoi sensu de Hoog et al.; and Group B, representing F. monophora. We identified new lineages: Group B was further clustered into three subgroups, B‐1, B‐2 and B‐3, which were phylogenetically distinct from each other. The subgroups B‐1, B‐2 and B‐3 are thought to be mainly predominant in Africa and Central and South America, Japan and China, and Europe and North America, respectively. Thus, polymorphism in Group B is rather considered to be caused by its geographic parameter. We demonstrate for the first time that all clinical isolates from Japan are monophyletic, belonging to a new lineage of F. monophora.
Impaired glucose tolerance in first‐episode drug‐naïve patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Spelman L. M. , Walsh P. I. , Sharifi N. , Collins P. , Thakore J. H. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractAims  To determine whether there is an association between Type 2 diabetes mellitus and schizophrenia, independent of medication.Methods  In this cross‐sectional study we performed an oral glucose tolerance test on 38 non‐obese white Caucasians who fulfilled the criteria for first‐episode drug‐naïve schizophrenia, 38 control subjects (matched for age, gender, smoking status, alcohol intake and ethnicity) and 44 first‐degree relatives of the patients.Results  The frequency of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), defined by World Health Organization criteria, was 10.5% (n = 4) in patients with schizophrenia, 18.2% (n = 8) in unaffected relatives and 0.0% in healthy control subjects (χ2 = 4.22, d.f. = 2, P < 0.05).Conclusions  The high point prevalence of IGT in never‐treated patients and relatives supports either shared environmental or genetic predisposition to IGT. Both patients and their relatives present an ideal cost‐effective opportunity to screen for Type 2 diabetes mellitus, as they are both easily identifiable.
Spousal Concordance for Alcohol Dependence: Evidence for Assortative Mating or Spousal Interaction Effects?
Authors: Grant Julia D. , Heath Andrew C. , Bucholz Kathleen K. , Madden Pamela A.F. , Agrawal Arpana , Statham Dixie J. , Martin Nicholas G. 
Published: March 2007

Background: Alcohol dependence (AD) is among the most common psychiatric disorders, and impacts the health and well‐being of problem drinkers, their family members, and society as a whole. Although previous research has consistently indicated that genetic factors contribute to variance in risk for AD, little attention has been paid to nonrandom mating for AD. When assortative mating occurs for a heritable trait, spouses are genetically correlated and offspring are at increased risk of receiving high‐risk genes from both parents. The primary goal of the present analyses is to test hypotheses about the source(s) and magnitude of spousal associations for AD using a twin‐spouse design.Methods: DSM‐IV AD (without the clustering criterion) was assessed via telephone interview for 5,974 twin members of an older cohort of the Australian Twin Register (born 1902–1964) and 3,814 spouses of the twins. Quantitative genetic modeling was used to determine the extent to which variability in risk for AD was influenced by genetic factors, the extent of spousal association for AD, and whether the association was attributable to assortative mating, reciprocal spousal interaction, or both processes.Results: Genetic factors explained 49% of the variance in risk for AD. There was no evidence of gender differences in the spousal interaction effect, the degree of rater bias, or the association between the twin's report of spouse AD and the spouse's AD phenotype. Either the assortative mating parameter or the spousal interaction parameter could be removed from the model without a significant decrement in fit, but both could not be dropped simultaneously, suggesting a lack of power to differentiate between these 2 causes of spousal correlation. When both effects were included in the model, the spousal correlation was 0.29, the assortative mating coefficient was 0.45 (i.e., “like marries like”), and the reciprocal spousal interaction coefficient was −0.10 (i.e., after controlling for assortative mating, the additional impact of spousal interactions is slightly protective).Conclusions: These analyses provide evidence of significant spousal associations for AD, with assortative mating increasing spouse similarity and spousal interaction effects decreasing it after controlling for assortative mating. Although the genetic impact is modest, assortative mating results in an increased proportion of offspring exposed to 2 alcoholic parents and the associated detrimental environmental sequelae, and increases the likelihood of offspring inheriting high‐risk genes from both parents.
Cataract and glaucoma surgery in pseudoexfoliation syndrome: a review
Authors: Drolsum Liv , Ringvold Amund , Nicolaissen Bjørn 
Published: March 2007

Abstract.Pseudoexfoliation syndrome is a risk factor in cataract surgery because of the increased weakness of zonular apparatus and reduced pupillary dilatation. The surgical outcome of using phacoemulsification in the central zone, inducing minimal stress on the zonules, inserting a capsular tension ring in selected cases, and stretching the pupil mechanically in eyes with miotic pupils, may turn out to be uneventful in most cases. Postoperative fibrosis with subsequent shrinkage of the capsule is increased in these eyes, and these centripetal forces will further loosen the zonular fibres. Late in‐the‐bag intraocular lens dislocation is therefore anticipated to become a growing problem in the future. Despite the dysfunctioning of the blood–aqueous barrier in eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, the frequency of postoperative inflammatory reaction is low due to the improvements made in surgical technique and equipment in recent years.Glaucoma frequently occurs in eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Compared with primary open‐angle glaucoma, optic damage is more pronounced in these eyes at the time of diagnosis and response to medical therapy is poorer. Although responses to argon laser therapy and filtering surgery are roughly similar between the two types of glaucoma, there are indications that primary laser trabeculoplasty has a higher success rate in pseudoexfoliation glaucoma than in primary open‐angle glaucoma.
Novel Nonlinear Elastic Actuators for Passively Controlling Robotic Joint Compliance
Authors: Migliore Shane A. , Brown Edgar A. , DeWeerth Stephen P. 
Published: March 2007

Abstract
The ability to control compliance of robotic joints is desirable because the resulting robotic mechanisms can adapt to varying task requirements and can take advantage of natural limb and joint dynamics. The implementation of controllable compliance in robots, however, is often constrained by the inherent instability of active compliance methods and by the limited availability of the custom, nonlinear springs needed by passive compliance methods. This work overcomes a major limitation of passive compliance by producing designs for two novel mechanisms capable of generating a wide variety of specifiable, nonlinear elastic relationships. One of these designs is physically implemented as a quadratic “spring” and is used to create a passively compliant robot joint with series-elastic actuation. A simple feed-forward algorithm is then experimentally shown to be sufficient to control independently and simultaneously both joint angle and joint compliance, regardless of the presence of external forces on the joint. We believe that this is the first physically constructed system to use antagonistic quadratic springs to successfully demonstrate open-loop, independent, and simultaneous control of both joint angle and joint stiffness. Because this approach better emulates the underlying joint mechanics used by animals, it may improve both the quality and variety of robotic movements.
Molecular Epidemiology of the
sil
Streptococcal Invasive Locus in Group A Streptococci Causing Invasive Infections in French Children
Authors: Bidet Philippe , Courroux Céline , Salgueiro Christophe , Carol Agnès , Mariani-Kurkdjian Patricia , Bonacorsi Stéphane , Bingen Edouard 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT

We found 31 different
emm
-toxin genotypes among 74 group A streptococcal isolates causing invasive infections in French children. The predominant
emm
types were
emm
1 (25%),
emm
3 (8%),
emm
4 (8%),
emm
6 (7%), and
emm
89 (9%). Sixteen percent of isolates harbored the streptococcal invasive locus, half of them belonging to
emm
4.
Comparison of Two Highly Discriminatory Molecular Fingerprinting Assays for Analysis of Multiple
Aspergillus fumigatus
Isolates from Patients with Invasive Aspergillosis
Authors: de Valk Hanneke A. , Meis Jacques F. G. M. , de Pauw Ben E. , Donnelly Peter J. , Klaassen Corné H. W. 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT

Two highly discriminatory fingerprinting assays, short tandem repeat typing and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), were compared to determine the genetic relatedness between 55 isolates of
Aspergillus fumigatus
obtained from 15 different patients suffering from proven invasive aspergillosis. Both techniques showed that interpatient isolates belonged to different genotypes and that intrapatient isolates from deep sites were all of the same genotype. By contrast, multiple genotypes were found among isolates originating from respiratory samples. Both techniques have specific advantages and disadvantages. AFLP is more universally applicable, but short tandem repeat analysis offers better discriminatory power and should be the preferred method for standardizing typing of clinical isolates of
Aspergillus fumigatus
.